HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-16 CorrespondenceItem Number: 8.a.
A ugust 16, 2022
Establish traffic con trol an d on -street parking p rohib ition for the Card inal
Pointe West - Part 3 Su b d ivision
Prepared B y:Emily Bothell; S enior A ssociate Transportation P lanner
Reviewed By:Kent Ralston; Transportation Planner
Tracy Hightshoe; Neighborhood and Development S ervices Director
F iscal I mpact:No impact
Recommendations:Staff: Approval
Commission: N/A
Attachments:
Executive S ummary:
As directed by Title 9, C hapter 1, Section 3B of the C ity C ode, this is to advise C ity C ouncil of the
following action:
Pursuant to S ection 9-1-3 A (5,12); I nstall "No Parking A ny Time" signs on the east and north side
of Preston L ane from Mason Drive to Camp Cardinal B oulevard. I nstall "S top" sign on Preston
L ane for north-eastbound motorists at the intersection with Camp Cardinal B oulevard.
Background / Analysis:
T his action is being taken to assign the right-of-way at the intersection of Preston L ane and Camp
Cardinal B oulevard and to establish an on-street parking prohibition on Preston L ane.
Item Number: 8.b.
A ugust 16, 2022
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Competitive Quotation Memo
Submitted by Amy Kretkowski
Ei 1 a n i, ,-. ,l, .
AUG 162011
August 11, 2022 City Clerk
City Council Iowa City, Iowa
410 E. Washington Street _
Iowa City, IA 52240
SENT VIA EMAIL: council@iowa-city.org
To the Members of the City Council of Iowa City:
We are writing to urge the City Council to reject the proposed new design for the City Park Pool
(CPP) because it is inconsistent with this community's needs and with the key findings identified
in the Gather Here Recreation Facilities & Programs Master Plan) To date, we have gathered
nearly 400 signatures from members of this community who support keeping the current design,
layout, and footprint of the existing CPP.
First and foremost, the Iowa City Parks& Recreation Commission voted to recommend this new
design to the City Council at their May 23 meeting. The public comment period did not close
until June 4, 2022. For this reason alone, the City Council should reject this recommendation
because it was made without the benefit of full public input.
Moreover, the proposed design is inconsistent with the Key Findings and Community Feedback
identified in the Master Plan. Iowa Citians place great value on aquatics, such as aqua fitness, lap
lanes, and swim lessons.' The proposed design would reduce the opportunities for actual
swimming.'
The current design of CPP meets the community's expressed priorities.
According to the Master Plan, the "top investment priorities" for pool programs are water fitness
classes/water aerobics, lap swimming, senior aquatic programs, and swim lessons.' CPP is used
regularly for all of these programs.
The current pool has nine 50-meter lanes for lap swimming, a 25-meter square deep-water diving
well, two shallow 25-meter pools for water aerobics and water walking, and a separate shallow
kiddie pool for our youngest swimmers-to-be. The proposed redesign would reduce the current
nine lap lanes to three; would reduce the size of the deep-water diving well; and would convert
the primary portion of the pool into a shallow area with "spray features" and a somewhat deeper
area with a"current channel" (i.e., "lazy river").5 This proposed new design does not meet the
community's expressed priorities.
' This plan was presented at the June 21, 2022 City Council meeting. The cited pages refer to the
pdf pages of this plan available at https://www.icgov.or<.;/councildocs.
2 Id. at 11; see also id. at 18 ("75%of'high priority' pool programs involves forms of aquatic
exercise."
31d. at 38.
4 Id. at 9. While the online surveys had the largest number of participants, the "Top Investment
Priorities"were taken from the "Statistically Valid Survey."Id. at 8-9.
5 Id. at 38.
The community wants more lap lanes and prefers a traditional pool footprint.6
The proposed new design reduces the current nine lap lanes to three.' This design does not retain
the "traditional footprint" of the current pool.
The community wants to retain CPP's "original aesthetics and character."8
The proposed new design looks nothing like the current pool and does not retain its original
aesthetics and character.
The current design of CPP provides swimming opportunities for all age groups.
