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Home My WebLink About2022-11-15 Bd Comm minutesItem Number: 4.a. _'"ewr�� CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org November 15, 2022 ATTACHMENTS: Description Climate Action Commission: October 10 MINUTES FINAL IOWA CITY CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION OCTOBER 10, 2022 —3:30 PM — FORMAL MEETING EMMA J. HARVART HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Michal Eynon -Lynch, John Fraser, Stratis Giannakouros, Clarity Guerra, Kasey Hutchinson, Matt Krieger, Jesse Leckband, Becky Soglin, Matt Walter MEMBERS ABSENT: Ben Grimm, Gabriel Sturdevant STAFF PRESENT: Daniel Bissell, Sarah Gardner, Megan Hill OTHERS PRESENT: Elizabeth Wagner CALL TO ORDER: Soglin called the meeting to order. APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 MINUTES: Guerra moved to approve the minutes from September 12, 2022 with edits. Eynon -Lynch seconded the motion, a vote was taken and the motion passed 8-0 (Giannakouros not present for the vote). PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Action Items from last meeting (Staff): • Commission members were invited to send any follow up questions for MidAmerican to the climate action staff. No additional questions were received. • MidAmerican was also going to follow up with additional information on questions asked in the September meeting. Staff has not yet received those responses. Climate Fest Recap (Staff): • Hill reported a positive response and turnout for Climate Fest this year, which had more than 2000 participants between the in -person and online events. • 35 different community organizations collaborated with Climate Action staff on the various events. Staff received a lot of great feedback from the organizations, who reported having meaningful conversations with residents who attended. • Highlights included [videos featuring recent climate action -funded community projects shown at the Big Grove event], a combined electric mileage of over 537,000 miles among the electric vehicles that participated in the EV event, $531 donated to Red Earth Gardens as part of the screening donation at Film Scene, and a large online viewership of the dance performance. Climate Action Commission October 10, 2022 Page 2 of 6 Upcoming events (Staff): • University of Iowa Solar Policy Panel (Oct. 11) • Climate Ambassador Waterworks Tour (Oct. 12) • Johnson County ADA Celebration (Oct. 15) • Growing Sustainable Cities Conference (Oct. 17-18) • Iowa City Halloween Carnival (Oct. 21) • Speaking of... Pumpkins & Presents (Oct. 31) {Giannakouros joined the meeting} Working Group Updates (Staff): • Solar Prioritization (Giannakouros, Krieger, Soglin, Sturdevant) - the memo was sent to Council and they approved those projects to move forward. • Insulation Grant Program (Guerra, Fraser, Leckband) - met and discussed the ongoing inflation grant program. • Resilience Hub Prioritization (Grimm, Hutchinson, Eynon -Lynch, Walter) - working to find a date to meet later in October. Community Based Organization outreach (Commissioners): • Home Builders Association (Krieger) — no update. • South District Neighborhood (Eynon Lynch) noted there was a lot of interest in the heat pump grant so need to get information about that grant to them (Bissell will do so). • NAACP (Soglin) had good conversation about awareness of grants • Black Voices Project (Soglin) still working to find a time to meet. • Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition (Fraser) - no update • Lucas Farms Neighborhood (Giannakouros) - no update • LULAC (Guerra) — no update UNFINISHED/ONGOING BUSINESS: Climate Action Plan: • Gardner noted the climate action plan update included several new solar projects amended into the Accelerated Action Plan following the memo sent to Council. • Kreiger asked about the engagement with the realtor community. Four Iowa City Area Association of Realtors (ICAAR) members received scholarships to attend the Green Designation training and learn about interventions to improve home efficiency. There is interest in adding a category for energy efficiency features or "High Performance Homes" to the MLS, which is in the process of being updated this year. • Guerra asked about continued engagement among Climate Ambassadors. A Climate Ambassadors newsletter was launched earlier this year to foster ongoing connection. Gardner noted that similar programs (Climate Reality Training, Master Gardeners) see challenges with sustained engagement; therefore, ongoing trainings to add people to the mix are important. Partnering with organizations, i.e. having employers like ACT host a training, is another strategy to foster ongoing engagement. • Hill noted they are continuing to work on ways to keep ambassadors involved in a 2 Climate Action Commission October 10, 2022 Page 3 of 6 hands-on way with engagement opportunities. Eynon -Lynch suggested the Resilience Corps might have future potential projects for ambassadors. • Krieger asked about the resilience hub study by Ayman Sharif, completed in August. Staff will include it in the next agenda packet • Soglin asked about the 109 audits done by Green Iowa AmeriCorps members and the 14 gas leaks found in the process. A number of those gas leaks were external to the home, which is part of the reason that they had gone undetected, but were noted as a climate hazard. • Krieger asked for details about BR-4: energy benchmarking, and whether it would start as a voluntary program. Bissell reported that the program details are still being worked out. Gardner suggested staff would like to form that a Commission working group early 2023 to examine considerations and outcomes related to an energy benchmarking ordinance. • Krieger also asked about the sustainability forum and events. Staff hosted a small business focus group in August that included businesses that have not previously had much interaction with. Participants reported being very interested in sustainability but reported most of their actions pertained to recycling. They also identified a potential hurdle to be the disconnect between the landlord who owns the building and those who occupy the buildings in terms of accessing the TIF funding opportunities. 24/7 Initiative questions and next steps: • Gardner noted in recent City Council discussions the comments made that indicate Council members have been following the discussions the Commission has been having related to this initiative and the values placed on the thoughtful questions raised in the process. • Staff has continued to participate in the World Resource Institute cohort of cities that have been exploring this question. Most of the cities that have been participating have not yet adopted a 24/7 resolution themselves but are continuing to work through the questions. A lot of the solutions that have been brought forward in those discussions have been more applicable for communities and entities that are able to participate in a wholesale energy market, which Iowa City is unable to do. • Krieger noted a concern about possible rate increases, so it seems like additional outreach efforts should be made to all types of customers. • Soglin noted the Commission's responsibility to consider the equitable outcomes and the co -benefits of any projects and the risks. • Giannakouros reported feeling ill equipped to answer the technical questions. For example, on the gas/methane study, they had more transparent data and information on which to base a recommendation, so perhaps a consultant was needed to better understand the options related to this question as well. • Giannakouros stated when dealing with an investor -owned utility, they have proprietary information that they're not willing to disclose so it's all proxy, and it's all guesstimate. • The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will also reconfigure the industrial policy landscape of the US and change trajectories, change feasibility curves, costs, and technology adoption, so the numbers MidAmerican put forward to this Commission are going to change. • Giannakouros feels they should wait and see what Des Moines' plan will be and see what Ann Arbor's consultant comes forward with. • Krieger echoed the Inflation Reduction Act impact and noted the franchise agreement 3 Climate Action Commission October 10, 2022 Page 4 of 6 isn't up until 2027 and wonders if they will see how the IRA is incorporated into that. If the utility is getting incentives, are they passing those incentives down as rate reductions to the customers, for example. • Giannakouros stated 24/7 is an excellent idea and it's where we have to go to not be reliant on fossil fuels over the long term. On the flip side, the Commission has to decide whether they are responsible for Iowa City or All Things Climate, because 24/7 would mean the City would be demanding changes that are mostly outside the boundaries of the city. • Elizabeth Wagner (Iowa Environmental Council) wanted to reiterate some of the information that the Iowa Environmental Council provided to the Commission on the topic of 24/7 CFE resolution. • In April of this year, the IPCC announced that in order to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, global electricity production will require a nearly complete elimination of fossil fuels from generation by 2030. In response to this, the US declared a goal to reach carbon free electricity nationwide by 2035. This local 24/7 CFE resolution aligns with that policy. • A utility cannot set a city specific rate without review and approval from the Iowa Utilities Board. The final 24/7 carbon free electricity resolutions passed by both Des Moines and Waterloo did not include the mention of a franchise agreement so an Iowa City resolution would not need to include franchise agreement language in order to pursue this goal. • IEC feels Iowa city needs a clean energy goal that imagines an electric grid in 2035 that is free of fossil fuels and work must take place to capitalize on renewable energy capacity, expand energy storage, and use energy more efficiently. • Krieger and Giannakouros expressed a preference to make the Accelerated Action Plan a living document