HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-07-16 Info PacketINFORMATION PACKET
July 12, 1996
__JULY 15- WORK SESSION A__GENDA IT..E_M__S ..... I
Memorandum from Director of Library to Council Member Vanderhoef: Cost to Build ~
Under Pedestrian Mall (Library Expansion).
Copy of letter from Thomas S. Hulme to Mayor: LibraryExpansion. ~
Memorandum from Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee: Industries/ ~
Technologies Opportunity List and Financial Assistance Guidelines for the City of Iowa
City.
Memorandum from Director of Planning and Community Development: EIk's Golf ~),_~
Course Hole Relocation.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Memoranda from City Manager:
a. Cemetery
b, Mercer Gymnasium - Fundraising Feasibility Study
Civic Center Maintenance
d. Parcel 64-1a Update
e. Other Projects You Have or Will Soon See Around Town
· Memorandum from Transportation Planner: Proposed Extension
between Highway 6 and Highway 1.
· Memorandum from City Attorney to Director of Parking and Transit:
Jim Clark regarding Old Library Parking Lot; Development Anticipated.
of Highway 964~
Discussions with
~ Memo from City Clerk regarding Council Worksession of 7/1/96.
* Memo from Finance Dir. regarding Update of Cash Accumulation for the
Wastewater Fund & Water Fund.
Memorandum from City Attorney to City Manager, Director of Finance, Director of
Public Works, and Water Superiritendent: Request to Reconvene Staff "Water Impact
Fee Committee"; City Council Request.
Copy of letter from City Attorney to William Meardon: Winebrenner Ford, Inc.
Temporary Easement; Contractor's Schedule.
· Copy of memorandum from Director of Parking and Transit and Transit Manager to City.~
Manager: Family Bus Pass.
Memorandum from Economic Development Coordinator: Community Profile for the
Iowa City Area, 1996. (Community Profile included in Council packets only.)
· June 1996 Building Permit Information.
· Article "Downtown Renewal: The Role of Business Improvement Districts." (Novick)
· Agenda for July 11, 1996, formal meeting of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors._~
· Memo from City Atty. regarding Status Report: Water Impact Fee Research. ~/~-
Information Packet
July 12, 1996
page 2
* Memo from City Clerk regarding Iowa League of Cities meeting.
* Agenda for 7/16/96 Bd. of Supervisors meeting.
* Memo from Council Member Baker regarding ICAD information.
Information from Library Board regarding Library Expansion & Strategic Plan.
Information regarding on-street bike route signs,
Information from Council Member Vanderhoef regarding underground libraries.
123 $oulh hnn. o ~' Cb/, Iow~ 5~240-~820
Susan Craig, Director
Information (319) 356-5200
Business (319) 356-5206
Fax (319) 356-5494
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Dee Vanderhoef n~l~11
Susan Craig /~
7/10/96
Cost to build under pedestria
Our construction manager's estimate of costs to construct library
space below grade in the pedestrian mall area is attached. At
$214 per square foot, the costs are considerably higher than the
$122 for new space above grade. The high costs are partially due
to excavation of such a large area in a very confined, urban
environment. Also, two levels would be required to accommodate
the space needs and no option for easy expansion in the future
would be available. Although not challenged at this time our
estimator believes that the City supplied figure of $50,000 to
relocate utilities is low.
If you have any further questions please let me know.
cc: Other Councilors
Steve Arkins
SCHEMATIC DESIGN
COST MANAGEMENT REPORT
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
RENOVATION and EXPANSION
IOWA CITY, IOWA
27 JUNE 1996
COST FEASIBILITY STUDY SUMMARY
BELOW GRADE CONSTRUCTION AT PEDESTRIAN MALL
DESCRIPTION
° Renovebon Scope of work ~s to re,'na~n as estimatec
~n '.he 4/1 $/96 Schemabc Des!gn Cos: Mana!;eme~: Re~orL
S/GSF
115.55
CQNSTRUCTION
COSTS
$5.655,000
Expansion construction cost of $6,676.000 ~n(;luc~ed 8,1 O0
GSI; of building expansion at the second floor. This dollar
amount is associated with the 8,100 GSF.
98.15
$795,000
Remaining building ares calculations are as follows:
Building Expansion - 4/18196 55,590
Eliminate second floor expansion (8,100)
Commercial space not required {25.250)
Total 22,240
GSF
Construct a new 22.240 GSF tibrery expansion un(~er
the south pedestrian mall. An assumption was made
that 18,900 GSF is on one level and 3,340 GSF is one
level below. Includes approximately 30' x 60' Atrium
Space.
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS AMOUNT
214..03
141.40
$4,760,000
$11,210,000 '
NOTE: Total construction costs of $11,210,000 for 79.280 GSF compares to
81 O,138,000 for 79,280 GSF ($127.87/GSR as presented 18 April 1996.
NOTE: Library expanmon construction costs include an allowance of $50,000 for utility
re-distribution. This ~ssue warrants further ~tudy to provide an accurate cost.
July ?. 1996
Naomi Novick, Mayor
306 Mullin
Ioxxa Civ/, Iowa 52246
1617 W. Benton Street
Iowa Civ,', Iowa 522464904
Dear Mayor Novick:
I am writing to you, to Ernie Lehman, and to Dee Norton regarding the proposed expansion of the Iowa
City Public Libra~'. I urge your support for the proiceS and that you include my comments at the ne:a cit,/
council meeting.
The project is becoming a MUST for Iowa Cip/. The present building is not adequate and needs
considerable sums of money spent on it in order to maintain its present level of functioning. It is
shortsighted and poor public polity to spend significant amounts of money on a building which ~s
already inadequate for Iowa City.
A new'/expanded kibrar¥ xxill be buds some da'i; why not n0~~ Costs xx ill only go tip in the future; the
Lenoch and Cilek building may not be avadable in the future.
· O~her options have been considered at length by responsible people and all have been rejected as not
feasible, more expensive in the long run, and not ~lving the problem of an inadequate facili~ built in
1981.
· 10wa City is a splendid, growing Umversip/and busine~ community. A modern up-to4ate Library ts
as important to thts cip/'s growth and development as sewers, good water, or clean streets. It is a
neces.,.ary and 'atal part of this cip/'s infrastructure.
Costs and des3gn must certainly be considered carefully and are alx~a¥s open to dimussion. But fine
.~hools, superb health care, a vibrant downtown area, and a first cla.~ Library are essential to safeguard
our property and busine~ values· Such an infrastructure adds to the value of busines~s and homes
and does not take away from them.
o It is a credit to tbe vltafip/of this tip/, its leaderslnp and citizens that the present L~brar5 has become
quite madequate and out nf date m lnst 25 years.
o In spite of the severe hmttanons of space, cqmpment, etc., the staff of the klbrarV has done a fine lob
0t maintaining and developing a first cla~ program. second to none in Iowa, as measured by various
standards of usage, demographics, etc.
I have been presideut of the Friends Coremmss of the lmsa Cip/Public L3brary for three years, a member
of the Iowa City Public L~brav/Foundation. a ~x, hmteer at the libras,/, and a moderator for the last three
years of the annual Let's Talk About It book dt~us.~on group. I can testify persoually to t he qoahty of the
staff, the board of trustees, tire l-oundation and the Fnends Committee. They de.,.en'c the ~upport of the
City Councd. l ran also speak to the obvious building deficiencies and needs. I grew up in lowa (.'iv/.
cho.'eto return in 1968 andthentu retire bert tamcertainlvwdl~ng to.~e my propert,/ taxes increase to
pay for the expansion of the Library.
To close: the only real questiota u not i[ the Libran ~liI be expanded b~lt when. and ho~, soon.
Sm(erely yours,
[homas S. Hulme
rs: Susan Craig, Ionia C~V/Puhht Library
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 10, 1996
To: City Council
From:
Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee
Jeff Cox John Buchanan
Pain Ehrhardt Bob Elliot
Carolyn Gross Kathryn Kurth
Derek Maurer Bob Sierk
Tom Bullington
Bill Gerhard
Vicki Lensing
George Starr
Re:
Industries/Technologies Opportunity List and Financial Assistance Guidelines for
the City of Iowa City
In August of 1995, the Iowa City City Council adopted the document entitled "Economic Develop-
ment Policies, Strategies, and Actions for the City of Iowa City". The purpose of the document
is to provide a positive, proactive direction to the City's economic development activities. To
begin carrying out the policies listed in the document, the Council formed the Economic Develop-
ment Ad Hoc Committee to work on thi~ following two questions:
When the City and local economic development organizations encourage the
expansion and attraction of business and industry, what specific types of business-
es and industries should we encourage in Iowa City (industries/technologies
opportunity list)?
When the City considers financial assistance to a firm, such as a grant, loan, or
providing infrastructure, what characteristics and practices must the firm have to
obtain assistance (financial assistance eligibility guidelines)?
After twelve meetings and much discussion, the Committee presents to the City Council our
recommendation regarding an opportunity list of industries/technologies for Iowa City and financial
assistance eligibility guidelines. We believe these documents provide goals that the community
can support and which will enhance the prosperity of the entire community.
Industries/Technologies Opportunity List
The consensus of the Committee is that the City should focus its economic development efforts
on those businesses that provide good jobs and livable wages, follow good business practices,
and are environmentally sound. As long as a business meets a general set of standards, we
were not too concerned about the particular industry. We are more concerned about providing
employment opportunities for the entire labor rome including both blue collar and white collar jobs.
Given the Council's charge to establish a list of targeted industries/technologies, the Committee
did establish a list of industries/technologies on which the City of Iowa City should focus its
proactive economic development efforts. This list should not be read as one that prohibits or
discourages industries/technologies not on the list, but as ~ list to focus the City's proactive
act~wties.
2
The industries/technologies opportunity list is derived from lists used by the University and the
State plus our own evaluation of Iowa City and the opportunities that exist here. The list contains
areas that are potentially promising and compatible with the resources we have in the community.
A common recurring concern expressed at Committee meetings was the lack of space for new
and expanding businesses. We believe that the growing of local businesses is as important as
the attraction of new business. We recommend that the Council work on ensuring the availability
of industrial land, on encouraging the development of speculative buildings, and on assisting with
the development of an incubator center for new and developing businesses. The City should first
focus its efforts on providing space in the community for all types of business and industry,
whether or not they are on a targeted industries list. Without available space, the Iowa City
community misses economic development opportunities.
Financial Assistance Eligibility Guidellnes
The financial assistance eligibility guidelines are to be used when the City considers providing
financial assistance to businesses. Although municipalities provide financial assistance to a small
number of businesses relative to the total number of businesses found in the community, guide-
lines are useful for selecting those businesses that shou!d receive assistance. Those companies
not receiving public financial assistance will not need to consider the guidelines.