The Master Plan identified categories for key programming opportunities to include teens, young
adults, and active adults, aquatic exercise, and fitness.' The"Key Findings Summary" states:
"Add programs for teens and all four adult age segments (young adult, adult, active agers, and
seniors.)"10 The current CPP layout is open and flexible to accommodate a wide variety of uses
for all age groups.
The proposed new design—with only three lanes for lap-swimming, a smaller deep-water
section, and nearly half of the primary pool being too shallow for swimming—would limit the
actual swimming and water-fitness opportunities for teens, young adults, adults, active agers, and
seniors.
CPP has been a beloved feature of Iowa City since 1949.
On July 13, 2022, Parks & Rec staff led the Parks & Rec Commission and members of the public
on a tour of Iowa City's three public pools, including CPP. At the outset of the CPP tour, Parks
& Rec staff agreed that the community loves this pool, its versatility, and its ability to be so
heavily programmed and widely used."
CPP is one of only two pools in Iowa to have long-course (50-meter) outdoor lap swimming.12
CPP also offers a variety of swim lessons (days and evenings, adaptive, group, adult, children,
outreach, and private); training for Iowa City Eels and City High swimmers; diving, including a
high dive board; water polo (Iowa City Sea Lions); $2 swim; paddleboard lessons;junior
lifeguarding lessons; and numerous special events (Swimtroduction, SplishSplash Story Time,
teen nights, dog swim, 4th of July, Pride the Pool, Swim & Sound).'3
AUG 16 2022
City Clerk
6 Id. at 43.
Id. at 38. Iowa City, Iowa
8 Id. at 42.
9 Id. at 19.
1°Id. at41.
" Parks & Rec Commission Meeting, July 13, 2022—Tour of the Pool Facilities, video at
1:22:34, available online at https:/ citvchannel4.comic2i-bin'vdb/vtp.pl?id=F22416.
12 Id. at 1:22:38. The other pool with this feature is in Ames.
13 Id. at 1:24:32.
Letter to City Council in Support of CPP, Page 2
According to the Master Plan, one reason for replacing CPP is that it is"72 years old" and"not a
suitable long-term investment solution."14 The report states: "We do not know of any pools that
are this old and still operating."15
A 10-second Google search yielded several results. Here are a few: (1)the Underwood Pool, in
Belmont, MA, built in 191216; (2)the Deep Eddy Pool, in Austin, TX, built in 193617; and (3)the
McCarren Park Pool, in Brooklyn,NY, also built in 1936.18
These communities cherish and promote their"vintage" pools. We should do the same.
Conclusion
We urge the City Council to make all necessary repairs to CPP—and if that means replacing the
existing pool, we urge the City Council to retain the current pool's design, footprint, aesthetics,
and character—and not reduce the number of 50-meter lanes or actual swimming opportunities.
Of course, if the City Council wants to add an extended zero-entry pool with "spray features"
and a"lazy river," by all means, it should do so. But the City should not take away the current
valued features of this public pool that is enjoyed every summer by swimmers of all ages.
Sincerel
E r
Amy retkowski
714 N. Johnson Street
amy.kretkowski@gmail.com AUG 1 6 202Z
On behalf of: City Clerk
Iowa City, Iowa
Mark Cannon
Carin Crain
Sharon DeGraw
Jill Fishbaugh
Justin Fishbaugh
John Gianola
Patrick D. Gilpin
Hal M. Ide
Kathleen Kamerick
Susan Mellecker
Caroline Sheerin
14 Id. at 37.
15 Id.
16 https://belmontma_myrec_com/info/default.aspx
17 https://ww-ww.austintexas.gov/department/deep-eddy-pool
18 https://www.nvcgovparks.orgi'parks.`mccarren-park!faci lilies/outdoor-pools/mccarren-park-
pool
Letter to City Council in Support of CPP, Page 3
Submitted by Jill Fishbaugh
August 8, 2022
To the members of the Iowa City Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council,
We are writing to express our support for keeping the downtown Robert A. Lee (RAL) pool open and
for making necessary repairs. Having attended several meetings of the City Council and the Parks&
Recreation Department, and after reviewing relevant information provided to us in response to our
records request, we feel it is important to identify the inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the
recommendations that have been made to eliminate the RAL pool.