that will be updated when information from the IPCC prompts new goals. • The Commission discussed the 24/7. On one hand is an overall laudable goal, but there are concerns about whether it would be seen as symbolic because it doesn't necessarily push the needle in a sense beyond the City's borders. The Commission has concerns about cost and impacts and equity and the only avenue is involving the relationship with the main utility, MidAmerican Energy. Therefore, this Commission would like to wait and discuss this again in January, when they can learn more about what happens in Des Moines now that they're making a commitment and they're issuing a report. Additionally, they can find out what Ann Arbor learns from the consultant hired to investigate this question. The Commission also wants to recognize that the inflation Reduction Act is already having an impact on how they should be thinking about these things and there's just much more yet to be seen. Finally, when talking about the cost impacts, they don't feel like they have a sense of what the overall community really wants so more outreach or inquiry is needed. • Gardner clarified that Ann Arbor's feasibility study would not likely be finished by January. Leckband asked if the shape of the study would be established by then, and Gardner said she would find out. • Eynon -Lynch asked whether other cities already each had a Climate Action Plan as detailed as Iowa City's before they adopted or began considering the 24/7 Initiative. Gardner responded that Des Moines adopted 24/7 as part of the launch of their city's climate action plan. • Stratis noted that 24/7 bears similarity to the White House's plan for a zero -emissions electricity sector by 2035. Instead of using the specific language of 24/7, Iowa City could take 4 Climate Action Commission October 10, 2022 Page 5 of 6 the information from it and chart its own course. • The Commission will revisit this discussion in the January meeting, with Des Moines' plan available for study. RECAP: • Confirmation of next meeting time and location: Monday November 7, 3:30-5 p.m., Emma J. Harvat Hall • Actionable items for commission, working groups, and staff o Staff will amend the minutes to note authors of the supplementary memo. o Staff will follow up with MidAmerican on questions. o Staff will include the report from Ayman Sharif in the next agenda packet. o Staff will try to find out the timeline for Ann Arbor's consultant report. ADJOURNMENT: Leckband moved to adjourn, Kreiger seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 9-0. CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSIONATTENDANCE RECORD 2022 NAME TERM EXP. '— N D N 12/6/2021 1 / 10/2022 2/7/2022 w m O iv 4/4/2022 5/2/2022 CD m O ivN N 7/ 11 /2022 8/15/2022 9/12/2022 10/10/2022 Michal Eynon- Lynch 12/31/2024 -- NM X X X X X X NM X X X John Fraser 12/31/2024 X NM X X X X X X NM X X X Stratis Giannakouros UI Rep X NM X 0/EX X X O/E NM X X X Clarity Guerra 12/31/2022 -- NM X X X X O/E X NM X X X Ben Grimm 10/31/2023 X NM O/E X X O/E X X NM X X O/E Grace Holbrook* 12/31/2021 O/E NM NM -- -- -- Megan Hill* 12/31/2022 X NM X X X X X -- NM -- -- -- Kasey Hutchinson 12/31/2022 XNMX X X X X XNMX X X Matt Krieger 12/31/2023 X NM X X X X O/E X NM X O/E X Jesse Leckband MidAmerican Rep O/E NM X O/E X X X X NM X O/E X Becky Soglin 12/31/2022 X NM X X X X X X NM X X X Gabe Sturdevant 12/31/2024 -- NM X X X X O/E X NM X X O/E 5 Climate Action Commission October 10, 2022 Page 6 of 6 Eric Tate* 12/31/2021 NM NM Matt Walter 12/31/2023 NM NM O/E KEY: X = Present 0 = Absent 0/E = Absent/Excused NM= No Meeting * No longer on Commission 6 Item Number: 4.b. CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org November 15, 2022 ATTACHMENTS: Description Human Rights Commission: September 27 Approved Minutes Human Rights Commission September 27, 2022 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Jason Glass, Doug Kollasch, Ashley Lindley, Bijou Maliabo, Siri Felker, Sylvia Jons (via Zoom), Kelsey Paul Shantz (Via Zoom). Commissioners not present: Roger Lusala. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers, Joshua Dabusu. Recommendation to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 5:30 PM. Native American Land Acknowledgement: Lindley read the Land Acknowledgement. Public comment of items not on the agenda: Dabusu introduced newly hired Iowa City Police Officer Dale Dellimore to the Commission. Dellimore previously worked for the Cedar Rapids Police Department for 5 years and is from Naperville, Illinois. Approval of meeting minutes of August 23. 2022: Lindley moved, and Maliabo seconded. Motion passed 8-0. Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant: Commissioners went over the draft application. The updated version of the rubric was also reviewed. Shantz inquired whether the application would be translated into Spanish. Staff will check with Communications and ITS to explore the inquiry and report back at the next Commission meeting. Pries moved, and Lindley seconded to approve the application for the racial equity and social justice for 2023.8-0. Felker, Glass, and Maliabo will facilitate the grant informational session on November 9, and Pries, Lindley, and tentatively Jons will facilitate on November 16. Strategic Plan: Breaking Bread — Glass & Lindley Reciprocal Relationships — Lusala, Felker, and Jons Building Bridges — Maliabo, Paul Shantz, Pries Glass and Lindley provided their updates in the Commission's packet for this month. One of their initiatives is to contact persons who previously served on the Commission to see if they are interested in tabling events in the community on behalf of the Commission. Possible events include Party in the Park, Farmer's Market, and Coffee with a Commissioner. Awards Breakfast: The annual event will be held on Wednesday, October 26. Felker and Priest selected the following honorees for 2022: Iowa City Bike Library, Mary Kenyon, Mary Issah, Joceyln M. Williams, Francine Spencer — Thompson, Na Li, and State Senator Joe Bolkcom. Lindley will welcome and closing remarks, and Glass will present the awards. Announcements of staff and commissioners: Maliabo and Pries participated in a program on the possibilities of equity and also delivered remarks at the International Day of Peace event. Jons is nearly done with her first quarter of the Executive MBA program. Lindley mentioned the growth of Coralville Pride from last year to this year and a toolkit she is working on in her practicum with the Rape Advocacy program. Kollasch spoke on an upcoming election forum being sponsored by Hawkeye Pride on October 18 and led by Keenan Crow, Policy and Advocacy Director of One Iowa. Paul Shantz mentioned an upcoming event called "Refocus" that is sponsored by Film Scene. Glass mentioned the fun day had at Coralville Pride and that he and his family will be serving a meal at the Iowa City Catholic Worker House over the weekend. Adjourned: 6:51 PM. The meeting can be viewed at https://citvchannel4.comjvideo.html?series=Local%20Government. Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2022 Meetini Date NAME TERM EXP, 1/25 2/22 3/29 4/26 5124 6/28 7/11 7/26 8/23 9/27 10/25 11/22 12/27 Jason Glass 2022 P P P P P - P P P P Ashley Lindley 2022 1' P P P P P P P P Mark Pries 2022 P P P P P - 1' P P 1' Roger Lusala 2023 P P P P P - P P - A Bijou Maliabo 2023 P P P P P - P P P P Kelsey Paul Shantz 2023 - - - - - - - P P P Siri Felker 2024 P A P P P - P 1' P P Sylvia Jons 2024 P A P P P - A P P P Doug Kollasch 2024 - - - - - - - - - P KEY: P = Present A = Absent R = Resigned Item Number: 4.c. _'"ewr�� CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org November 15, 2022 ATTACHMENTS: Description Library Board of Trustees: September 22 U/r� y~��_�� CITY PUBLIC � | � C� � | �-� LIBRARY �~��[-��~� ' 123S'Linn St. ^ Iowa City, |A52240 319'356-5200 ^ |cp|.org Minutes ofthe Regular Meeting LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES September 22,2@22 Iowa City Public Library 2»u FKmmr—Bomrdrmmnm Regular MAmetimg~ 5:00P§H Members Present: DJ Johnk, Robin Paetzold, John Raeburn, Tom Rocklin, Hannah Shultz, Dan Stevenson. Members Absent: Noa kUn, Carol Kirsch, Claire Matthews. Staff Present:Bsworth Carman, Maggie Damtro,AnneMengano,]enMUler, Zoe Murphy, Brent Palmer, Angie Pi|hington. Guests Present. ChaM|eJohnk Call Meeting to Order. Rocklin called the meeting toorder at 5:O3PM. /\ quorum was present. Approval of Septernber22, 2022 Board Meeting Agenda. Paetzo|dmade amotion tmapprove the September 22 nd Board Meeting Agenda. Shultz seconded. Motion passed 5/0. Public Discussion. None. Items $mbeDiscussed. 0mdsat Discussion. Carman shared [|P(Capital Improvement Project) reports are due September 23rd. The budget kickoff will happen later this month and the first face to face meeting will happen in November. There is a new leadership group in Finance but Carman believes the budget process will operate similarly to previous years. Carman is happy the Library Coordinators are bringing budget ideas tothe table. Rocklin asked ifthe kickoff meeting was the first hint atwhat level ofbudget increase to expect. Carman shared in previous years this has been the meeting when staff get the landscape of the next budget cycle. Carman imagines inflation being discussed. If staff are asked to come back with a flat budget request Carman believes this will lead to a conversation about the priority ofservices offered. Policy Review: 401 Finance Policy. Carman shared the intention of this revision was to provide clarification. Carman feels no changes were made to the spirit of the document. The changes made were done in an attempt to provide more accurate information. Paetzo|d asked about policy line 401.21.13vxhich pertains to discarding materials. Paetzo|d wondered if there should be a clause added Ifyou will need disability -related accommodations inorder toparticipate in this meeting, please contact JemMiller, Iowa City Public Library, ut3/9'887-6003or/onnifepm0er@icpLmrg. Early requests are strongly encouraged uvallow sufficient time to meet your access needs. stating, proceeds will benefit the Library. Mangano shared that some materials are sold and