In arriving at the financial assistance guidelines, the Committee reviewed the general criteria the
State uses when evaluating a project for the CEBA program. The Committee also gathered
information from other Iowa and Midwest cities to evaluate the type of criteda these communities
use (they included Des Moines, Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, and Madison, WI). Based
upon this information and the goals expressed in the City's adopted policy, "Economic Develop-
ment Policies, Strategies and Actions for the City of Iowa City", the financial assistance eligibility
guidelines were developed.
Reaching a consensus on most of the eligibility guidelines was rather easy; however, we did have
considerable discussion about the wage rate guideline (see the first guideline listed under the
General Requirements section. page 3}. Our discussion centered on whether a business's
average hourly wages should be compared to the average county wage for all industries or the
average county wage rate of the lndustry of which the business is a part. After much discus-
sion, and the addition of a minimum wage rate guideline, we agreed that the average county
wage of the industry of which the business ts a part would be an acceptable measure.
Attached to the list of financial assistance eligibility gu=,delines is a list of current wage figures.
As the intent section of the financial assistance eligibility guidelines states "the guidelines...will
serve as a framework for the City Council in making its decisions regarding which businesses
should receive publicly funded incentives or assistance." "Within each of the guidelines thers is
room for judgement and flexibility by the City Council." The industries/technologies opportunity
list and the financial assistance eligibility guidelines provide direction for the City's proactive
economic development activities, while at the same time providing enough flexibility to allow the
City to pursue other opportunities that may develop.
Flexibdity is an important component for the Committee. We do not believe the list of guidelines
should be interpreted in a way to preclude any economic endeavor that would be beneficial to the
community. In our discussions, we have considered the importance of start-up companies and
expansions of existing businesses in the community. We also recognized the challenges some-
times encountered by women- and minority-owned businesses. In any of these instances, the
guidelines are flexible enough to meet any special circumstances and opportunities that may
arise.
3
Given the flexibility provided to the city council by these documents, the Committee would like to
stress one point that it feels is important to the success of Iowa City, That point relates to the
image our city projects. Impressions and appearances are important, because they add to the
development of perceptions...and perceptions often become reality. The council sets a tone and
a philosophy for itself, for the city staff, and for city-appointed citizen committees and commis-
sions. The tone should be that existing and prospective businesses should be made to feel they
are welcome and that the city's governance is anxious to help. It should be made very clear that
city staff and commissions are there to help businesses understand and successfully comply with
our important ordinances, regulations, and reviews. Keeping this in mind, we believe the City can
successfully achieve its economic goals.
INDUSTRIES/TECHNOLOGIES OPPORTUNITY LIST
FOR THE CITY OF IOWA CITY
The purpose of the following industries/technologies opportunity list is to identify indus-
try/technology groups that are compatible with the Iowa City community and toward which
the community should proactively direct its economic development efforts. Within each of
these industry/technology groups, the focus of the City's proactive economic development
activities will be to assist start-up firms, to retain local companies and to assist with their
expansion plans, and to attract and recruit new operations to Iowa City.
By establishing an industries./technologies opportunity list the City is not prohibiting or
discouraging industries not on the list. Those businesses allowed under the present zoning
ordinance will be welcomed to the community and will be offered assistance whenever
possible. However, the City will not proactively pursue the development, expansion or
attraction of these industries. The industries/technologies opportunity list is to focus the City's
proactive activities and ICAD's efforts on behalf of the City.
Industry/Technology
Biocatalysis & Bioprocessing R&D
Communications Services
Computer Software Development/Computer Simulations of Complex Systems
Drugs/Pharmaceutical
Educational Services
Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment
Environmental Technologies & Energy Resource Alternatives R&D
Insurance Services
Human Health & Medicine (Alternative Health Care Systems)
Light Manufacturing
Medical Instruments/Instruments & Measuring Dewces
Music/Recording Studios/Audio-Visual Producuon
Printing & Publishing (Public Relations/Graphic Arts/Design)
Value-Added Agriculiural Products
CITY OF IOWA CITY
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Intent: The City of Iowa City wishes to encourage the establishment and growth of
businesses which are consistent with and carry out the "Economic Development Policies,
Strategies and Actions for the City of Iowa City." To this end, the City will support and
provide financial assistance to individual business establishments. This assistance may take
the form of utilizing State and Federal funds targeted at economic development, providing
property tax incentives, underwriting the cost of infrastructure improvements, or providing
direct loans and grants.
The guidelines provided below will serve as a framework for the City Council in making its
decisions regarding which businesses should receive publicly funded incentives or assistance.
The criteria are based on the Economic Development Policies and the concept that businesses
who receive assistance should pay a good wage, provide benefits to their employees, be good
citizens, and contribute to the overall economic well-being of the community. Within each of
the guidelines there is room for judgment and flexibility by the City Council. Consistent with
the City's Economic Development Policies, promising start-up businesses and expansion of
existing local businesses will be encouraged.
Private Financial Contribution as Compared to Public Assistance Request (10 points)
Higher points to be awarded for:
A greater percentage of contribution by the assisted business;
A quicker payback period or expiration for financial assistance;
A lower amount of City financial assistance per job.
Consistency with Comprehensive Plan/Capital Improvements Program/Economic Development
Policies {20 points)
Higher points to be awarded for:
Projects not requiring new public capital improvements;
A greater contribution by the developer for public infrastructure improvements;
Jobs within industrv/technology groups on opportunity list;
Start-up companies and expansions of existing local operations;
A greater amount of property tax base expansion.
Quality of Jobs to be Created (30 points)
Higher points to be awarded for: Higher wage rates
Full-time, long-term, non-seasonal positions;
Commitment to a safe workplace;
Contribution to health ~nsurance benefits;
Provision of fringe benefits (vacation, sick leave, retirement plans);
Economic Impact (15 points)
Higher points to be awarded for:
Contribution to diversification of Johnson County economy
Potential for future growth of industry;
Businesses that build on the resources, materials, and workforce of the local
community.
Environmental Impact (15 points)
Higher points to be awarded:
The more environmentally sound the company's operation;
(e.g. comprehensive energy and resource efficiency programs; comprehensive
waste reduction, waste exchange, and recycling programs).
The more environmentally sound the company's products/services.
(e.g. products/services that expand markets for recycled materials; develop-
ment of renewable energy resources or products that conserve energy.)
Community Involvement (10 points)
Higher points to be awarded:
Businesses that have a history of contributing to their communities through volunteer
work, financial contributions or other means.
New start-up businesses that demonstrate their commitment to becoming involved in
the community.
TOTAL POINTS
100
3
General Requirements
Every applicant should provide average hourly wages for all new and existing jobs which
meet or exceed the average county wage rate by industry. Ninety percent of the project
positions should have a wage greater than the federal poverty wage rate for Iowa City
(30% of median income for a four person household in Iowa City). Under special
circumstances, consideration will be given to those companies who cannot meet this
requirement.
Applicant must have a consistent pattern of compliance with the law and the spirit of the
law, including environmental regulations, occupational safety and health laws, fair labor
standards, the National Labor Relations Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, in
order to be eligible for financial assistance.
Applicant must demonstrate the following in order to be eligible for financial assistance:
the feasibility of the business venture;
the reliability of the job creation and financial estimates;
the creditworthiness of the business;
that the project would not occur without city financial assistance.
- A contract will be executed for any financial assistance awarded. Applicant will be required
to repay all, or a prorated share, of the amount of the financial assistance awarded if the
applicant does not fulfill the obligations of the contract.
4
Employment & Wages Covered By
Unemployment Insurance - t995
- Johnson County -
INDUSTRY
Average Average
Hourly~ Weekly2
TOTAL - ALL INDUSTRIES
$ 11.85 $ 474
PRIVATE BUSINESS
Agriculture & Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Transportation & Public Utilities
RetailNVholesale Trade
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
Services
9.30
7.90
12.83
14.23
13.95
6.23
11.80
8.85
Yearly
Average3
$ 24,648
$ 372 $ 19,344
$ 316 $ 16,432
$ 513 $ 26,676
$ 569 $ 29,588
$ 558 $ 29,016
$ 249 $ 12,948
$ 472 $ 24,544
$ 354 $ 18,408
GOVERNMENT $ 16.40 $ 656 $ 34,112
Federal $ 16.78 $ 671 $ 34,892
StateI $ 17.40 $ 696 $ 36,192
Local $ 11.55 $ 462 $ 24,024
~Calculated by dividing average weeldy wage by 40 hou,'8
2SourC8' 10we Department of Employment Se~ces, Prahminary 1995 F~gurss
3Calculated by rnuifaplying average weeldy wage by 52 weexs
Note. The Iowa Department of Economic Development uses this source to
determine wage rate cnteria ['or state f~naacial assistance programs.
Page 1
INCOME FIGURES FOR IOWA CITY
Effective 12/14/95
Source: U.S. Dept· of Housing Urban Development
Household 30% Median Income
Size (poverty level)
Annual , Hourly
Income r~ Wage~
1 $ 10,380: $ 4.99
2 $ 11,850 $ 5.70
3 $ 13,350 $ 6·42
4 $ 14,820 $ 7.13
5 $ 16,020 $ 7.70
6 $ 17,190 $ 8·26
7 S 18,390 $ 8.84
8 $ 19,560 $ 9.40
Median Income
Annual Hourly
Income Wage~
$ 34,600 $ 16.63
$ 39,500 $ 18.99
$44,500 $ 21.39
$49,400 $ 23.75
$ 53,400 $ 25.67
$ 57,300 $ 27.55
$61,300 $ 29.47
$ 65,200 t: $ 31.35
~Assumes one wage earner per household working 2080 hours per year.
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
July 12, 1996 1 '
City Council ~._~,'~,
Karin Franklin, Director F~
EIk's Golf Course Hole Relocation
We have received a revised plan for the EIk's Country Club Golf Course which will be presented
to you at the work session Monday evening, July 15. This plan shows relocation of holes number
3 and 4 to a location which includes part of the upper terrace of the peninsula and part of the
wetlands on the lower elevation. This plan has been reviewed by Ralph Russell of Howard R.
Green Company, Chuck Schrnadeke, Steve Atkins and myself. Generally, we find this proposal
to be more acceptable than that originally proposed by the Elks. The Elks have attempted to
minimize disruption of the wetlands and, to the extent possible, have minimized encroachment
into the lower level.
At your work session, representatives of the Elk's Club will addiess the question of organics being
used for the maintenance and treatment of the greens and tees. At the conclusion of the
presentation and discussion, we would like direction from the City Council as to whether you find
this revised plan acceptable. If you do, we will then proceed with negotiations with the Elks
regarding the conditions of use of this land, easements, and compensation. We would like to be
able to resolve these negotiations to enable Council consideration of an agreement at your
August 26th formal meeting.
CC:
City Manager
Director of Public Works
Ralph Russell
City Attorney
Assistant Director PCD
City of Iov, a City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 11, 1996
To: City Council
From: City Manager
Re: Cemetery
We spoke with representatives of the City of Coralville about the possibility of a joint cemetery.