Unless otherwise noted, the pages cited as source material throughout this letter are from the Jul49,1 6 2022
2022, Iowa City Parks& Recreation Condition of the Pools report (Report).
City Clerk
Iowa City, Iowa
COST AND BENEFITS
Reasonable Repair Costs Would Extend RAL Pool Operation for Years
While Parks& Recreation staff suggest that the RAL pool needs extensive and expensive repairs and
therefore recommend that the RAL pool be closed,the figures provided in the Report suggest that
estimated repairs to the pool would actually cost fewer than $600,000.Thus, reports that the RAL
pool repairs would cost$4.5-5 million are clearly misleading, since these costs are for the entire RAL
facility, not just the pool.
WT Group's estimate to repair the RAL pool is$471,000,to be instituted over three to five years(pp. 70-
73).These repairs include items such as pool inlet piping, supply and gutter collection piping, surge tank,
and filters.The repair estimates include$70,000-90,000 for new EPD (sand) filters and a $60,000-80,000
allowance for a new surge tank (p. 72). It should be noted these two repairs have already been
accounted for in the current Parks& Rec budget (new surge tank p. 67) and $640,000 for pool filter and
HVAC (p. 225).Williams Architects estimate repairs to the natatorium such as remediating rust on roof
beam connections and door hardware at$108,000.The total for repairing the entire pool structure is
$579,000, an amount far less than the $4.5-5.04 million reported in BerryDunn's Gather Here Recreation
Master Plan or$4.7 million (p. 184) and oft repeated by staff and administrators.
More importantly, if the repairs and replacements are completed, the RAL Aquatic Center Pool "could
continue to operate...for many years," according to the WT Group Executive Summary(p. 61). Part of
the cost confusion arises because reported expenses for RAL pool repairs are being conflated with
projected improvements and repairs to the entire RAL facility not related to the pool.These would
include locker room renovation, roof replacement, egress compliance, and lobby, exterior,gymnasium,
and meeting room updates (p. 85). Williams Architects' recommended building improvements and
repairs(including the natatorium)total $4.1 million over 10 years(p. 83), but these costs stand separate
from pool repairs.
In summary, the life of the RAL pool could be extended for many years by making the necessary repairs
to the pool ($471,000) and natatorium ($108,000), which together equals$579,000 and is nowhere near
the $4.7 million figure quoted for the pool alone (p. 184).
ROBUST POOL USAGE
At several meetings, Parks& Recreation Department staff have suggested that the RAL pool is rarely
used.The attendance sheets of the Report would appear to support this—at first glance (pp. 93-94).
However,those attendance sheets do not accurately reflect the actual numbers of people using the RAL
pool. In addition, other factors we outline below are being ignored.The reality is that the RAL pool is
actively used by a wide variety of pool users.
Pool Users Undercounted
First, and most importantly, data provided do not account for all pool users during the hours the RAL
pool is open and instead greatly underestimate actual numbers. As Juli Seydell Johnson explained at the
tour of the RAL pool on July 13,the numbers listed on an attendance sheet for May come from Parks&
Rec staff who watch security footage (at 1:10 on the online Parks& Rec Commission Meeting of July 13,
2022—Tour of Pool Facilities video) and only include people who are lap swimming, once an hour(p.
93). Presumably, lap walkers, aqua-fitness class participants, deep-water aquacisers, swim-lesson
students, and others who use the pool were simply not counted.June's table entitled, "RALRC Lap Lane
Snapshot Counts" is also incomplete and adds an unclear category besides lap swimmers(no "AF Class
or lap swim—includes diving well use and family swim use"), but this heading is puzzling, because the
dates don't include Sundays, when many families swim (p. 94). In addition, only one number is provided
per day for this added category, and the time staff collected counts is not recorded. Other than the one
count per hour, data also omit the many pool users who come and go during a one-hour periodli
result: RAL pool users are being undercounted.