then go to directly to a revenue fund. Changes made to the Finance Policy reflect previous revisions to the Collection Policy. Mangano recommended updating the Collection policy if the draft of the Finance Policy was altered. Paetzold felt transparency was very important to qualm concern from patrons. Johnk agreed and wondered if the policy could reflect both sentiments. Paetzold discussed the importance of being proactive about library waste and wondered if clarification would appease that need. Carman felt this was a good point. Raeburn joined the meeting at 5:10 PM. Carman felt comfortable with the policy language but thought it might be useful to review revenues. Paetzold wondered if the policy should include language about benefiting the Library. Mangano explained some materials are sold to Sustainable Shelves at Baker & Taylor and proceeds go directly to purchasing new materials through Baker & Taylor. Other materials are given to the Friends Foundation to support the Book End, the used bookstore at iCPL. Paetzold wondered if the policy language should state, "to support the library's mission." Johnk liked this suggestion. Mangano noted this for the upcoming Collection Policy review. Paetzold wanted the policy to reflect future potential concerns of the public. Shultz made a motion to approve the policy with the agreed upon clarification. Johnk seconded. Motion passed 6/0. Policy Review: 801 Circulation and Library Card Policy. Rocklin shared Board action was not required as no changes were recommended. Johnk asked if a public announcement had been made about going fine free. Carman shared a press release went out at the beginning of the Summer Reading Program and it was also on social media. There was a discussion about content in The Window. Staff Reports. Director's Report. Carman has continued to meet with community members and shared the Strategic Plan data in his report has increased since submission. Carman discussed the handrail installation at the library entrance and was pleased to share there have been no comments. Carman approved the removal of the red planters. Johnk said the rails look great. Paetzold asked when a summary of the Strategic Plan feedback would be shared. Carman felt this could be shared before the end of the year. Shultz asked about the hiring process of the Development Coordinator. Carman shared he hopes to have an update early next week after some unexpected delays. Raeburn asked about the locations of the exterior drop boxes and why they were so expensive. Carman shared he was actually surprised by the low cost of the remote drop boxes. There are two in the community; one located at the First Avenue Hy-Vee and the other at Green State Credit Union on Mormon Trek. The bins are used by patrons returning materials and have reached the end of their lifespan. Pilkington shared the bins have rusted through. Carman believes it is time to replace them. Carman is in discussion to see if these should be a CIP request based on the price of the quote. Carman added to his report that a facility upgrade was made to the sensors in public restrooms. Library staff discovered the public restroom sink sensors were unable to detect darker skin tones. As soon as it was realized repairs were immediately made to fix half of the restrooms, due to the cost of repairs. The other half were recently fixed using NOBU funds. Now all public restrooms have been If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Jen Miller, Iowa City Public Library, at 319-887-6003 orjennifer-miler@icpl.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. repaired. Pilkington shared the soap dispenser in the public restroom near the music cd collection has also been repaired. Shultz wondered if staff had considered placing drop boxes in more locations in the community. Carman said not currently but this project could go in the next Strategic Plan. Shultz referred to a previous Trustee meeting conversation about the locations of remote bins. Shultz felt there are big areas in our community where it is a hardship to return library materials. Johnk suggested the Bookmobile was an alternate location to return materials. Carman felt this could be discussed further with the Leadership Team. Paetzold asked if adding remote bins would increase labor costs. Carman agreed they would. Shultz asked if they get emptied every day. Carman and Pilkington said yes, even on the worst weather days and holidays when the library is closed. Carman recommended that Trustees walk by the playground if they haven't recently. There was discussion about how nice it will be when complete. Departmental Reports Adult Services. Paulios absent. No comments. Community & Access Services. Helmick absent. No comments. Pilkington shared a handout with Trustees that reported Summer Reading Program data. Stevenson asked to review the Telework policy in the Director's report. Stevenson asked if any staff were teleworking and wondered how it was going. Carman said the Leadership Team has not rolled it out yet and wanted to share this policy with the Board of Trustees first. The Leadership Team had a complex discussion about implementing it due to staff schedules, compensation levels, and public service duties. Carman shared this policy will only work for a minority of library staff but hopes it will benefit those who can use it. Carman shared it makes more logistical sense for many other departments in the City. The Leadership Team will review each request as a team when granting approval for telework. If this policy is discontinued the Board of Trustees will be notified. Miscellaneous, None. President's Report. None. Announcements from Members. Paetzold shared there will be a few sessions geared towards Trustees at the upcoming ILA Conference in Coralville. Mangano will be presenting on Trustee's roles and Intellectual Freedom. Paetzold advocated to have Mangano share this presentation with Trustees for continuing education purposes. Pilkington shared Sam Helmick is being sworn in as ILA President at the ILA conference. Paetzold encouraged everyone to attend. Committee Reports. None. Communications. None. Consent Agenda. Paetzold made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Johnk seconded. Motion passed 6/0. If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Jen Miller, Iowa City Public Library, at 319-887-6003 or jennifer-miller@icpl.org. icpl.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Set Agenda Order for October Meeting. Rocklin shared there will be a budget discussion, statistical and financials reports, and department reports from Collection Services, Children's Services, and IT. Adjournment. Rocklin adjourned the meeting at 5:31 PM. Respectfully submitted, Jen Miller If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Jen Miller, Iowa City Public Library, at 319-887-6003 orJennifer-miller@icpLorg. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Board of Commissions: ICPE Board of Trustees ATTENDANCE RECORD Name Term Expiration 11/18/2021 12/16/2021 1/27/2022 2/24/2022 3/24/2622 4/26/2022 5/26/2022 6/23/2022 7/2B/2022 B/25/2022 9/22/2022 10/27/2022 RIM*,D1 6/30/2025 X X x X '< .. >: % X. X .e X Kereeen, 6/30/2027 Of x X X ft ft R R R ft R Kim, Noa 6/30/2027 % X X X X X X OE X X OE R Kirsch, Cruet 6(3012023 X 1i X X X .. OE X X OE OE Matthews, C4tlrc 6/30/2023 X X X X OE X X X X OE X faezzold, Rabin 6/30/2023 % X % % OE % X X % X OE Raeburn, Jahn 6/30/2027 X % X X X. Rock110, Yam 6/30/2025 X 0E X X. X X X X OE X X Y. Shultz, Hannah 6/30/2025 X X % X X X X Stevenson, Damgl 6(30(2027 X X X :< X X X X X X % X KEY; 1C PRESENT 0 ASSENT OE EXCUSED ABSENT NM NO MEETING FIELD R RESIGNED Item Number: 4.d. it _Iu .a`�� wr�� CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org November 15, 2022 ATTACHMENTS: Description Public Art Advisory Committee: October 13 Minutes Public Art Advisory Com October 13, 2022 Emma Harvat Hall Approved, p.1 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 10/13/22 ee (PAAC) Public Art Advisory Committee Members Present: Juli Seydell-Johnson, Andrea Truitt, Scott Savers, Steve Miller, Eddie Boyken, Jeremy Endsley, Dominic Dongilli Members Absent: Anita Jung Staff Present: Wendy Ford, Public Present: none Call to Order Miller called the meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. Public Discussion of Any item Not on the Agenda None Consideration of the September 8, 2022 meeting minutes Seydell-Johnson moved, and Andrea Truitt seconded that the minutes of the September 8 meeting be approved. Motion passed (7-0). RFQ now includes history of the airport. Explained some details. Explained the budget $40,000 — the high end of Thomas' $38,400. Outlined review process and what would make a high quality RFQ. Approve Airport Mural RFQ Ford introduced the item and described working with the Airport Commission (AC) to tailor the RFQ to ensure getting a mural like one they envision. The AC voted to spend $100 of their budget to consult with Thomas Agran, local muralist, on ways to make the project better by making the RFQ better. He joined the airport manager, the chair of the AC and Ford and ultimately came up with a list of things that should be included in the RFQ and a range for a budget. The original PAAC contribution to the project is $8,000, falling short of Agran's estimate which was between $19,000 and $40,000, depending on the level of detail in the art. The Airport Commission will want to have at least one member of PAAC to join the artist selection process meetings. Ford inquired and Endsley expressed interest in attending those meetings. Seydell-Johnson expressed that she like the level of detail in the RFQ and how the historical information sets the stage for expectations the mural. Next there was discussion around getting the word out about the RFQ. Ford said she would reach out to the Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Truitt suggested speaking to the staff at the City of Cedar Rapids who've just recently embarked on some big mural projects. Ford wanted Approved, p.2 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 10/13/22 to ensure the committee approved of reaching beyond Iowa City's borders, and