They are also about to reach a point where they must consider additional space. While the
following is not their official position, there was some indication that a joint project would be a
possibility. However, they are now pursuing a road right-of-way issue adjacent to their existing
cemetery. If they can resolve this right-of-way issue,. they would have approximately 200
additional cemetery spaces available. That number of spaces would serve them well into the
future. There was some indication that when their cemetery was completely filled, the~ would
likely "get out of the business". Again, none of this is official, but it does seem to rapresent where
they may be heading.
1~.,3-2SA
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
July 11, 1996
City Council
C~ty Manager
Mercer Gymnasium - Fundraising Feasibility Study
Terry he~s concluded a proposed agreement with the firm of R.G.h Consulting Services to conduct
the feasibility study for the proposed fundraising. The tentative schedule would have the
company begin their review in late July and conclude with a report in November. The cost of the
study is $15,000. Based upon the acknowledgement and understanding of this issue from your
previous work session, I have instructed Terry to put the contract in final form. I intend to sign
the document next week.
If there are any questions please let me know as soon as possible,
cc: Terry Trueblood
~]c3-1SA
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 11, 1996
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
RE:
Civic Center Maintenance
During the next three weeks, maintenance is scheduled for the Upper Level East of the Civic
Center. The Upper Level HVAC improvements will be continued as was done in the Lower
Level East Remodel in FY93. The disruption required to do the HVAC improvements will
provide the opportunity to perform some additional budgeted maintenance to office space,
· HVAC Improvements
· Ceiling and Lighting replacement with energy efficient indirect lighting
. Treasury Division office redesign for better customer flow and service
Treasury Division services will be relocated to the Lobby Council Chambers. Direct public
contact, telephone and computer needs will be met in the Council Chambers and no disruption
to service is anticipated. Staff not requiring direct public contact will be relocated to the
Lobby Conference Room.
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 11, 1996
To: City Council
From: City Manager
Re: Parcel 64-1a - Update
The request for proposals (RFP) to marketing consultants to help design the development RFP
will be due in on Friday, July 12. We are now proceeding somewhat cautiously with this and do
not intend to recommend a marketing consultant until we have a little better sense of Council's
direction. From the recent discussions of the Council and the Library, particularly as it concerns
their expansion, we will need to have some better idea of your intentions with regard to the
development of 64-1a,
We will review the responses to the marketing consultant RFP and then advise you before we
proceed any further.
cc: Karin Franklin
I;~3-5
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
City Council
City Manager
July 8, 1996
Other projects you have or will soon see around town
1. City crews are installing a 12" water line along Highway 1 West/Mormon Trek
to selYe the recently-annexed Winebrenner area.
2. Curb and gutter replacer:nent projects will begin July 8 in the 1000 block of
Bowery, 400 and 500 blocks of Clark Street.
3. Street closure at First and Muscatine has begun.
CCmeO
Date:July 9, 1996
To: Iowa City City Council
From: Jeff Davidson, Transportation Planner '"~'//
Re: Proposed extension of Highway 965 between Highway 6 and Highway 1
At your July 1 work session we continued our discussion of this issue, which will hopefully lead
to an agreement executed jointly by the City of Iowa City, the City of Coralville, and Johnson
County to preserve the corridor for the extension of Highway 965. At the meeting on July 1,
you directed staff to examine two alternatives which are seen as potential compromises
between the City of Coralville position (west alignment) and the City of Iowa City position (east
alignment). The new alignments are shown on the attached figure.
I have discussed the new alignments with our environmental and engineering consultant on this
project, and they feel they have adequate information to summarize the positive and negative
aspects of these new alternatives. We are hoping to get back to you with information at one
of your August work sessions. 1 have also discussed this matter with representatives from the
City of Coralville and Johnson County, and they feel these are worthwhile alternatives to
examine as compromise solutions between Coralville and Iowa City. Let me know if you have
any questions.
CC:
City of Coralville
Johnson County Board of Supervisors
Chuck Schmadeke
Rick Fosse
Karin Franklin
Hwy 965 extension public mailing list
COMPROMDSFF ALIGNMENTS
TO B~ EVALUATED
7/8/96
~ENVIRONMENT&
INFRASTRUCTURE
FIGURE 4
FINAl.. ALI~RNATIVE$
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 9, 1996
To: Joe Fowler, Parking & Transit Department (~.....~,,..~.
From: Linda Newman Woito, City Attorney
Re: Discussion with Jim Clark regarding Old Library Parldng Lot; Development Anticipated
As we discussed with Jim Clark on July 8, 1996, Clark acknowledges he is now the successor
in interest to the Old Libra~j Parking Lot (previously owned by GWG Investments), and that Clark
will soon be redeveloping the property. As the three of us discussed, Jim Clark will give the City
at least a one-week notice to vacate the parking lot, and you indicated that the City would be able
to remove the parking meters easily within a one-week time span.
As you know, we have been anticipating redevelopment of the Old Library Parking Lot since the
conveyance of the property was consummated in 1989. Thank you for your cooperation, and I
suggest that Jim Clark deal directly with you, Joe, on his anticipated plans. Let me know if you
have questions.
cc: Jim Clark, Developer
Steve Atkins, City Manager - FYI
City: Council o FYI
City Clerk
Assistant City Manager
Bill Dollman, Parking Superintendent
bcl-6LNW
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 11, 1996
To: Steve Arkins, City Manager; Don Yucuis, Finance Director; Chuck Schmaduke, Public
Works Director; Ed Moreno, Water Superintendent
From: Linda Newman Woito, City Attorney (~~~ .-
Re: Request to Reconvene Staff "Water Impact Fee Committee"; City Council Request
As you recall, the City Council requested, and received, a legal opinion as to whether Iowa City
could adopt a "water impact fee." The answer I gave the City Council in July 1995 was a qualified
"yes." That is, the fee must meet some particularized, rough proportionality between the fee
collected and the impact or burden (need) created by the new development, see Dolan v. Tigard,
114 S. Ct. 2309 (1994). Also, the fee must take into account current water users' share of the
new water plant costs - some of which is now built into our existing water rate structure. I attach
a copy of my Summary prepared last October 1995, to refresh our memories.
The City "Water Impact Fee Committee" has met numerous times the past year. Dudng our last
meeting February 8, 1996, Ralph Russell of Howard R. Green presented some preliminary
calculations to us, which we had requested at our September 1995 meeting. It was my
understanding that we wanted Ralph to provide us with additional calculations before we made
a recommendation to the City Council, that is, further defining the water connection fee by taking
into account historical peak day demands for water and also a breakdown of how the fee could
be fairly collected as between past and current water users. E.g., I recall some discussion of a
dollar figure per water service, to be paid something like this: 1/3 by the connection fee (new
development); 1/3 by current water user fees; and 1/3 by new water customer (water fees),
The City Council is interested in receiving a proposal from me, so I would appreciate the staff
reconvening to further discuss a possible water connection fee. Perhaps Ralph Russell could dig
out his old notes and help us in this complex analysis.
While I am aware there may not be four members of the current City Council that wish to proceed
with a water impact ordinance, I have been asked to report back to the City Council -- and I
would appreciate your help.
Please call Annie for some dates and times after Steve returns to Iowa City (early August).
Thanks.
CC;
City Council
City Clerk
Assistant City Manager
Ralph Russell, Howard R. Green FYI
City Attomey Office Staff
Research File
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
October 17, 1995
City Council Candidates
Linda Newman Woito, City Attorney
Summary of Preliminary Legal Opinion: Water Impact/Water Connection Fees
Research
Based on my preliminary research last summer, having reviewed court cases, professional
manuals and Iowa City's historical approach, I making the following findings:
1. There are no Iowa cases specifically "on point" concerning'whether the City of Iowa City
water utility can charge a "water impact" or "water connection" fee designed to recover some
of the capital costs attributable to new users and new growth.
2. There are several formalized theories or models to calculate water impact fees or water
connection fees, presented by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). The theories
most pertinent to my research include:
a. "The cash needs approach" - This approach is what Iowa City has been using for many
years. The theory behind the "cash needs approach" is that most major capital projects are
financed from
"...serially funded debt because the repayment of the debt over a number of
years distributes the capital cost, to some extent, over the useful life of the
facdity. This debt-financing approach results in a better matching of the
customers' charges from year to year with the use of the facilities (i.e. existing
customers will not be paying 100% of the initial cost of facilities to be used by
future customers."
Manual 1, p. 2, AWWA
NOTE: This rate-setting approach, recommended by the City Manager and the Finance
Director, has been tentatively rejected by a majority of the current City Council - pending
preparation of a water connection fee ordinance/proposal, to be presented by City staff. As
seen in the attached "update" memo dated October 13, 1995, City staff's preparations are
"in the works."
b. Capital contributions or "system development charge" - This method is designed for
systems experiencing substantial growth, and where the need to increase capacity is
becoming an acute problem, see Manual 26, p. 13 of AWWA Manual. The manual discusses
paying for "backup utility plant" costs, or "excess capacity costs" not the entire water facility,
as Iowa City is now doing.
c. Capital costs/capital connection cost - This cost is not actually discussed in the AWWA
manuals, but is the connection cost most successful in the courts, see below.
2
3. Whatever ~'water connection fee" the City chooses to enact, it must meet the U.S.
Supreme Court's "rough proportionality" standard in order to pass constitutional muster under
the Fiftl~ and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This means that, according
to Dolan v. City of Tigqard, 114 S. Ct. 2309 (1994), there must be some "rough proportional-
ity" between the fee or charge as a condition to connect to the water system and/or to obtain
a budding permit, and the demand or burden being placed on the water system by the new
development. This "rough proportionality" test set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court is not
required to be a "precise mathematical calculation," but there must be some "calculable
connection" between the demanded fee or charge and the need or impact on City services
which the development creates or is deemed by some reasonable formula to create,
4. The courts throughout the Untied States have upheld varying water impact and/or water
connection fees -- none of which are alike.
a. Virginia - A fee is collected "per drainage fixture unit" taken from the Uniform Plumbing
Code, and calculated throughout the U.S. to determine the required size of the plumbing
"trap" for the various plumbing fixtures, see attached Table. This Virginia Beach connection
fee is triggered by a new connection to the water system, as well as changes to an existing
water system connection if the change results in increased drainage fixture units. I spoke
with the engineer who successfully defended this "drainage fixture unit" methodology in a
court case entitled Tidewater Association v. City of Virqinia Beach, 400 S.E. 2d 523 (Va.
1 991 ). Our City staff and ConsL'ltant Howard R. Green are reviewing a similar methodology
- which I hope to present to the City Council soon.
b. California - A fee is based on the cost of a new project calculated on the basis of an
"equivalent dwelling unit" formula, and is payable at the time a building permit is issued. A
fee is also charged for a building permit for altered developed which results in an "increased
demand for the water system."
c. Maryland - A flat fee for the number of residential units, based on gross floor area for non-
residential development.
d. North Carolina - A flat fee for connection to the water system: $1,000 for each
residential unit, plus a tap-on fee for a 1-inch meter of $1,500; $2,400 for each commercial
impact fee for a 1-inch meter.
e. Arizona - Uses three factors to calculate water impact fee: estimated construction cost
of needed additional water resources and improvements; projected growth; and water usage.