.. , n
Aquacisers Undercounted AUG 1 G 2022
Second,the specific omission of aquacise participants in daily counts is significant.These pool useruity. Clerk
attend regularly, and the 12-15 participants fill the three lap lanes dedicated to the activity,whilei0t4 City Iowa
other three lanes are used by lap swimmers. Instead of counting aquacise participants in the water on
the days they attend, water-fitness registrations are reported separately in the Report(p. 149). But
these numbers only count class registrants, not the number of days the participants are in the pool.
Since each class meets four times/month,that's 152 people in May and 124 people in June that aren't
being added to the counts.The Report also shows a significantly higher water-fitness participation at
RAL than at Mercer(more than 1.6 times greater), both in the number of classes offered and the
number of participants (p. 149). Over the six-month period listed, RAL shows almost double the number
of water-fitness participants (247/131),yet these numbers are not reflected in the daily pool counts
(pp. 93-94). Again, RAL pool users, per day, are undercounted. Additionally, on days when aquacise
participants and other pool users are in the RAL pool, the pool is near capacity.
Family Swim,Swim Lessons, and Special Events Not Counted
Third, like the omission of aquacise participants, the omission of pool users on Sunday evenings and
during afterschool swim-lesson programs and special-events greatly skews understanding of the
importance and centrality of the RAL pool. It is our understanding that 20-30 students attend swim
classes every 30 minutes, between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as on Saturdays
and Sundays throughout the year, when City Park pool is closed.The Report states that "The pool gets
busy during lessons" (p. 62). Special event participation, such as Swimtroduction, teen nights, She Swims
Too,Junior Lifeguard, Sensory Swims, Splish Splash Story Times, Egg Hunt, Noon Year's Eve Ball Drop,
and Pumpkin Float, is also documented (p. 54).These programs, in addition to birthday parties,which
amount to hundreds of students using the pool, are missing in the attendance numbers.
Passholders Undercounted
Fourth, many RAL pool users use annual and monthly passes,yet these same users are not accounted
for in the daily counts. It came to our attention that these passholders are only counted as one person
per month. Matt Eidahl says, at 1:12:35 on the online Parks& Rec Commission Meeting of July 13, 2022
— Tour of Pool Facilities video, referring to p. 148, "The first line, the green one, is Unique Pass Holders,
so that just counted one individual one time in the month. So, if an individual would come in five times
or every day of the week, it would only count them one time for the month." He then reported that the
"Total Pass" column shows the number of times passes were scanned. From experience,we know that
reception staff do not require everyone to scan their pass resulting in undercounts of passholders who
use the pool.
ICPR Staff and Red Cross Trainings Not Counted
Fifth, ICPR staff receive and conduct aquatic safety trainings at the RAL pool.These trainings recf4(IEkj 6 2022
partial or complete pool closure and include scores of staff members over the course of a year.5hese
pool users are also not counted but should be included in the total number. ity Clerk
Iowa City, Iowa
Parks&Rec Daily Counts Inaccurate
Sixth, accurate data about daily swim activities is lacking, and the erroneous representation Juli Seydell
Johnson continues to maintain that only zero to two swimmers use RAL at any one time is simply untrue.
For example, at 44:51 of the June 21 City Council work session, she conveyed, "It's not uncommon to
have zero, one,or two lap swimmers for a greater portion of the day." Currently,the pool is closed for
the greater portion of the day, and those of us who attend the RAL pool have kept track of how many
people use the six-lane pool daily.The numbers we find are far higher than those being"reported."
One regular pool user documented over a seven-month period that the average number of pool users
was seven or more at the time they arrived. Many users avoid the days when aquacise classes are held
because the pool is too full (up to 23 at one time)! Seven might be an underestimate of actual pool
usage since people come and go during any hour period. In the past few months, others have also
documented pool attendance, and those numbers are greater as well. We don't understand why the
Parks& Rec Commission is so eager to close the RAL pool, when data do not support this decision.
Drastic Reduction of Hours Limits Usage
Finally, regarding RAL pool usage, we ask that you remember that the data being presented were
collected after the RAL pool hours were cut drastically from what they had been for decades. Since
January,the hours have amounted to 4.75 hours per day, Monday through Friday, with different hours
on Saturday and Sunday. This also means that comparisons to Mercer are simply unfair since Mercer's
full-day hours have not been cut. RAL pool users have shown enormous dedication to try to squeeze in
pool use between the hours of 6:15 and 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday.This inconvenient reduction has NOT resulted in fewer pool users but instead shown the
dedication of those who are committed to the mental and physical health benefits provided by
swimming in the warm-water RAL pool, accessible to pool users from toddlers to seniors, in the heart
of Iowa City.