Miller said he thought casting a wide net was a good thing. Dongilli moved to approve the RFQ as presented and Endsley seconded. Motion passed (7-0). Discuss Matchina Grants 2023 First, Ford reviewed a draft news release for the 2023 program. At budget time, the committee had decided the high end would be $3,500 for a minimum $7,000 project and $500 for a $1,000 project. Promotion would start in about two weeks with applications due December 15 for calendar year 2023. Endsley asked about whether we could extend the deadline; Ford replied yes. Truitt also added that it would be good to clarify when funding decisions will be made. There was consensus that pushing back the deadline for application to mid to late January, with a committee review at the February meeting would be better. Seydell-Johnson add that she would like a note added to the application, that says Proposals for projects to be displayed/performed in or on City of Iowa City property (e.g., public buildings, parks, parking ramps, etc.), must be directed to the respective City Department Head to discuss the project and get permission. Miller noted that the Greatest Small City of the Arts, as noted in the news release should be the Greatest Small City for the Arts. The group approved using the tag line. Next, the group discussed the rubric for scoring the applications, which would remain as it had been last year, with one exception. Ford recalled that there were four categories of art in past budgets for which programs were never created. These were categories of public art desired by the community that surfaced in the 2019 survey but had never been addressed. Rather than devote dollars to these categories in silos, individually, the committee justified enlarging the pool of grant funds this year and call these categories out as highly valued in the news release and call for projects. To address scoring on those values, Ford added each to the end of the rubric for scoring. The categories are a) functional art, b) unexpected art, c) participatory art, and d) ephemeral art. Miller expressed concern about whether scoring these categories would unwittingly weight these qualities at the expense of others. Those concerns seemed dispelled by the discussion. Finally, the group discussed a policy drafted last year by Dongilli, addressing the eligibility of applicants who have previously received matching grant funds. It was suggested that a Yes/No question be added to the application form, and if the applicant checked Yes (that they had been funded by this program in the past), they be directed to a link outlining the policy. Seydell-Johnson moved to approve the 2023 grant program with changes discussed including extending the application deadline, adding details about review and award dates, adding four categories to the rubric, and adding the policy about prior funding. Endsley seconded. Motion passed (7-0) Approved, p.3 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 10/13/22 Staff Updates Ford showed slides of the Longfellow Tunnel painting project. The committee seemed to appreciate the work of the South East Junior High Art students' colorful rendition of their proposals. She reported next on the Black Hawk Mini Park project and that she has not heard from Dawson Davenport since the project budget was increased to include Part 2 of the project. She is hoping that we can get the pedestal and plaque by done by spring, but the work of Part 2 of the project needs to be completed first because the QR code embedded in the art will tie back to a website with Part 2 information. Ford reported that there are now 3 applicants for artist mentors for the South District Bus Stop bench and that she will connect with the South District neighborhood leaders to determine if they want to select one of the applicants or proceed in a different manner. Finally, Ford noted progress on the repainting of the Simple Flight sculpture at the east end of the Iowa River Power Company bridge. The piece had been sand blasted and Ford, along with David Dennis, had gone to Cedar Rapids to choose paint colors. It will likely be reinstalled in the next couple of weeks. Adjournment Sovers moved, and Truitt seconded the meeting be adjourned. Motion passed (7-0). Approved, p.4 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 10/13/22 Public Art Advisory Committee Attendance Record 2022 Name Term Expires 1017/21 11/4/21 116/22 2/3/22 3/3/22 5/5/22 6/2/22 7/7/22 8/4/22 918/22 10/13/22 Ron Knoche X X X X X X* X X X X X* Juii Seydell- Johnson X X X X X X X X X* X X Steve Miller 12/31/23 X X X X X X 0/E O/E X X X Eddie Boyken 12/31/24 X X X X X X X 0/E X X X Andrea Truitt 12/31/22 O/E X X X X X X X X X X Dominic Dongilli 12/31/23 X O/E O/E X X X X X X O/E X Anita Jung 6/30/23 --- --- --- -- --- X O/E X X O/E 0/E Jenny Gringer 12/31/23 --- -- -- — — --- --- --- — X 0/E Jeremy Endsley 12/31/22 -- --- -- -- — — — — — X X Jan Finlay- son 12/31/23 0/E 0/E X 0/E 0/E --- --- --- --- --- --- Nancy Puring- ton 12/31/22 X X O/E O/E O/E — --- -_ _ --- Sandy Steil 12/31/23 X O/E 0 O/E 0/E — --- — -- --- -- Key: X = Present 0 = Absent 0/E = Absent/Excused = Not a member Item Number: 4.e. _'"ewr�� CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org November 15, 2022 ATTACHMENTS: Description Parks & Recreation Commission: October 12 Parks & Recreation Commission: October 12 IOWA CITY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES OCTOBER 12, 2022 ROBERT A. LEE RECREATION CENTER — MEETING ROOM B APPROVED Members Present: Alex Hachtman, Brian Morelli, Missie Forbes, April Schmidt, Melissa Serenda, Brianna Wills, Connie Moore Members Absent: Boniface Penandjo Lemoupa, Christopher Odinet Staff Present: Juli Seydell Johnson, Brad Barker, Tyler Baird, Gabe Gotera Others Present: Judie Pfohl CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Hachtman called the meeting to order at 5 p.m. RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: (to become effective only after separate Council action): None OTHER FORMAL ACTION: Moved by Wills, seconded by Moore. to approve the September 14, 2022 minutes as written. Motion passed 6-0 (Penandjo Lemoupa, Schmidt, & Odinet absent) PUBLISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None Commissioner Sc ht idt an-ives to the meeting. IOWA CITY BICYCLE MASTER PLAN UPDATE — Kent Ralston, Sarah Walz; Metropolitan Planning Org Walz hands out maps of the proposed network for the Bicycle Masterplan before walking the commission through the masterplan. Walz details how the masterplan was adopted in the Fall of 2017 and has since gained a large amount of public input through in -person sessions and online services for people to identify problems/opportunities in the masterplan. Walz explains that the last big elements of the plan that are still in motion include the completion of the Highway 6 trail in 2026 and the proposed trail along the Old Highway 218. Walz says that consultants did a lot of work to find out what are important destinations to the local area. These destinations include many Parks and Recreation opportunities, schools, employment centers, grocery shopping, and others of the like. Consultants then focused on finding what trails are necessary to easily move between these sites on bike. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 2 of 8 Walz explains that one of the goals of the masterplan was to get a gold designation from the League of American. Bicyclists. Waiz reveals that Iowa City currently has a Silver rating but expects a gold designation after the upcoming projects are cleaned up. Walz makes the distinction that the Iowa City street network when compared nationally to other street networks, has an extremely low average speed. Walz explains that while this can be seen as Iowa City having friendlier facilities, it did result in the LAB to dock points for a 'lack of bike facilities alongside high-speed roads.' Walz explains that bike lanes are typically applied to arterial streets, streets that give long distance cuts across the community but tend to have higher volumes of high speeds where it would benefit bicyclists to have their own lane. Wal.z says that for those who are not comfortable to use the arterial streets, the masterplan looks at lower volume streets, to develop bikeways along the road. These bikeways would include specific way finding signs to important destination sites, like schools, parks, and bike trails. These bikeway projects are often timed with another project such as a road replacement/lane conversion. If a 4- lane street is converted to a 2-lane street, the outer lanes would be turned into either parking or to bike lanes. Walz details the new McAllister Blvd which includes bike lanes and a side path, an extra wide sidewalk for bicyclists not comfortable with the road. Walz details Foster Rd which has 6-ft buffered bike lanes on either side of the road. Commissioner Wills asks if this is related to the nearby elementary school zone. Walz responds that this is being done with ail. arterial streets unless if there's other constraints. Commissioner Morelli asks about the nature of buffered bike lanes. Walz explains that the 6-ft bike lane would be separated from the rest of the street by a 2-ft gap of additional lines. Walz says that due to COVID-19, there were substantial delays in the implantation of the Bicycle Masterplan but that many streets are getting bike lanes especially in the southern part of Iowa City. Walz continues that there are numerous streets that are converting from 4 lanes to 3 lanes to include a bike lane. Currently Mormon Trek. Blvd is in the process of conversion, but past conversions include the Sycamore St and a portion of First Ave. The conversions introduced not only a new bike lane but also helps to calm down traffic in high-speed areas. Upcoming conversions include Keokuk St, Southgate Ave, Benton St, and more. Walz brings up Bike Boxes, explaining them as bike facilities on signalized intersections where both intersecting streets have bike lanes. At the intersection, ahead of the traffic is a box drawn on the street for bicyclists to use to get a head start on making their turn into the next bike lane before the cars would make it more difficult. Commissioner Wills asks if bicyclists know how to use these bike facilities. Walz responds that at relevant intersections, there are instructional signs that explain the proper use of the bike boxes. Walz continues that there are several social media posts to encourage education on the subject, but that the masterplan is largely focused on the engineering aspect of the box implementation. Walz says that bike boxes are being incorporated to any relevant intersections except for those with certain restraints. Walz mentions that MPO are conducting bike counts to look at how bicycling is increasing in the area. Walz credits a rise in biking to the encouragement of Parks and Recreation in an educational role with biking events at the Terry Trueblood Recreational Area. Other parts of the community that can be credited would include things like the Bike Library for making easy to access comprehensive lists of bike events in Johnson County. Commissioner Morelli asks how involved the Masterplan is with the Streets division, mentioning how while some streets will have bike lanes, the overall quality of the street is quite poor. Walz responds that every year around budget time, MPO would meet with engineering and streets divisions to determine how bike lanes can be incorporated with future projects. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 3 of 8 Commissioner Wills refers to First Ave and asks that if a street is determined to not have enough space for bike lanes, would widening the sidewalk be an. option. Wal.z confirms that the specified portion of First Ave does require a wide sidewalk and plans are in motion to do so. Walz explains that as new arterial streets are built, the number of intersections and driveways are limited to help with safety concerns. As one moves to the older part of town, the street gets more congested with driveway crossings which make it more difficulty to install bike lanes into the already tight road. Instances such as that would be an example of when a wide sidewalk would be preferred. Commissioner Schmidt asks if any input was gathered from non -bikers or specifically from drivers who interreact with bicyclists, as she personally worries about how to pass bicyclists without making them uncomfortable. Walz responds that anyone could submit input and a few people who did were non -bikers, but that it was mostly people that did not wantbicyclists in the street. Walz says that this can be helped by educating drivers how to safely pass bicyclists and educating the bicyclists how to correctly position themselves in the lane. Ralston chimes in that often bicyclists are aware of drivers who are trying to be more careful around them and can react safely in suite. Ralston adds that it is often the drivers who do not care about being careful that make the bicyclists nervous. Walz says that the typical recommendations are for drivers to give at least 5-ft of distance before passing someone. Schmidt follows up asking when people or children are taught bike safety as many bicyclists run right past stop signs. Walz responds that while MPO will provide information for bike safety, it is usually Parks and Recreation or the schools that educate young children on the subject. Walz brings up that over the past several years, despite bike counts going up, the number of bicycle collisions have dropped by a large margin since the adoption of the Bicycle Masterplan, with no cyclist fatalities in the Iowa City urban area since then. Both Ralston and Walz comment how despite the large number of intersections in downtown Iowa City seeing lots of activity between bicyclists, cars, trucks, and a large annual population of pedestrians unfamiliar with the roads, there is an impressively few number of accidents annually. Commissioner Morelli asks how the Bicycle Masterplan would look to progress with the most dangerous intersections for bicycles. Ralston says that staff will. do collision analysis to look at every intersection in the urbanized areas, find the high collision locations and explore countermeasures for that specific location. This can involve making sure that signage and pavement markings are up to date or even. rebuilding the intersection. Walz mentions other routine preventative countermeasures such as having the pedestrian phase in the traffic light cycle before motorists can go. Walz adds that when a serious bike accident does takes place, staff will be alerted promptly and will immediately go to the scene to see how the surrounding area can be improved to stop similar accidents. Commissioner Wills asks how the timing for the traffic lights work as Highway 6 is often stalled up due to the lights. Ralston explains that as a rule of thumb, MPO will re -time roughly 20% of the signals in Iowa City each year, allowing the lights to get refreshed in their entirety every 5 years. Ralston says that the traffic light cycle can be influenced by the Pedestrian push buttons, as every time a button is pushed, extra time is added to the cycle to account for the on -foot street crossing. The system will eventually catch up but with such a large capacity of pedestrians pushing the buttons in tangent with each other, it can cause the street to become uncoordinated and stalled until each intersection can catch back up to its proper timing. Ralston says that .Highway 6 likely uses signals that run free, meaning that the stretch of Highway will stay green until cross traffic arrives, which would then incoordinate the lights when done successively in large amounts. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 4 of 8 Commissioner Serenda asks if any consideration has been put towards connecting wildlife habitats through the corridor trail allowing navigation between sites such as City Park to Hickory Hill Park or Terry Trueblood Recreational Area to Sycamore Greenway. Walz responds that the corridor trails system exists in areas like the floodplains or ravines where development is discouraged, while in contrast the bike system follows the roads and streets. This can cause issues the integration of the two sections Commissioner Wills asks if there are any certifications the city can get to establish itself as a Bike Friendly location. Walz responds that this would be from the League of American Bicyclists and that staff are trying for a gold rating. Walz adds that in comparison to cities like Madison, WI, Bloomington, IN, and Urbandale, IL, Iowa City did overall better but scored lower due to the lack of high-speed roads available to build bike facilities along. Walz says that Silver status is a good thing for marketability and to keep in mind that the League compares cities the size of West Liberty to cities like LA or NYC. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF Parks & Recreation Director — Judi Seydell Johnson City Council: Johnson goes over what will be presented to City Council at the October 18, 2022 City Council Work Session. Johnson states that the commission cannot discuss the topic amongst themselves as it would require a relevant agenda item, but questions can be asked. Johnson says that the presentation will be like what was shown at the May 23, 2022 Parks & Recreation commission with the addition of a few slides. One of the additional slides shows what exactly is up for approval and what would move forward if City Council approves the presented masterplan. The future steps for the masterplan include... • Mercer Park Balifields and Pickleball/Tennis Courts Renovations • 2023 — Design Initiated • Recreation Program Adjustments • Ongoing • Decentralized Recreation Program Spaces • Investigate Opportunities including Partnerships • City Park Pool • Replace within Current Site in 2025 • Initiate Pool Design Process including extensive public input in 2024 • Mercer/Scanlon • Replace roof and continue with annual maintenance repairs. • Track and report attendance each month to Parks & Recreation Commission. ■ Consider expanding with gym, indoor walking track, warm water pool, and accessible hot tub in 2026 or beyond. • Robert A. Lee Pool • Continue with annual maintenance repairs. ■ Track and report attendance each month to Parks & Recreation Commission. • Consider future of pool in 2026 or beyond along with Mercer/Scanlon facility discussions or if extensive repairs/renovations are needed to continue operations. • Monitor Housing Developments on far west side to determine future opportunities. Johnson clarifies that if City Council approves the Masterplan, it will not determine the finalized design for City Park Pool or decide if Robert A. Lee Pool will close. These decisions would come further down the line after more input has been gathered. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page5of8 Commissioner Wills ask for confirmation that City Park Pool will not have a 2025 season due to the renovation. Johnson confirms this, saying that CPP remaining closed for 2025 is the plan for the current timeline. Commissioner Wills ask if there will be any specific budget numbers or estimations in the presentation to the Council. Johnsons replies that there are not, as this is the vision of the Masterplan, and while there are numbers in the larger report, specific estimations would come during the design phase. Commissioner Morelli asks why CPP is set for 2025 and if it's for budgetary reasons. Johnson responds that the project was entered into its current time slot due to both the limited Capital Improvement budget and the high number of projects in the city, with 2025 being where that specific CIP landed. Johnson talks about the Executive Summery Draft which gives a review of what is being recommended by the proposed plan, specifically pointing out what are short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals as decided by funding and expected timeline. Johnson refers to a press release sent out to go over the status of City Park Pool, what is happening to the site, and where in the public process the pool currently stands. Johnson announces that she will be speaking with the historic preservation commission because a group is asking if City Park Pool is considered a historic site. Commissioner Wills asks if the historical preservation push is by people wanting City Park Pool not to change. Johnson replies that she will not know the full intention of this group until attending the commission meeting. Recreation Division Superintendent — Brad Barker Programming: Barker says that Recreation staff are very busy with progranuning, and that over the next 17 days there will be 10 different Halloween themed events and programming. Winter and Spring Programming is being worked out by program supervisors. Farmer's .Market: Barker announces that there are three weeks left for the regular Farmer's Market and will close at the end of October. After this, focus will be put on the Holiday Market's, with one Market in November and December each. Parks Division Superintendent — Toler Baird Trails: Baird states that the Willow Creek Trail will be getting resurfaced from Willow Creek Drive to Benton Street. Baird says that the resurfacing will make the trail concreate instead of asphalt, which will extend the trails lifespan. Baird announces that the Honeysuckle and invasive shrubs along the Willow Creek trail will be removed to make necessary space for the workers. Baird says staff are working towards adding a single-track trail at Terrell Mill Park with construction expected to begin next year. Baird continues that staff have been conducting major cleanup of debris and trash in Terrell Mill Park. Tree Planting: Baird announces the upcoming Riverfront Crossings Park tree planting on Oct 15. This is a volunteer project funded with a $10,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources that will allow 67 trees to be planted. Baird says that there are other CIP projects with tree plantings in the south district. Park Projects: Baird states that Whispering Meadows playground is close to completion, but that staff are waiting on the last few pieces of the project to be delivered. Bairdsays that the projects at Court Hill Park and at the Downtown Iowa City Ped Mallare all moving at good pace but adds that Chadek Green Park PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 6 of 8 completion will be moved back due to necessary parts getting delayed in the mail. The relevant parts are expected to arrive in late January. Baird talks about a Kiwanis Park Public Input meeting taking place the week prior with another meeting to take place next month. The 2nd Kiwanis Park meeting will also be the public input meeting for Hunter's Run Park. Johnson adds that 42 people attended the initial meeting, with 3,000 postcards getting sent to the surrounding neighborhoods 2 weeks before the meeting. Outreach: Baird says that Parks staff will be helping Streets staff with weed collection and cleanup next month. Parks will provide a couple staff members each day, with more staff choosing to come in on the weekend for overtime. Baird announces public engagement to offer other ways for controlling leaf litter. These methods, to avoid sending the leaves to the landfill, include chopping it up into mulch for lawns/planters, or donating the leaves to local farmers to be used as fertilizer. Commissioner Morelli asks if parks staff compost the leaves that are collected. Baird responds that he is unfamiliar with the specific process that happens at the landfill, but that landfill staff do compost the leaves. Johnsons adds that the landfill prioritizes getting composted fertilizer to farmers first. Chainnen Hachtman asks if staff are still looking for volunteers for the RFX Tree Planting. Baird responds that there is a decent number of volunteers already from the Rotary Club and the County Sustainability office, but anyone is welcome to join and help. CHAIRS REPORT: None COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioner Wills asks about the status of Hickory Hill Park development. Johnsons responds that the land donation is still in the works but will not happen until all public improvements have been completed on the development. Wills ask if the development will be complete by the upcoming spring. Johnson and Baird respond that while there is not a specific timeline given, they do not expect the development to be complete until after the spring. Commissioner Wills asks about Riverfront Crossings Park and if there are still future phases for the development of the park as discussed prior to RFX renovations. Johnson says that those items are currently on the unfunded list of capital improvement plans. Johnson continues that the plans for an amphitheater, kayak launch zones, a 2"d restroom and a 2nd bridge are still in the works but have no assigned date. Johnsons says that this is largely reliant on the land development in the surrounding area. Commissioner Moore voices regret for voting `Yes' to recommend to not move forward with MPAC aquatics as listed in the Masteiplan (September 14, 2022 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting, Item 5 Motion). Moore says that years of studies and planning from the input of thousands of peoples were drowned out by loud voices at the last commission meeting. Moore acknowledges that she she cannot take back her prior vote but wants it on record that if she could officially change her vote she would. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 7 of 8 Commissioner Forbes echoes Commissioner Moore's feelings and says that the confusing and intense process at the September 14, 2022 meeting led to voting in a manner that misrepresents many constituents that were properly reflected in the statistically valid survey and the outreach conducted by staff and the city prior to the 2" phase of planning. Forbes describes the difficulty to have a robust discussion among commissioners due to the present crowd being loud with booing and clapping. Forbes says that she did not feel confident or comfortable to voice her thoughts and opinions fully during the meeting. Forbes acknowledges that the crowd can't be controlled by staff as it is a public meeting, but asks that in a future meeting, commissioners receive training to not feel overwhelmed or intimidated to vote in a certain manner. Johnson says that the City Attorney's office would be open to conduct a training over this topic in January when new commissioners have been onboarded. Commissioner Morelli starts to discuss the interpretation of the September 14, 2022 meeting motions and how the other commissioners feel but is stopped by Johnson as this much discussion between commissioners would require a relevant agenda item. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Morelli, seconded by Wills, to adjourn the meeting at 6:04 p.m. Motion Passed 7-0 (Penandio Lemoupa, & Odinet absent) PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 8 of 8 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD NAME TERM EXPIRE S +-y N M - - N = N '" N r i N - N N c a N N :, el N M Zr N N M `=' O 07/13/22 N N Q co N N e C: N N N o Steve Bird 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * Missie Forbes 12/31/25 * * * X NM X X O/E X X X X Brian Morelli 12/31/25 * * * X NM O/E X X X O/E X X Alex Hachtman 12/31/24 X X NM X NM X X X X X X X Connie Moore 12/31/25 * * * * * * * * * X X X Christopher Odinet 12/31/24 X X NM X NM X O/E X O/E X O/E O/E Boniface Penandjo Lemoupa 12/31/23 0 0 NM X NM X 0 O/E 0 O/E O/E 0 Ben Russell 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * April Schmidt 12/31/22 0 O/E NM O/E NM O/E X X X O/E X X Melissa Serenda 12/31/23 X X NM 1 X NM X X X X X X X Angie Smith 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * * Brianna Wills 12/31/22 O/E O/E NM O/E NM X X X X X X X Michelle Wiegand 12/31/25 * * * X NM X O/E * * * * * KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused LQ = No meeting due to lack of quorum * = Not a member now NM = No meeting IOWA CITY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES OCTOBER 12, 2022 ROBERT A. LEE RECREATION CENTER — MEETING ROOM B APPROVED Members Present: Alex Hachtman, Brian Morelli, Missie Forbes, April Schmidt, Melissa Serenda, Brianna Wills, Connie Moore Members Absent: Boniface Penandjo Lemoupa, Christopher Odinet Staff Present: Juli Seydell Johnson, Brad Barker, Tyler Baird, Gabe Gotera Others Present: Judie Pfohl CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Hachtman called the meeting to order at 5 p.m. RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: (to become effective only after separate Council action): None OTHER FORMAL ACTION: Moved by Wills, seconded by Moore. to approve the September 14, 2022 minutes as written. Motion passed 6-0 (Penandjo Lemoupa, Schmidt, & Odinet absent) PUBLISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None Commissioner Sc ht idt an-ives to the meeting. IOWA CITY BICYCLE MASTER PLAN UPDATE — Kent Ralston, Sarah Walz; Metropolitan Planning Org Walz hands out maps of the proposed network for the Bicycle Masterplan before walking the commission through the masterplan. Walz details how the masterplan was adopted in the Fall of 2017 and has since gained a large amount of public input through in -person sessions and online services for people to identify problems/opportunities in the masterplan. Walz explains that the last big elements of the plan that are still in motion include the completion of the Highway 6 trail in 2026 and the proposed trail along the Old Highway 218. Walz says that consultants did a lot of work to find out what are important destinations to the local area. These destinations include many Parks and Recreation opportunities, schools, employment centers, grocery shopping, and others of the like. Consultants then focused on finding what trails are necessary to easily move between these sites on bike. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 2 of 8 Walz explains that one of the goals of the masterplan was to get a gold designation from the League of American. Bicyclists. Waiz reveals that Iowa City currently has a Silver rating but expects a gold designation after the upcoming projects are cleaned up. Walz makes the distinction that the Iowa City street network when compared nationally to other street networks, has an extremely low average speed. Walz explains that while this can be seen as Iowa City having friendlier facilities, it did result in the LAB to dock points for a 'lack of bike facilities alongside high-speed roads.' Walz explains that bike lanes are typically applied to arterial streets, streets that give long distance cuts across the community but tend to have higher volumes of high speeds where it would benefit bicyclists to have their own lane. Wal.z says that for those who are not comfortable to use the arterial streets, the masterplan looks at lower volume streets, to develop bikeways along the road. These bikeways would include specific way finding signs to important destination sites, like schools, parks, and bike trails. These bikeway projects are often timed with another project such as a road replacement/lane conversion. If a 4- lane street is converted to a 2-lane street, the outer lanes would be turned into either parking or to bike lanes. Walz details the new McAllister Blvd which includes bike lanes and a side path, an extra wide sidewalk for bicyclists not comfortable with the road. Walz details Foster Rd which has 6-ft buffered bike lanes on either side of the road. Commissioner Wills asks if this is related to the nearby elementary school zone. Walz responds that this is being done with ail. arterial streets unless if there's other constraints. Commissioner Morelli asks about the nature of buffered bike lanes. Walz explains that the 6-ft bike lane would be separated from the rest of the street by a 2-ft gap of additional lines. Walz says that due to COVID-19, there were substantial delays in the implantation of the Bicycle Masterplan but that many streets are getting bike lanes especially in the southern part of Iowa City. Walz continues that there are numerous streets that are converting from 4 lanes to 3 lanes to include a bike lane. Currently Mormon Trek. Blvd is in the process of conversion, but past conversions include the Sycamore St and a portion of First Ave. The conversions introduced not only a new bike lane but also helps to calm down traffic in high-speed areas. Upcoming conversions include Keokuk St, Southgate Ave, Benton St, and more. Walz brings up Bike Boxes, explaining them as bike facilities on signalized intersections where both intersecting streets have bike lanes. At the intersection, ahead of the traffic is a box drawn on the street for bicyclists to use to get a head start on making their turn into the next bike lane before the cars would make it more difficult. Commissioner Wills asks if bicyclists know how to use these bike facilities. Walz responds that at relevant intersections, there are instructional signs that explain the proper use of the bike boxes. Walz continues that there are several social media posts to encourage education on the subject, but that the masterplan is largely focused on the engineering aspect of the box implementation. Walz says that bike boxes are being incorporated to any relevant intersections except for those with certain restraints. Walz mentions that MPO are conducting bike counts to look at how bicycling is increasing in the area. Walz credits a rise in biking to the encouragement of Parks and Recreation in an educational role with biking events at the Terry Trueblood Recreational Area. Other parts of the community that can be credited would include things like the Bike Library for making easy to access comprehensive lists of bike events in Johnson County. Commissioner Morelli asks how involved the Masterplan is with the Streets division, mentioning how while some streets will have bike lanes, the overall quality of the street is quite poor. Walz responds that every year around budget time, MPO would meet with engineering and streets divisions to determine how bike lanes can be incorporated with future projects. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 3 of 8 Commissioner Wills refers to First Ave and asks that if a street is determined to not have enough space for bike lanes, would widening the sidewalk be an. option. Wal.z confirms that the specified portion of First Ave does require a wide sidewalk and plans are in motion to do so. Walz explains that as new arterial streets are built, the number of intersections and driveways are limited to help with safety concerns. As one moves to the older part of town, the street gets more congested with driveway crossings which make it more difficulty to install bike lanes into the already tight road. Instances such as that would be an example of when a wide sidewalk would be preferred. Commissioner Schmidt asks if any input was gathered from non -bikers or specifically from drivers who interreact with bicyclists, as she personally worries about how to pass bicyclists without making them uncomfortable. Walz responds that anyone could submit input and a few people who did were non -bikers, but that it was mostly people that did not wantbicyclists in the street. Walz says that this can be helped by educating drivers how to safely pass bicyclists and educating the bicyclists how to correctly position themselves in the lane. Ralston chimes in that often bicyclists are aware of drivers who are trying to be more careful around them and can react safely in suite. Ralston adds that it is often the drivers who do not care about being careful that make the bicyclists nervous. Walz says that the typical recommendations are for drivers to give at least 5-ft of distance before passing someone. Schmidt follows up asking when people or children are taught bike safety as many bicyclists run right past stop signs. Walz responds that while MPO will provide information for bike safety, it is usually Parks and Recreation or the schools that educate young children on the subject. Walz brings up that over the past several years, despite bike counts going up, the number of bicycle collisions have dropped by a large margin since the adoption of the Bicycle Masterplan, with no cyclist fatalities in the Iowa City urban area since then. Both Ralston and Walz comment how despite the large number of intersections in downtown Iowa City seeing lots of activity between bicyclists, cars, trucks, and a large annual population of pedestrians unfamiliar with the roads, there is an impressively few number of accidents annually. Commissioner Morelli asks how the Bicycle Masterplan would look to progress with the most dangerous intersections for bicycles. Ralston says that staff will. do collision analysis to look at every intersection in the urbanized areas, find the high collision locations and explore countermeasures for that specific location. This can involve making sure that signage and pavement markings are up to date or even. rebuilding the intersection. Walz mentions other routine preventative countermeasures such as having the pedestrian phase in the traffic light cycle before motorists can go. Walz adds that when a serious bike accident does takes place, staff will be alerted promptly and will immediately go to the scene to see how the surrounding area can be improved to stop similar accidents. Commissioner Wills asks how the timing for the traffic lights work as Highway 6 is often stalled up due to the lights. Ralston explains that as a rule of thumb, MPO will re -time roughly 20% of the signals in Iowa City each year, allowing the lights to get refreshed in their entirety every 5 years. Ralston says that the traffic light cycle can be influenced by the Pedestrian push buttons, as every time a button is pushed, extra time is added to the cycle to account for the on -foot street crossing. The system will eventually catch up but with such a large capacity of pedestrians pushing the buttons in tangent with each other, it can cause the street to become uncoordinated and stalled until each intersection can catch back up to its proper timing. Ralston says that .Highway 6 likely uses signals that run free, meaning that the stretch of Highway will stay green until cross traffic arrives, which would then incoordinate the lights when done successively in large amounts. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 4 of 8 Commissioner Serenda asks if any consideration has been put towards connecting wildlife habitats through the corridor trail allowing navigation between sites such as City Park to Hickory Hill Park or Terry Trueblood Recreational Area to Sycamore Greenway. Walz responds that the corridor trails system exists in areas like the floodplains or ravines where development is discouraged, while in contrast the bike system follows the roads and streets. This can cause issues the integration of the two sections Commissioner Wills asks if there are any certifications the city can get to establish itself as a Bike Friendly location. Walz responds that this would be from the League of American Bicyclists and that staff are trying for a gold rating. Walz adds that in comparison to cities like Madison, WI, Bloomington, IN, and Urbandale, IL, Iowa City did overall better but scored lower due to the lack of high-speed roads available to build bike facilities along. Walz says that Silver status is a good thing for marketability and to keep in mind that the League compares cities the size of West Liberty to cities like LA or NYC. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF Parks & Recreation Director — Judi Seydell Johnson City Council: Johnson goes over what will be presented to City Council at the October 18, 2022 City Council Work Session. Johnson states that the commission cannot discuss the topic amongst themselves as it would require a relevant agenda item, but questions can be asked. Johnson says that the presentation will be like what was shown at the May 23, 2022 Parks & Recreation commission with the addition of a few slides. One of the additional slides shows what exactly is up for approval and what would move forward if City Council approves the presented masterplan. The future steps for the masterplan include... • Mercer Park Balifields and Pickleball/Tennis Courts Renovations • 2023 — Design Initiated • Recreation Program Adjustments • Ongoing • Decentralized Recreation Program Spaces • Investigate Opportunities including Partnerships • City Park Pool • Replace within Current Site in 2025 • Initiate Pool Design Process including extensive public input in 2024 • Mercer/Scanlon • Replace roof and continue with annual maintenance repairs. • Track and report attendance each month to Parks & Recreation Commission. ■ Consider expanding with gym, indoor walking track, warm water pool, and accessible hot tub in 2026 or beyond. • Robert A. Lee Pool • Continue with annual maintenance repairs. ■ Track and report attendance each month to Parks & Recreation Commission. • Consider future of pool in 2026 or beyond along with Mercer/Scanlon facility discussions or if extensive repairs/renovations are needed to continue operations. • Monitor Housing Developments on far west side to determine future opportunities. Johnson clarifies that if City Council approves the Masterplan, it will not determine the finalized design for City Park Pool or decide if Robert A. Lee Pool will close. These decisions would come further down the line after more input has been gathered. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page5of8 Commissioner Wills ask for confirmation that City Park Pool will not have a 2025 season due to the renovation. Johnson confirms this, saying that CPP remaining closed for 2025 is the plan for the current timeline. Commissioner Wills ask if there will be any specific budget numbers or estimations in the presentation to the Council. Johnsons replies that there are not, as this is the vision of the Masterplan, and while there are numbers in the larger report, specific estimations would come during the design phase. Commissioner Morelli asks why CPP is set for 2025 and if it's for budgetary reasons. Johnson responds that the project was entered into its current time slot due to both the limited Capital Improvement budget and the high number of projects in the city, with 2025 being where that specific CIP landed. Johnson talks about the Executive Summery Draft which gives a review of what is being recommended by the proposed plan, specifically pointing out what are short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals as decided by funding and expected timeline. Johnson refers to a press release sent out to go over the status of City Park Pool, what is happening to the site, and where in the public process the pool currently stands. Johnson announces that she will be speaking with the historic preservation commission because a group is asking if City Park Pool is considered a historic site. Commissioner Wills asks if the historical preservation push is by people wanting City Park Pool not to change. Johnson replies that she will not know the full intention of this group until attending the commission meeting. Recreation Division Superintendent — Brad Barker Programming: Barker says that Recreation staff are very busy with progranuning, and that over the next 17 days there will be 10 different Halloween themed events and programming. Winter and Spring Programming is being worked out by program supervisors. Farmer's .Market: Barker announces that there are three weeks left for the regular Farmer's Market and will close at the end of October. After this, focus will be put on the Holiday Market's, with one Market in November and December each. Parks Division Superintendent — Toler Baird Trails: Baird states that the Willow Creek Trail will be getting resurfaced from Willow Creek Drive to Benton Street. Baird says that the resurfacing will make the trail concreate instead of asphalt, which will extend the trails lifespan. Baird announces that the Honeysuckle and invasive shrubs along the Willow Creek trail will be removed to make necessary space for the workers. Baird says staff are working towards adding a single-track trail at Terrell Mill Park with construction expected to begin next year. Baird continues that staff have been conducting major cleanup of debris and trash in Terrell Mill Park. Tree Planting: Baird announces the upcoming Riverfront Crossings Park tree planting on Oct 15. This is a volunteer project funded with a $10,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources that will allow 67 trees to be planted. Baird says that there are other CIP projects with tree plantings in the south district. Park Projects: Baird states that Whispering Meadows playground is close to completion, but that staff are waiting on the last few pieces of the project to be delivered. Bairdsays that the projects at Court Hill Park and at the Downtown Iowa City Ped Mallare all moving at good pace but adds that Chadek Green Park PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 6 of 8 completion will be moved back due to necessary parts getting delayed in the mail. The relevant parts are expected to arrive in late January. Baird talks about a Kiwanis Park Public Input meeting taking place the week prior with another meeting to take place next month. The 2nd Kiwanis Park meeting will also be the public input meeting for Hunter's Run Park. Johnson adds that 42 people attended the initial meeting, with 3,000 postcards getting sent to the surrounding neighborhoods 2 weeks before the meeting. Outreach: Baird says that Parks staff will be helping Streets staff with weed collection and cleanup next month. Parks will provide a couple staff members each day, with more staff choosing to come in on the weekend for overtime. Baird announces public engagement to offer other ways for controlling leaf litter. These methods, to avoid sending the leaves to the landfill, include chopping it up into mulch for lawns/planters, or donating the leaves to local farmers to be used as fertilizer. Commissioner Morelli asks if parks staff compost the leaves that are collected. Baird responds that he is unfamiliar with the specific process that happens at the landfill, but that landfill staff do compost the leaves. Johnsons adds that the landfill prioritizes getting composted fertilizer to farmers first. Chainnen Hachtman asks if staff are still looking for volunteers for the RFX Tree Planting. Baird responds that there is a decent number of volunteers already from the Rotary Club and the County Sustainability office, but anyone is welcome to join and help. CHAIRS REPORT: None COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioner Wills asks about the status of Hickory Hill Park development. Johnsons responds that the land donation is still in the works but will not happen until all public improvements have been completed on the development. Wills ask if the development will be complete by the upcoming spring. Johnson and Baird respond that while there is not a specific timeline given, they do not expect the development to be complete until after the spring. Commissioner Wills asks about Riverfront Crossings Park and if there are still future phases for the development of the park as discussed prior to RFX renovations. Johnson says that those items are currently on the unfunded list of capital improvement plans. Johnson continues that the plans for an amphitheater, kayak launch zones, a 2"d restroom and a 2nd bridge are still in the works but have no assigned date. Johnsons says that this is largely reliant on the land development in the surrounding area. Commissioner Moore voices regret for voting `Yes' to recommend to not move forward with MPAC aquatics as listed in the Masteiplan (September 14, 2022 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting, Item 5 Motion). Moore says that years of studies and planning from the input of thousands of peoples were drowned out by loud voices at the last commission meeting. Moore acknowledges that she she cannot take back her prior vote but wants it on record that if she could officially change her vote she would. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 7 of 8 Commissioner Forbes echoes Commissioner Moore's feelings and says that the confusing and intense process at the September 14, 2022 meeting led to voting in a manner that misrepresents many constituents that were properly reflected in the statistically valid survey and the outreach conducted by staff and the city prior to the 2" phase of planning. Forbes describes the difficulty to have a robust discussion among commissioners due to the present crowd being loud with booing and clapping. Forbes says that she did not feel confident or comfortable to voice her thoughts and opinions fully during the meeting. Forbes acknowledges that the crowd can't be controlled by staff as it is a public meeting, but asks that in a future meeting, commissioners receive training to not feel overwhelmed or intimidated to vote in a certain manner. Johnson says that the City Attorney's office would be open to conduct a training over this topic in January when new commissioners have been onboarded. Commissioner Morelli starts to discuss the interpretation of the September 14, 2022 meeting motions and how the other commissioners feel but is stopped by Johnson as this much discussion between commissioners would require a relevant agenda item. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Morelli, seconded by Wills, to adjourn the meeting at 6:04 p.m. Motion Passed 7-0 (Penandio Lemoupa, & Odinet absent) PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION October 12, 2022 Page 8 of 8 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD NAME TERM EXPIRE S +-y N M - - N = N '" N r i N - N N c a N N :, el N M Zr N N M `=' O 07/13/22 N N Q co N N e C: N N N o Steve Bird 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * Missie Forbes 12/31/25 * * * X NM X X O/E X X X X Brian Morelli 12/31/25 * * * X NM O/E X X X O/E X X Alex Hachtman 12/31/24 X X NM X NM X X X X X X X Connie Moore 12/31/25 * * * * * * * * * X X X Christopher Odinet 12/31/24 X X NM X NM X O/E X O/E X O/E O/E Boniface Penandjo Lemoupa 12/31/23 0 0 NM X NM X 0 O/E 0 O/E O/E 0 Ben Russell 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * April Schmidt 12/31/22 0 O/E NM O/E NM O/E X X X O/E X X Melissa Serenda 12/31/23 X X NM 1 X NM X X X X X X X Angie Smith 12/31/21 X X NM * * * * * * * * * Brianna Wills 12/31/22 O/E O/E NM O/E NM X X X X X X X Michelle Wiegand 12/31/25 * * * X NM X O/E * * * * * KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused LQ = No meeting due to lack of quorum * = Not a member now NM = No meeting