Fee ~s triggered by construction permits.
f. Utah - Uses a lengthy factual/legal set of factors, including cost of existing capital
facilities, the manner of financing existing facilities such as user fees, bonded indebtedness,
etc., and the relative extent to which the newly developed properties and other properties
have already contributed to the cost of existing capital facilities.
g. Wyoming - A minimum service connection charge, based on size of meter ranging from
$1,000 for a '%-inch meter to over $28,000 for a 4-inch meter, both triggered by building
permits.
3
I recommend using a combination of the V~rgima Beach ordinance and the factors noted m the
Utah cases.
Whde the majority of these water connection fees are triggered by a building permit, some are
triggered by a subdivision plat and/or a connection to the water system. Iowa City now
charges for connections, but the fees are only related to the water distribution system - not
the entire capital costs of our water supply treatment and distribution system.
5. Iowa City utility law requires a water connection fee must be "reasonable." This means
that if the City elects to impose a water impact/connection fee for new development as one
way to pay for "excess capacity" of the new water facilities, that fee must be placed on both
existing users, as well as future users of the water system. This rule was set out in a 1991
Iowa Supreme Court case, where the South Panorama Sanitary District attempted to give to
current property owners Iwho already had their own private septic systems) a "break" in the
connection fee when they were required to connect to the new sanitary sewer system. The
new property owners and new users had to pay a much larger fee to connect to the sanitary
sewer system. The Iowa Supreme Court rejected the inequity of a $1500 c0nnection fee for
the "newcomers," and $50 for the "old-timers" as totally irrational and thus invalid.
I realize this Iowa case deals with sanitary sewer, rather than water, but I nonetheless find
the case ~nstructive as follows: If the'City imposes a water connection/impact fee, the fee
must not be disproportionately assessed on only newly developed lands or water users, see
Kreifels v. South Panorama Sanitary District, 474 N.W. 2d 567, 569-70 II0wa 1991).
6. New development cannot pay 100% of the new capital costs, see Coulter v. City of
Rawlins, 662 P. 2d 888 (Wyo. 1983).
7. A water connection fee must be dedicated and used only for the designated capital
improvement - in this case the new Iowa City Water Supply and Treatment Facility. The
ordinance must also have a refund provision in the event the capital improvement is not
constructed.
8. In Utah, the state courts have a long tradition of ruling that new developments should pay
their proportionate share of the cost of "excess capacity" of a city utility system, but should
not pay all of the costs of "excess capacity." Based on a rewew of several of the Utah cases,
I recommend that the City pay close attention to the seven differing factors which Utah Court
set out, and by doing so we hope to fashion a method so that capital costs are fairly borne
by both new development and existing development, or by new and existing water users. See
Banberry Development Corporation v. South Jordan City, 631 P. 2d 899 (Utah 1981).
9. Conclusion
~ recommend using the simple "drainage fixture unit" approach from the Wrginia case noted
above, but that approach still means calculating some way to proportionately share the capital
costs for "excess capacity" between "new water users" and existing water users. Our
Consultant Howard R. Green previously gathered historical data in order to project the size of
the new plant, including estimated growth of Iowa City and estimated water uses for peak
days and average days. Staff hopes to he able to present a water connection fee based on
these rough calculations to the City Council soon. The decision whether to enact such a
water connecti~ or water impact fee is a matter for the City Council to decide.
4
CC:
City Council
City Clerk
City Manager
Assistant City Manager
Chuck Schmadeke, Public Works Director
Karin Franklin, Planning and Community Development Director
Don Yucuis, Finance Director
Sarah Holecek, Assistant City Attorney
Ralph Russell, Howard. R. Green
Attachment
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: October 13, 1995
To: The Honorable Mayor Susan M. Horowitz and Members of the City Council
From: Linda Newman Woito, City Attorney ~
Re: Status on Water Impact/Connection Fees; Staff Progressing
As you can see from the attached memo dated September 20, 1995, which contains a copy
of the ordinance which I obtained from Virginia Beach City as a "model ordinance," the staff is
making progress on a possible water connection/water resource recovery fee for Iowa City.
In follow-up, Chuck Schmadeke; Sarah Holecek; Ralph Russell of Howard R. Green; Steve
Arkins; Don Yucuis; Ed Moreno; Kadn Franklin and I met October 3, 1995, to discuss the
calculations Ralph Russell did. We compared Ralph's calculatio.ns (which he will put in written
form, for further staff discussion), to my suggestions received from the engineer involved with
the successful water connection fee in the Virginia Beach court decision. After much
discussion, we agreed to meet in mid to late October to revisit our diverse ideas. Hopefully we
will soon have a rebommendation to the City Council.
Madan Karr, City Clerk
Steve Atkins, City Manager
Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager
Chuck Schmadeke, Public Works Director
Ed Moreno, Water Superintendent
Ralph Russell, Consultant Howard R. Green
Kadn Franklin, Planning & Community Development Director
Don Yucuis, Finance Director
Sarah Holecek, Asst. City Attorney
File
Attachment
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
September 20, 1995
To:
From:
Steve Atkins, City Manager
Chuck Schmadeke, Public Works Director
Ed Moreno, Water Superintendent
Ralph Russell, Consultant, Howard R. Green
Karin Franklin, PCD Director
Don Yucuis, Finance Director
Linda Newman Woito~ City Attorney
Re:
Status of Continuing Work on Water Impact/Connection Fees, for report to City
Council; update on City Attorney Office progress
Attached please find a copy of the water connection/water resource recovery fee which I
agreed to obtain from the Virginia case cited in my July 1995 memorandum concerning water
impact fees. My Office has been in contact with the attorneys who litigated this water
resource recovery fees, and I am ready to report on, and explore, methods of computing the
costs per "drainage fixture unit."
As I recall, at our meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 1 995, we agreed to proceed as follows:
Public Works and City Manager would prepare a report on what water connection fees
we already collect, what equipment or services those fees are intended to cover, etc.
Chuck Schmadeke, Ralph Russell and I were going to see if the existing historical data,
including construction costs, could be used to calculate a water resource recovery fee-
- or whether we need additional information.
I was going to pursue the use of the "drainage fixture unit" found in one of the cases,
as an appropriate unit to calculate, at least in part, a water connection fee.
I wanted to report on my progress, and perhaps we should "touch base" on our next steps
- since I am confident that the City Councd wants to proceed with a water impact/connectmn
fee within the next few months.
CC:
Assistant City Manager
File
Attachment
$EP -iS'9.5(MON} i4.28 VA 8EACH CITY ATTY
TEL:804-427-45 [
P. 002
Document: Chapter 37 WA~gR SUPPL~* (~ag~ 7)
Sec. 37-7.1. <Wa~er> <resource> recovery ~ege generally.
(a) The fees preec:£bed by the following subsections of this section
dga:~g~ ~e ~Lt schedule as ~vLded &n the UnL~o~ State,de
~ulld~g ~da (~lumbZng), ae ~nd~ ~ h~ to ~. Such f~m shall
.yo:~ vhe~ve: eueh use ot et~otU~e Le ~p~dad, chased o:
st~C~ure no~preeen:Ly co.acted to the water eye~m when such use or
s~oture connac:a. I~ a p:O~y ~er has previously paid water line
ch~g~ the full ~un~ of applicable recove~ fees, lees a credit of ~y
wat~: l~e fees previously paid.
(b) Recovez7 fees sha~l be as ~alloas:-
(2)
Each drainage ~lxtute uni: shall be charged s recovery fee
according ~o ~he following schedule:
(i)
Thirty-two dollars ($32.00) ~et drainage flxturs unit
from the effective dat~ of thio agogion until June 30,
1986.
(/i) 8ix~y-t~ee dollars (563.00) per drainage fixture unit
~om July 1, 1986, tO December 31, 1986.
(ilS) Sixty-six dollars ($66.00) ~er dr=image fixture ungL1
e£fee=ive Nov~er 24, 1987.
(2)
In all cases where a plumbing fixture ia not specifically
described in the UnL~oz~ ~tatewide Building code (Plu~/nq), aa
~ndad fr~ t~ to t~, ~ eqaivalen: ~ainaqe f~ura ~it
value ~or 2he plu..~in9 f/~u~ shall be c~ted by t~
do~nt of public utilities ~d shall be ~de a ~ of the
~da~dm ~d ~oificatione of the ~n: o~ p~lie
In the even: of a diapers as to the amount of fees owed, the prellray
owner may appeal ~ha de~a:~nt of ~/ic utilities' decision to the city
manager or hie designee and, thereafter, to
ci:y council.
(c) No building Or plumbing ~ermi: sha/l be issued for any prope~y,
and if issued, m~eh P~rmit o~all ~t be valid, until t~ fees provid~ for
~ ~hio u~ion ~ve ~en~id.
the ciby regarding ~'wa~er> ~es~tce> i~ fees and waiver of <water> ~mma~a~
SE~.-18'gS(HON) [4:28 ¥A BEACH CITY
TEG:804-427-45~l
P. 00~
O~d. ~]. l?4g, 12-23-87)
(Otd. Ho. ~S~5, 1-6-86l O~d. RO, $5~7, 2-10-B6)
/U2 O · /UJ 2
7~2..0 Fixture U~... -:qulvalents tin I I.'ORH PLUHBING CODE
The u~t equivalent of plumbing fixtures ~hown m 'fable %3 shall ~ ba~d
on the size o~ the trap required, and the unit equivalent of fixtures and
devices not shown in Table 7-3 shall be based on the rated discharge
ca~d~ in gpm (gallons per minute) (liters per second) m accordance with
Fable
Maximum flap loadings for siz~ up to four (4) inches (101.6 ram) are as
~ollows:
1-1/4' (31.8 ram) -- 1 unit
1-1/2' (38.1 ram) -- 3 umts
· ' 2' (50.8ram) -- 4units
3' (76.2 mm) -- 6 unils
4" (101.6 mm) -- 8 units
Exception: On self-service laundries.
?03.0 S~ze of Drainage Piping
t03.1 The m~imum sizes of vertical a~d/or horizontal drainage piping shai1 be
fetetrained from the total of all fixture [mits cormected thereto, a~d additionally,
n Ihe case of vertical drainage pipes, in accordance with their length.
'03.2 Table 7-5 shows the maximum number of fixture units allowed on
ny vertical or horizontal drainage pipe, building. drain or building sewer of
. given size; the maximum number of fixture units allowed on any branch
nterval of a given size; and the maximum length (in feet and meters) of any
,erfical drainage pipe of a given size.