COMMUNITY DATA SUPPORTS KEEPING RAL POOL
Iowa Citians Rank Aquatics#1 and RAL Pool Provides a Significant Part of that Service
The recommendation to close the RAL pool is inconsistent with the community feedback and key
findings identified in the Report. In the Report's Gather Here Recreation Facilities& Programs Master
Plan (pp. 187-229), Aquatics ranks number one, above all other program enrollments in the period
reported (p. 201).The Report also notes that, for indoor pools, a "downtown/central location" is
preferred, and that RAL is "more accessible" (p. 227). Furthermore, the section entitled, "High Level
Community Engagement Themes," lists "High value on aquatics," including aqua fitness, lap lanes, and
instruction (p. 197). Likewise, "Top Investment Priorities," based on the "ETC Statistically Valid Survey,"
list pool programs including water fitness classes/water aerobics, lap swimming,senior aquatic
programs, and swim lessons as main concerns(p. 195).The report also identifies"aquatic program" as a
"growth opportunity," noting that "75%of'high priority' pool programs involves forms of aquatic
exercise" (p. 204). Together, these community-informed responses are powerful indicators of what the
citizens desire and RAL provides: a downtown pool in a central location, accessible to all,with diverse
programming and opportunities.
Report Ignores Public Comments
If public input is an important part of the process, it should be noted that 1) at least 12 of the 44 focus
group participants were city employees—a significant portion of a focus group whose purpose was to
•
reflect community sentiment; and 2) public support comments for keeping RAL pool open in the
Report's survey data are missing.Through a public information request, we obtained access to the
survey's public comments and found those who commented specifically about RAL pool were
overwhelmingly positive (76%). Of those who were critical, their concerns included the pool being too
busy, not enough lap lanes to swim, and not enough hours open for use.These suggestions actually
show that people want RAL pool's services expanded, not eliminated.
t; r
The following are typical of those who commented about RAL pool:
"Restore and keep the Robert A Lee pool open and extend hours!!!!" AUG 1 E 2022
"We do not need a 'warm water' pool at Mercer that will take away lap swim and other
ItY
aquatic programming at Robert A Lee for twice the cost. Robert A Lee is far more equitaL Clerk
City
sustainable option.This survey does not address the closure of this important community , 'OWa
asset (Robert A Lee pool)."
"DO NOT CLOSE THE DOWNTOWN ROBERT E. LEE POOL. I could not find a specific survey
about the downtown pool,which sends a message your decision to close it is already a
done deal. Please keep the Downtown open. Also, add lap lanes and hours for lap
swimmers at all pools."
"There really should be three pools. Central (rec center), East(Mercer) and a new western
aquatic center."
"RAL pool should not be closed."
"Do not close downtown pool. People walk from work to the pool at lunch and after work."
"Keep Robert A. Lee pool open."
CONCLUSION
The RAL pool and natatorium could be repaired for$579,000.This is eight times less than what's
being reported.
Furthermore, in 1968, Iowa City determined that a third pool was necessary and therefore built the
Mercer Park pool. Since that time, Iowa City's population has grown by 60 percent and continues to
grow. Iowa Citians highly value aquatics. Closing RAL pool would be shortsighted and goes against its
citizens' priorities.
Despite drastically slashed hours, the RAL pool continues to see robust usage, thus meeting the
community's needs in an appealing and accessible location.The investment and commitment to repair
the RAL pool would result in years of benefits to Iowa City residents.
Please continue to fund and maintain this valuable and well-utilized community resource.
Sincerely,
Mark Cannon Justin Fishbaugh Susan Mellecker
Carin Crain Amy Kretkowski Anne Stapleton
Jill Fishbaugh
Cc:Juli Seydell Johnson, Goeff Fruin, Eric Goers, Sue Dulek, Liz Craig, Sara Hektoen,Jennifer Schwickerath