TABLE 7-3
Minimum Trap and
:ind of FbCture Trap Arm Size
(inches) (ram) Units
tathtubs .............................................................. 1-1/2 (38.1) 2
Udets 1-1/2 (38.1) 2
;Iothaswashers ...........................................................2 (50.8) 2
~/',taJ units or cuspidors .............................................. 1-1/4 (31.8) 1
)dnldngfountains ..........................................................1-1/4 (31.8) 1
Ioor drains ..........................................................~ ..........2(50.8) 2
ttarceptors' for grease, oil, solids, etc ................... 2 (50.8) 3
~temeptors° for sand, auto wash. etc ............................... 3 (76.2) 6
aundrytubs .....................................................................1-1/2(38.1)2
foblie home park traps (one (1) for each trailer) .............. 3 (76.2) 12
Ieceptors° (floor sinks), Indirect waste receptors for
refrigerators, coffee urns, water stations, arc ............... 1-1/2 (38.1) 1
ecepto~s*. indirect waste receptors for commercial
sinks, dishwashers, air-washers, efc ............................ 2 (50.8)
bower, single stalls .....................................................2 (50.8)
.. I)RA ll,--'JE
FtX'I'URE UNITS
TABLE 7-3 (Continued)
Kind of Fixture
Sinks, bar, commercial (2" (50.8 mm) rain.waste) 1. 112
S~nks, bar, pdvate (1-1/2' (38. I mm) min.wasle) ...... 1
Sinks, commercial or industrial, schools, etc.. including
dishwashers, wash up sinks, and wash fountains
(2' (50.8 ram) min. waste) ...................................... 1 1/2
Sinks, flushing rim, clinic .......................................... j
Sinks, sewice .............................................................. 2
Sinks. sen/ice (3' (76.2 ram) trap) ............................. 3
Udnais. pedestal. trap arm only .................................
Udnais, stall, separate trap ...............................................
Urinals, wall. mounted, blowout, integral trap, trap arm only 2
Urinals, wall-mounted, blowout integral trap. trap arm only 3
Urinals, wall-mounted, washdown or siphon jet.
integral trap, trap arm only ..................................... 2
Urinals. wall-mounted, washout, separate trap
(2' (50.8 mm) min. waste) ..................................
Wash basins, in sets .............................................
Wash basins (lavatories) single ............................. 1. it4
Water closet,' private installation, trap arm only ..
Water closet, public installation, trap arm only ...........
Miramum 'reap and
Trap Arm S~ze
0riches) (ram) Umts
(38 1) 2
{3U I) I
(38 t) 3
(76 2) 6
(50 8) 3
(76 2) 6
(762) 6
(5O 8) 2
(5O.8) 3
(76 2) 6
(50 8) 2
(38 tJ 2
(38. t) 2
(31 8)
(76 2) 4
(76.2) 6
*Note: The size and discharge rating of each indirecl wasle receptor
and each interceptor shall be based on the total rated rescharge
capacity of all fixtures, equipment, or appliances discharging Iherein to,
in accordance with Table 7-4.
Drainage piping serving batteries of appliances capable of
producing continuous flows shall be adequately s~zed to prowde for
peak loads. Clotheswashers in groups of three (3) or more shall be
rated at six (6) units each for the purpose of common horizontal and
vertical waste pipe sizing.
Water closets shall be computed as six (6) hxlure umts when
determining septic tank size based on Appendix I of this Code
Trap sizes shall not be increased to a point where the hxlure
discharge may be inadequate to maintain their self.scouring properlies.
TABLE 7-4
Discharge Capacity In Gallons per Minute (Lilers per Seconal
For Intermittent Flow Only
GPM (I/sec.)
Up to 7.1/2 (Up to 0.47) Equals t
8 to 15 (0.50 to 0.95) Equals 2 Un.s
16 to 30 (1.00 tO 1.89) Eouals 4 Ilml,4
July 9, 1996
CITY OF IOWA CITY
William L. Meardon
Meardon, Sueppel, Downer & Hayes P.L.C.
122 S. Linn St.
Iowa City, IA 52240-1830
Re: Winebrenner Ford, Inc Temporary Easement; Contractor's Schedule
Dear Biff:
As discussed July 9 with Inspection Superintendent Tim Randall dudng our telephone
conference, this letter shall serve as wdtten notice to Winebrenner Ford, Inc., as well as Diane
Dreusicke-Riley, that the City's contractors will be working on the easement areas condemned
by the City last April. As agreed, the City's contractor, Park Construction, will commence work
on the Winebrenner/Dreusicke-Riley easement areas on Monday, July 15, 1996, and will work
diligently and swiftly to minimize your clients' inconvenience.
Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter, and we look forward to having the
construction work completed in a timely manner -- and well within the four-month timeframe
due to expire August 31, 1996.
Please call if you have questions at 356-5030.
Sincerely yours,
Lind~oito
City Attorney
Tim Randall, Inspection Superintendent
Chuck Schmadeke, Public Works Director
City Manager & Assistant City Manager, FYI
City Clerk
Acquisition File
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 11, 1996
To: Stephen Atkins, City Manager
From: Joe Fowler, Director Parking & Transit
Ron Logsden, Transit Manager ~.~....
Re: Family Bus Pass
We have spent considerable time addressing the issue of a family bus pass. Under the current
policy passes are transferable so the entire family can use one pass except when traveling
together. Instituting a family pass could result in higher cost unless the family travels together
often. in addition, children under 5 currently ride for free. While exploring ways to expand the
current policies there are two major questions that we have not been able to resolve to this point.
One, what constitutes a "family" and two, how to make the cost of the pass reflect the number
of users.
Developing a flat fee for a family pass may benefit some but the non-traditional family and
occasional users may find that their cost would be higher. For this reason we have attempted
to develop a program that would not require a large family or frequent usage to benefit.
Two options that Council may wish to consider are:
#1. One child rides free with each full fare adult during non peak hours and on Saturday.
#2 Discounted student pass.
While each of the options reflect savings to users each of has limitations. Option #1 may be
objected to by single parent families. Option #2 does not encourage the occasional family trip.
We will pursue either of these or any other options as directed,
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
July 5, 1996
City Council
David Schoon, Economic Development Coordinator
Community Profile for the Iowa City Area, 1996
Enclosed in your packet you will find a copy of the updated Community Profile for the Iowa City
Area which has been compiled by the Department of Planning.and Community Development.
The Community Profile contains recent data on the Johnson County area with a focus on Iowa
City. It includes data on population, housing, employment, income, and retail activity among other
categories. In addition, a section of graphs is Included at the end of the booklet. The profile may
be used as a souroe for analyzing various components of the Iowa City area or as a quick
reference when needing a specific fact.
Copies of the 1996 Community Profile are available to the public at the Iowa City Department of
Planning and Community Development for $5.00 per copy.
I plan to annually update the Community Profile. If you have any suggestions for additional
informatipn that should be included in the Community Profile, please call me with your ideas.
Attachment
eCOdev~rofile~m~o f.mtno
BUILDING PERMIT INFORMATION / -,~/~.
CITY OF I0 WA CITY
KEY FOR ABBREVIATIONS
Type of hnprovement:
ADD Addition
ALT Alteration
DEM Demolition
GRD Grading/excavation/filling
REP Repair
MOV Moving
FND Foundation only
OTH Other type of improvement
Type of Use:
NON Nonresidential
RAC Residential - accessory building
RDF Residential ~ duplex
RMF Residential - three or more family
RSF Residential - single family
MIX Commercial & Residential
OTH Other type of use
ELD96-0313 BLGiAMING PPAIRIE 2340 HEINZ RD
WAREHOUSE
600000F W;%~E~OUSE ADDITION
ADD NON 1 0 S 1092000
BLD96-O321 JEFF & JF~ 1645 DOVER ST
LOXTERI~.E
FAMILY ROOM, BATHROfkM. SCREEN PORCH ANDGARAGE ADDITION
ADD RSF 1 0 $ ]0000
ELD96'0252 STEVE O'DONCNELL 21 N 7TH AVE AJ)D RSF
INSTALL ENGINEERED ROOF SYSTEM. SCREEN PORC74 AND ATTAL~n'ED GARAGE
0 0 $ 26435
ELD96-0233 CPJ%RLE$ N~$OM 839 NOR~YA~DY DR
8'6" x 20' EITCHEN ADDITION
ADD HEF ! 0 $ !9000
BLD96-0309 bU%Ry A~ KISKER ? GLE~ALE TEE
16' X 16' SCREEN PORCH
ADD RSF 1 0 $ 17000
BLD96-0320 JOHN & MARGARET 12 ;%RBURY DR
COLANGELO
12' X 14' SCREEN PORCH ~ 6' X 1S' SHED
ADD RSF I 0 $ 14000
ELD96-0324 BOB & BE~'~Y F~CENA 112 PARSONS AVE
12' X 16' SCREEN PORCH
ADD RSF 1 0 $ 12700
BLD96-0310 GEORGE FRO~EIN 217 LEXINGTON AVE
14' X 16' ROOM ADDIT:ON
ADD RSP 1 0 $ 12000
BLD96-0308 OOL~ FL'f~ 3007 PINECREST RD
14' X 17' PATIO ROOM A~ 10' X I0' OPEN DECK
ADD £SF 1 0 $ 11000
BLD96-0204 El~/) LOHAU$ 2070 MELROSE AVE
REMODEL EXISTING DECK
ADD RSF 0 0 $ 7500
BLD96-0327 RICHARD ~FJRPHY
SCREEN PORCH
BLD96-0290 FRANCES BLACK 813 DEWEY ST
3' X 16' ROOM ADDITION AND WINDOW REPLACEMENT.
ADD RSF 1 0 S 4000
BLD96'O103 JOHN ~ STOKES 3
COVER 4' STOOP
148 PENFRO DR ADD KSF 0 0 S 2000
BLD96 '0299 8RIA~ W{/LF 1615 DICKENSON LN
12' X 16' WOOD DECK
ADD HEF 1 0 S 750
BLD96-0319 PUtRK BROCKMEYER 3499 SOUTN J~MIE ~
6' X 10' WOOD DECK
ADD RSF 1 0 $ 300
ADD RSF permits: 14 $ 161685
Page: 2
Date 07/09/96
From 06/01f96
To. . 06/30/96
CITY OF IOWA CITY
EXTRACTION OF BUILDING PERMIT DATA FOR
JEFFERSON ST ALT NON C 0 $ 80000
ALT NON S 0 $ 70000
NON 0 C S 35472
ALT NON 0 0 $ 32000
BLD96-0197 HEITFiAN 201S CLINg, JR ST P. LT NON 0 0 $ 28000
INTERIOR REMODEL
9LD96-0298 ECONOFOODS 1987 BROADWAY ST kLT NON
RELOCATION OF FLOP~ DRPARTME~ A~ INST;UuLATIGW OF SIT-DON EATING AREA
0 $ 25000
ALT NON 0 0 $ 1900
ALT NON 0 0 S 1500
BLD95-3340 BLOOMIMaM STREET 316 BLG~ING~N ST
LALT~DRY
REPLACE ROTTED DOOR WIT~ NEW WINDOW
ALT NON 0 0 S 1500
ALT NON permits- 9 $ 275372
BLD96-0)28 MITCHELL-PHIPPS
BASEMEET FINISH
600LAEC~ I2~ ALT RDF 0 0 S 20000
BOWERY ST ALT RDF 2 0 S 120GO
ALT RDF permlts. 2 S 32000
BLD95-0312 WILLIAM & JUDITH $~1 COLLEGE ST
TERRY
ENCLOSE HUNDRY AREA iN I HOUR CONSTRUL"TION
ALT RMF 0 0 $ 450
~LT P~F permits: 1 $ 450
BLD96-0259 ROFFMAN COMETRUCTION I010 COLLEGE ST
KITCHEN REMODEL
ALT RSF 0 0 $ 14700
ALT RSF I 0 $ 7000
Page, 3
0ate- 07/09/96
From. 06/01/96
To.. 06/30/96
CITI OF IOWA CITY
EXTRACTION OF BUILDING PERMIT DATA FOR
CENSUS B~REAU REPORT
8LD96-0293 MARGP~RET ROCheLLE
INTER/OR R~4ODEL
730 N LINN ST ALT RSF 0 0 $ 60C0
ALT RSF 0 0 S 2000
ALT RSF ! 0 $ 750
8LD96-0335 ELI?~BETH ROBB 2802 MUSCATINE AVE
INSTALL EGRESS WINDOW IN BASEMENT
ALT RSF 0 0 $ ~SO
BLD96-0300 STAC"I COgR 805 W~SRINGTON ST
INSTALL EGRESS WINDOW
ALT RSF 0 O $ 600
BLD96-0244 HARLEY MILLER 625 E BURLINGTON ST
INSTALL WINDOW IN BASE74ENT
ALT RSF 0 O $ 500
ALT I~F permits: 8 S 32300
BLD96-0303 TOYOTA OF IOWA CITY 1445 HIGHWAY ] WEST FND NON 0 0 $ 100000
FOt~DAT:ON FOR NEW CAR DEALERSHIP FACILITY
F~ NON permits- I S lOOOO0
BLD96-0318 ARLINGTON L.C ............. GRD OTH
WINDSOR RIDGE PTS VII & VIII SITE GRADING & EROSION CONTROL
3 0 S 0
GRD OTH permits. 1 S 0
0LD96-0301 KIDS STUFF
9912SF RETAIL STORE
3LD96-0329 WEST HIGH SCHOOL
TE;~4 ROCk4
2901 MELROSE AVE NEW NON ] O S 30030
NEW P-%C I 0 S 12500
8L[>96-O314 ~ODGE CONSTRUCTION 2661
12 UNIT CARPORT
H1~.~96-O305 FLa~RGAR. ET LILLARD 1113 2ND AVE
24 ' X 24' DETACHED GAlLaGE
NEW ~AC 1 0 S 5930
Page~ 4
Date- 07/09/96
From- 06/01/96
To. ¢6/]0/96
NEW RAC permits: 4 $ 25500
BLD96-0287 MITC~ELL-PHIPPS 3 AUDUBON PL
BLDG. & DESIGN
OUPLEX CONDOMINIUMS WIT}{ TWO CARGARAGES
NqgW RDF 1 2 $ 230000
NEW RDF permits: I 2 $ 230000
BLD96~0285 RON SC"HINTLER 1013 PHFJ%S~;T VALLEY ST
$.F.D. WIT~ TWO CAR GARAGE
BLD96-0307 RON SC~XNTLER, INC 1025 PHF, ASANT VALLEY ST
S.F.D WIT}{ TWO CAR GARAGE
BLD96-0284 JOHNSON BUILDERS 953 ARLINGTON DR
S F.D. WITH TWO CAR C~GE
BLD96-0292 STEVE & $USi~N BAKES 1961 BRISTOL DR
S.F D WITH TWO CAR GARAGE
BLD96-0334 EARL YODER CONST 1413 ABURD££N CT
S.F.D. WITH TWO CAR
BLD96-0270 SMITH-MORE'~'D CONST 1545 TEG DR
S F D. WITH TWO CAR GARAGE
BLD96-0289 DUFPEY BUILDERS 1105 BARRINGTON RD
S.F.D. WIT~ TWO C3%R GARAGE
BLD96-8286 PHILIP HOTKA 1831G ST
S.F.D. WIT}{ SINGLE CAR GARAGE
~W RSF 2 1 $ 209147
NEW RSF 2 ! $ 195544
~q~W RSF 2 1 S 179654
NEW RSF 1 I $ 152394
NEW RSF 1 1 $ 143194
NEW RSF I 1 $ 129617
NEW RSF I I $ 128662
NEW R~F 2 I $ 97690
NEW HSF permits- 8 8 S 1238902
BLD96-0339 iOWA CITY SCHOOL 2901 MELROSE AVE
DISTRICT
REROOF LEVELS G AND N
BLD96-9337 IOWA CITY SCHOOL 1989 MO934INGSIDE DR
CITY HIGH REROOF. LEVELS AA. HR. N AND 0
REP NON 0 0 $ 136560
REP NON 8 0 5 110440
REP NON perm:tts: 2 $ 247000
8LD96-0325 WAGEHOFT HOME AND 1125 E BURLINGTON ST
LAND CO.
REPAIR EXISTING GAUGE
R£P RAC 0 0 $ 950
Dace: 01/09/96
From: 06/01/96
TO. 06/30/96
CITY OF IOWA CITY
EXTRACTION OF BUILDING PEPJilT DATA FOR
0LD96-0297 DELTA GA~ HOUSE 305 S SL~IT ST PEP R~F 0 0 $ 4300
REP P~F 0 0 $ 5000
Downtown Renewal: The Role of
Business Improvement Districts
magine people using words like "clean,' "safe," and
"friendly" to describe Times Square. Imagine that the
program to make this happen would be paid for by busi-
ness and property owners rather than by local govern-
ment Imagine that this is happening not only in midtown
Manhattan but also in more than 1,000 communities,
large and small, in North America. Business improvement
disu'icts are real and are having substantial impacts in re-
newing and revitalizing downtowns and commercial areas
in local governments of all sizes throughout North Amer-
ica. All of this activity is part of a larger process of bottom-
up renewal, or, in this case, from the street level up.
Do~town management districts, often known as busi-
ness improvement districts (BIDsl--or as business im-
provement zones (BIZs), special improvement districts
(SIDs), or special assessment districts (SADs)--take ad-
vantage of state and provincial enabling legislation allow-
ing for property, owner assessmenu, which ,sill be used for
both capital and operating improvements in a/:ommer-
cial district. Districts, which ha',e existed for 20 years, con-
tinue to increase in number and are excellent mecha-
nisms for supporting community and ect;nomic
development.
There are two fundamental dimensions to business im-
provement districts. One is theu use to raise money for
physical improvements and enhancements in downtowns
and commercial districts; the other is their use for man-
agement services that make do~ntowns clean, safe. and
friendly. Representatives of Baltimore's downtown district
Public Munagoment
9
reccnd~ allnotulced, for example,
that crune had been reduced by 27
percent .d'ter the distnct's first year of
operation. Many communities. how.
ever. are adding other dimensions to
their concepts of what districts can
do. including business and economic
development, transportation and
parking management. management
of such social problems as homeless-
hess. and operation of major special
events and ar~related acfvifies.
Historic Functions
Improving Public Service. The ori-
gins of the 1990s downtown manage-
ment districts were rooted in a long
tradition by which proper v,' ovmers in
certain areas either have agreed to as-
sess themselves or have been assessed
to fund physical improvements. His-
todcally, these assessments have been
used to fund the creation of sewer
districts or road improvement dis-
tricts or even to finance capital facili-
ties like schools and other public-pur-
pose programs. In the middle 19§0s,
cities established districts to cover the
cost of putting together pedestrian
and transit malls and/or major
streetscape improvements, as in the
case of the pedestrian and transit
mall in downtown Minneapolis,
Nicollet Mall. This tradition contin-
ues today, with BID monies used to
pay for everything from pavement re-
newal and benches to newspaper
stands and vending carts. The Center
City District in Philadelphia is about
to launch a $35 million effort to re-
build much of the sU'eetscape in the
center of this city. Smaller dovmtowns
may use such resources to pay for
new holiday lighting.
Supplementing City Services, A see
ondary origin of the modern man-
agement district was the need to sup-
plement city services so as to provide
a high level of maintenance and sty
curity, especially for newly redevel-
oped areas. Once again, the most
prominent early example was Min-
neapolis. where property owners
agreed that, in addition to paying off
capital costs. they would provide
funds to ensure that the pedestrian
mall was maintained appropriately.
The New Orleans Downtom Devel-
opment District followed suit in a big
way, committing haft of its annual
funding to physical projects and the
other half to increased maintenance
and security for the downtown.
By the 1970s, some downtowns
simply were raising funds to provide
revenue to cover these supplemental
services without committing any re-
sources to physical improvements.
Today, communities are using BID
resources to hire off-duty police offi-
RAPID
ENTRY
SYSTEM
REDUCES
liABILITY.
'. No property damage or
injury to fire personnel when
responding to a false alarm.
ticross '.~e counrr7. c,~es are mandating
:/~e KnOx ~a~d Encr'/ ~¥$~em Mounted a~
fl~e Outld,ng enrd'g ~he KNOX. BOX* holds keys
Ki'N,!OX1-800-552-5669
M~yo=s, Electe~ Of£tcialn, City
County Managera, Protect Yourself
Random Selection
10
February 1691
cers or full-time private security per-
sonnel--sometimes called "hosts" or
"community service representa-
tives"--to provide an on-street secu-
rity presence. Santa Cruz, California,
for instance, is adding seven such in-
dividuals to help in its downtown.
Correspondingly. additional mainte-
nance workers are added to do every-
thing from sweeping streets to shov-
eling snow. In some areas, such as
the garment district of Los Angeles,
these maintenance positions are of-
fered to formerly homeless people.
Shopping Center Competitions. A
third purpose for districts grew out
of models for shopping center man-
agement. Once the concept of using
monies for public space "manage-
ment" had been accepted. these
funds began to be applied to man-
agement functions besides security
and maintenance but still related to
improving the economic climate of
the downtown. Such applications in-
cluded helping to organize retailers,
providing marketing and promo-
tional activities, putting on special
events. and funding a variety. of activ-
ities that improved both the retail
and office markets in the districts.
Helping to crystallize the impor-
tance of these services to downtown
property owners w~s the realization
that suburban shopping centers that
were providing these services were
competing with downtown retailing.
Thus. shopping center competition,
together with the application of the
common-area maintenance concept,
became a model and an impetus for
downtowns using the mechanism of
a management district. Today, a con-
anuing focus of all BIDs, from 49nd
Street in New ~brk to Y, lain Street
U.S..a,.. is making downtown retail
work. Some downtowns. like
Neenab. Wisconsin. have evolved a
focused approach to improving the
downtown marketplace called "cen-
tralized retail management";
through this approach. the district
enables downtown property owners
Public Mansgeraont
Improvement
di trRcts are real
and having
on renewBrig and
revitallzing
dovig~!:owrls,
and merchants to receive the same
· kind of leasing assistance provided by
shopping center management firms.
Long-Term, Equitable Financing.
Undefiimng all the concerns that led
to the initiatives described above was
the need for long-term. substantial.
and equitable financing. Many com-
munities had tried voluntary contn-
buuons and assessments to pay for
physical projects and/or administra-
tive and operating costs. Given the
changing economic condiuons for
different kinds of businesses or prop-
erty owners, this strategy. never pro-
v~ded a sufficient or reliable stream
of funding.
As a consequence. many commu-
niues began using districts as a way to
achieve this financing assurance. In
most cases, the revenues resulted
from an assessment on existing prop-
erty tax, ranging from $.05 to $.15
extra per square foot. A delightful
paradox is that most BIDs require
that property and business owners
agree voluntarily to be assessed
mandatorily. This requirement usu-
ally translates not only into direct fi-
nancial commitment but also,
equally important, into direct per-
sonal involvement and interest. This
private sector involvement increases
the potential for success.
New DimensiGns of BiDs
Economic Development. Most re-
cently. BIDs have launched explicit
economic development and business
enhancement initiatives. An implicit
goal of all BIDs has been economic
renewal. At the most basic levels, this
effort has been directed toward re-
raining and attracting retail busi-
nesses. Through programs aimed at
improving business management or
enhancing business opportunities,
retailing is improved.
On another level, these activities
have been directed toward growth of
other commercial enterprises
through other, similar retention and
recruitment activities..Many districts
assign staff to contact many busi-
nesses in the district at least annually
to learn what their needs are for ex-
pansion and development. In Mill-
burn. New Jersey, for example, SID
leaders helped establish a bank CDC
to provide loans for bosinesses, after
learning that access to capital was a
major need.
Social Development. In many com-
munities. the problems of homeless-
hess and panhandling spill over into
the downtown. Rather than treat
these problems as public nuisances,
many BIDs are organizing coordi-
nated programs involving social.
health. housing, and police services
to address issues related to the home-
less and other street people.
In Portland, Oregon. the down-
town association. using BID funds.
manages an antipanhandling cam-
paign. deploys security workers to in-
11
tervene when someone is causing a
"social disturbance," coordinates
support programs for the homele~,
and, when necessary, calls upon
backup support from the police de-
partment. This balanced approach is
'. M' - ':¥' :"- acclaimed by homeless advocates,
.- .... ·... : merchants, and downtown users.
SELECTION
For over 18 years. Stanard 8'
Associates has helped fire
departments to select and pro-
mote only the most qualified
individuals. Our content valid.
job-related tests allow you to
identify candidates wi/h the basic
skills. knowledge. and ability to
meet the rigorous demands of the
fireservice industry.
Let us help you identify
quality candidates through the
use of our:
o National Firefighter Selection
Test (NFST)
· National Firefighter Selection
Test/Emergency Medical
Senqces (NFST-EMS)
· Physical Ability Tests
~ Job Analysis
0 Customized Examinations
· Personahty Evaluations
Our Programs meet all Federal
and A D A. Gradelines.
HELPING YOU SELECT THE BEST
Transportation and Parking Mainte-
nance. In Kalamazoo. Michigan, the
local downtown organization, which
also operates a BID, took over the
management of the city's parking
"ramps" years ago. Asking themselves
how Nordstrom's department stores
would manage garages. the down.
town group proceeded to improve fa-
cilities maintenance and customer
services by offering valet parking, car
cleaning, and repairs, thereby in-
creasing uses and revenues for the fa-
cilities and making parking a down.
town amenity.
Other BID-supported organiza-
tions are establishing transportation
management organizations to facili-
tate transportation improvements. In
Indianapolis. efforts are under way to
improve management of on-street
parking. Transportation, in other
words. lends itself well to manage-
ment by BIDs.
Services. As the use of the manage-
ment district financing tool to aid in
the renewal of downtowns ha~ pro-
gressed over the last two-and-a-half
decades, the range of services pro-
tided by management programs has
grot~m and evolved. The following is
a list of service categories (each of
which usually encompasses a numbe~
of subservice elements) that gener-
ally describes what district funds are
being used for todav,
Physical Improvements
Streetscapes, signage, banners,
benches, and fighting
Supplementing Local Government
Services
Security
12
Providing additional security
officers
Coordinating public and private
security
Supporting mounted patrols
Increasing activity programming
Offering design assistance
Maintenance
Providing additional maintenance
workers
-.-Sweeping and cleaning of
sidewalks
-Removing snow
-Maintaining amenities
Increasing frequency of trash
pickups
Providing more litter receptacles
Improvement of the Downtown
Marketplace
Management/retention/recruit-
ment of retail
-Organizing retailers
-Organ~.ing property owners
-Undertaking market analysis
Developing a retention/recruit-
ment program
Developing leasing plans
Providing leasing funds
Events and Acdv~ty Programming
Sponsoring image events and
resurals
Sponsoring retail promotion
events
Organizing downtown worker
events
%nding/Public Markets
Developing ordinances
Managing street vending
Orgamzing ~stall' markets
Estabiishing and managing farm-
ers' markets
Planning and organizing public
markets
3:,sisrance in Office Leasing
Undertalcing market analyses
Coordmhting leasing assistance
Developing a retention program
Informing and Promoting
Marketing and advertising
February 1885
Communications and media
managemen t
Animating
Programming events and activities
Planning and managing arts and
entertainment districts
Addre~ing Social Needs
Homelessness
Daycare
Emplo.vment assistance
Improving Access and Mobility
Parking management
Employee/employer transporta-
tion management assistance
Smaller communities generally
spend their resources on hiring a
downtown manager, organizing re-
milers, running special events, and
making small-scale physical enhance.
ments. Larger communities devote a
htgher proportion of their budgets
to supplementing city maintenance
and security services.
Benefits of Management
Programs
While in each case the benefits of a
.management program are milored
specifically to the needs for which a
community chooses to raise re-
sources, there appear to be a number
of generalized benefits, including:
* Providing a cleaner. safer, more at-
tractive downtown.
* Ensuring an adequate resource
base on a predictable. certain. and
sufficient scale.
, Requiring direct, community-
based, ratepayer oversight and
direction.
o Compelling entrepreneurial man-
agement: nonbureaucratic, flexi-
ble. and creative.
o Responding to market and com-
mumty needs.
· Helping to maintain and improve
property sales.
* Helping to maintain and improve
Public Management
retail sales and tenancy.
Making downtown more competi-
tive with surrounding business and
retail centers.
Revenues and Expenditures
The amounts of money raised in
communities vary greatly, depending
on the size of the area, commitment,
and willingness to be assessed. Small
communities with populations rang-
ing up to 25,000 have budgets rang-
ing from $25,000 to $100,000. Sev-
eral medium-sized communities of
up to 80,000 people have budgets as
high as $$00,000 but usually average
from $100,000 to $125,000. Big-city
budgets, like that for the Center Ci~
District in Philadelphia, range as
high as $7.5 million annually.
Reasons for
Apparently, a major reason for BIDs'
success is that, while the districts live
and work in parmership with the
local government, they usually are
led and governed by representatives
of the businesses upon which the as-
sessment has been placed. This fea-
ture ensures a high level of account-
abdity and entrepreneurship. At the
core, however, is the recognition that
it is cooperation, not simply between
the public and private sectors but
also among the business people and
residents/users of downtown. that is
the fundamental value making for
successful downtowns.
Lasdy, districts succeed because of
their public entrepreneurial styles.
They must be responsive and must
evol,,e quickly to stay close to their
clients and to the downtown cus-
tomer. BIDs likely will grow in num-
ber and size as new roles and respon-
sibilities emerge. From Main Street
to Times Square. they vail play in-
creasingly important roles. II~
Richard Bradley es executwe director
the International Doumtourn A~soctatton,
Washington, D. C.
0UALITY
THROUGH
SELECTION
For over 18 years, Stanord &
Associates has helped large
and small departments to
select and promote thousands
of individuals with the basic
skills and personality charac-
teristics necessary for a
successful career in law
enforcement.
Let us help you identify
quality candidates through the
use of Our:
· National Police Officer
Selection Test (POST}
,, Customized Examinations
· Physical Abihty Tests
· Job Analysis
· Personality Evaluations
Conducted By Licensed
Police Psychologists
Our Programs meet all Federal
and A.D.A. Guidelines.
HELPING YOU SELECT TIlE BEST
8 Associates, Inc.
309 W Wasl~lngton St
$utte
Cn,cago. tt ~
13
~o, IOi{A CIYY CLERK
Johnson County
Don Sehr, Chairpearson
Jo~ Bo]kcom
Charles D. Duffy
Stcph~n P. La¢ina
Sally Slutsman
July 11, 1996
FORMAL MEETliNG
Agenda
1. Call to order 9:00 a.m.
2. Action re: claims
3. Action re: formal minutes of July 2nck
4. Action re: pa3a'oll authorizations
5. Recognition of James Paco Waiz for 3,000 + hours of S.E.A.T.S.
volunteer service and presentation of certificate/action.
6. Business ~om the County Engineer.
a) Other
7. Business fxom the County Auditor.
a) Action re: permits
b) Action re: reports
Other
913 SOUTH DUBUQUE ST. P.O. BOX 1350 IOWA CITY, IOWA 52244-1350 TEL: (319) 356-6000
FAX: (319) 3564086
Agenda 7-11-96
Page 2
8. 9:00 a.m. - Public Hearing on Zoning and Platting applications:
a) F~rst and Second consideration of the foliowing Zoning
applications:
Application Z9622 of Emery Gingerich, Kalona, signed by Gary
Bontrager, requesting rezoning of 1.21 acres from C-AG, Agri-
Business to CH Highway Commercial of certain property described
as being Lot 1 of Twin Willows Subdivision located in the NE 1/4
of Section 6; Township 78 North; Range 7 West of the 5th P.M. in
Johnson County, Iowa (This property is located on the north side
of Iowa Highway #1 SW, approximately 1/4 of a mile southwest of
its intersection with Hazelwood Avenue SW in Sharon Twp.).
Application Z9623 of Evelyn Ann Maher, Iowa City, signed by
Debra Eckhoff, Iowa City, requesting rezonmg of 1.58 acres from
AI Rural to R8 Suburban Residential of certain property described
as being in the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 33; Township 80
North; Range 5 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa
(11fis property is located on the west side of Wapsi Avenue NE,
approximately 3/4 of a mile north of its intersection with Fairview
Cemetery Road NE in Graham Twp.).
Application Z9624 of Ten'ell M. Baner, Moline, Illinois, David
Poula, Iowa City, contract purchaser, signed by Kent A. Jayne,
Norwalk, Iowa, requesting rezoning of 1.98 acres fi~om A1 Rural to
RS Suburban Residential of certain property described as being in
the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 18; Township 81 North; Range
7 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa O'his property is
located on the west side of Blain Cemetery Road NW,
approximately 3/4 of a mile south of its intersection with Seneca
Road NW in Jefferson Twp.).
¢.~
B:em~ ~o Bo~a~t:¥ ?-10-9~ 9,~0ae p. 4 o~ 7
Agenda 7-11-96
Page 3
b) Discussion/action re: ~he following Platting applications:
Application 89609 of Rich & Laud Shebek requesting preliminary
and final plat approval of Shebek Subdivision, a subdivision
located in the NE ¼ of the 8E ¼ of Section 1 O; Township 78 North;
Range 7 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa (This is a
l-lot, 2.56 acre residential subdivision, located on the west side of
Kansas Avenue SW, approximately ~A mile north of its intersection
with 501P S~'eet SW in Sharon Township.
Application 89622 of Raymond Nederhoff requesting preliminary
and final plat approval of A Little Bit O' Country Addition, a
subdivision described as being located in the NE 1/4 of the 8E 1/4
of Section 21; Township 81 North; Range 8 West of the 5th P.M.
in Johnson County, Iowa (This is a 2-lot, 19.465 acre, 1-1or
residential and l-lot agricultural subdivision, located on the west
side of Derby Avenue NW approximately 1/2 mile north of the
Derby Avenue NW and Amana Road NW intersection in Monroe
Twp0.
Application 89632 of Debbie Hofmann requesting prel'mainary and
final plat aproval of Squinel Ridge Subdivision - Part Two, a
subdivision described as being located in the North 1/2 of the SE
1/4 of Section 17; Township 81 North; Range 7 West of the 5th
P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa (this is a 1-lot, 8.47 acre,
residential subdivision, located on the east side of Cou Fall Road
NW, approximately 3/4 of a mile north of the Amana Road NW
and Cou Falls Road ~ intersection in Jefferson Twp.).
~rm~ Jo Ho~larl:y 7-10-96 9:20an p. 5
of ?
Agenda %11~96 Page 4
4. Application S9634 of Roy & Janetie Shrarnek, signed by Glen
Meisner of MMS Consultants Inc., requesting final plat approval of
Shramek Subdivision, a subdivision described as being located in
the SW 1/4 of Section 7; and the NW 1/4 of Section 18; all in
Township 81 Motion North; Range 7 West of the 5th P.M. in
Johnson County, Iowa (This is a 4-1or, 26.00 acre, Mot residential
and 1-lot farmstead split subdivision, located on the east side of
Greencastle Avenue NW, approximately 1/4 of a mile north of its
intersection with Seneca Road NW in Jefferson Twp.).
Application S9635 of Darlene D. Trachta, signed by Glen Meisner
of MM8 Comultants Inc., requesting preliminary and final plat
approval of Trachta Subdivision, a subdivision described as being
located in the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 9; Township 77
North; Range 5 of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa (This is
a l-lot, 1.16 acre farmstead split, located on the east side of Utah
Avenue SE, approximately 1/4 of a mile south of its intersection
with State Highway//22 in Fremont Twp.).
Application S9636 of Cheryl Skala, signed by Glen Meisner of
MMS Consultants Inc., requesting preliminary and final plat
approval of Skala's Subdivision, a subdivision described as being
located in the SW 1/4 of the 8W 1/4 of Section 17; Tomship 81
North; Range 5 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa
(This is a 2-1or, 12.75 acre, residential subdivision, located on the
north side of 160th Street NE and Taft Avenue NE intersection in
Cedar Twp.).
Application S9637 of David Poula requesting preliminary and final
plat approval of North Freedom Subdivision, Part IH, a subdivision
described as being located in the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section
19; Township 81 North; Range 7 West of the 5th P.M. m Johnson
County, Iowa (This is a 5-lot, 40 acre, residential subdiv~on,
located on the southwest side of Blare Cemetery LRoad ~r~lW~..~
approximately 3/4 of a mile south of the Blain Cemete~..R~ba~i
and Seneca Road NW intersection in Jefferson Twp.). v~* o /~'
Etom, lo Bo~I~I;¥ ?-10-~ 9~Oa~ p. § of 7
Agenda 7-11-96 Page 5
8. Application 89638 of Special Projects, Inc., signed by Ralph
StoffeL requesting preliminary and final plat approval of
Trenchless Technology Center, a subdivision described as being
located in the 8W 1/4 of Section 9; Township 81 North; Range 7
West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson County, Iowa (This is a 1-1or,
2.00 acre, light industrial, subdivision, located on the east side of
Highway/t965, approximately 3/4 of a mile south of the 120th
Street NW and Highway 965 intersection in Jefferson Twp.).
Application S9639 of Nova Dannels requesting preliminary and
final plat approval of Dannels Subdivision, a subdivision described
as being located in the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 7;
Township 81 North; Range 7 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson
County, Iowa (This is a 2-1or, 19.75 acre, fromstead split and
residential subdivision, located on the west side of Greencastle
Avenue lXSV in the 8W quadrant of the Greencastle Avenue NW
and Seneca Road NW intersection m Jefferson Twp.).
10.
Application 89640 of Glen D. Meisner requesting final plat
approval of Chain Ridge Subdivision, Part II, a subdivision
described as being located in the E I/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section
27; Township 81 North; Range 6 West of the 5th P.M. in Johnson
County, Iowa (This is a 12 lot, 56.44 acre, 10 lot with 2 outlots,
residential subdivision, located at the southwest end of Pine Brook
Avenue NE in Big Grove Twp.).
8. Business from the Planning and Zoning Administrator.
a) Motion setting public hearing for various zonings and plattings.
b) Motion setting public hearing on Fringe Area Agreement with the City
of Iowa City for August 8, 1996, at 7:00 p.m.
c) Other
Business from the County Attorney.
a) Report re: other items.
Agenda %11-96
Page 6
10. Business f~om the Board of Supervisors.
a) Action re: final FY '96 Report for State Reimbursement for Counties
for Substance Abuse Funding from Iowa Deparlment of Public Health
and authorize Chairperson to sign report in the amount of $40,000.O0.
b) Action re: rescheduliug of formal meeting of August 15, 1996, to
August 13, 1996, following informal meeting.
Action re: cancellation of informal and formal meetings for August 20,
and 22, 1996.
d) Discussion/action re: fireworks permits.
e) Action re: contract with the Coralville Public Library for FY'97 in the
amount of $41,039.
t) Other.
11. Adjourn to informal meeting.
a) Inquiries and reports from the public.
c) Report from the County Attorney.
d) Other
12. Adjournment
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 12, 1996
To:
From;
Re;
The Honorable Naomi J, Novick and members of the City Council
Linda Newman Woito, City Attorney (~c;-~-
Status Report: Water Impact Fee Research
As agreed, I am reconvening the staff "water impact fee" committee to review our options for a
possible water connection fee ordinance. Steve Arkins will be gone the last part of July 1996, so
I hope to report back to you in early September 1996.
In the meantime, many of the "successful" ordinances (meaning they withstood legal challenge)
are based on a certain amount of data -- historical water use, projected water use, designed-for-
capacity including peak day demand, etc. Thus before I report back to you, I need to discuss
these issues with the staff committee, and also with Ralph Russell, our consultant from Howard
R. Green.
Please call if you have questions.
CO;
City Clerk
Assistant City Manager
Sarah Holecek, Assistant City Attorney
Water Impact Fee Committee:
Steve Atkins, City Manager
Chuck Schmadeke, Public Works Director
Don Yucuis, Finance Director
Ed Moreno, Water Superintendent
Research File
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
July 12, 1996
Mayor and City Council
City Clerk
Council Work Session, July 1, 1996 - 7:25 p.m.
Mayor Novick presiding. Council present: Novick, Baker, Kubby, Lehman, Norton, Thornberry,
Vanderhoef. Staff present: Arkins, Helling, Woito, Karr, Miklo, Kugler, Davidson, Trueblood.
Tapes: Reel 96-75, All; 96-77, Side 1, All.
Meeting transcriptions are available In City Clerk's Office upon request.
REVIEW ZONING MATTERS:
Reel 96-75, Side I
Senior Planner Miklo presented the following Planning and Zoning items for discussion:
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON A RESOLUTION TO ANNEX
AN APPROXIMATE 80 ACRE TRACT LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF SYCAMORE STREET
AND NORTH OF THE SOUTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY.
(Langenber.q/ANN96-0001)
Ho
PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING CHAPTER BY
DESIGNATING 37 PROPERTIES AS IOWA CITY HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
City Attorney Woito and Historic Preservation Commission Chair Doug Russell responded
to Council questions. In response to Council, Russell said he would prepare information
for Council's formal meeting regarding what happens when the Historic Preservation
Commission and property owners disagree with regards to process of compliance,
additional notification to designated property owners, and a slide show.
Miklo noted George Starr, Planning and Zoning Commission Chair, was available to
answer questions regarding any of the Planning and Zoning items (prior to leaving for
another meeting).
Novick stated the Planning and Zoning Commission may a request a joint meeting with
Council on July 15 regarding the proposed Fringe Area Agreement.
Norton inquired about the (item 5i) zoning of University of Iowa properties to P, Public.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chair George Starr stated the rezoning of University of
Iowa properties to P is a housekeeping activity.
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
THE ZONING CHAPTER BY REZONING AN APPROXIMATE 80 ACRE TRACT, FROM
COUNTY RS, SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL, TO ID-RS, INTERIM DEVELOPMENT-RESI-
2
DENTIAL, LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF SYCAMORE STREET AND NORTH OF THE
SOUTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY.
Do
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
THE ZONING CHAPTER BY REZONING A 2.29 ACRE TRACT FROM RS-12, HIGH
DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, TO OSA-12, SENSITIVE AREAS OVER~
LAY/HIGH DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND APPROVAL OF A SENSITIVE
AREAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR MEADOW RIDGE, PART TWO, A 4-LOT
RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH DUBUQUE
STREET AND NORTH OF BJAYSVlLLE LANE. (REZ96-0011/SUB96-0010)
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CITY CODE TITLE 14, CHAPTER 6, "ZONING," ARTICLE H, "INDUSTRIAL ZONES," TO
ALLOW TRUCKING TERMINAL FACILITIES AS A PROVISIONAL USE IN THE I-1 ZONE.
Woito responded to Kubby regarding noise ordinance. Miklo stated he will check on
performance standards in the Zoning Ordinance that deals with noise levels for industrial
users.
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CITY CODE TITLE 14, CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED "ZONING," ARTICLE K, ENTITLED
"ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS," SECTION 1, ENTITLED "SENSITIVE AREAS
ORDINANCE."
Miklo noted Council will receive the entire ordinance and proposed amendments in their
next Council packet.
MOTION SE'i-['ING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CITY CODE TITLE 14, CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED "ZONING," ARTICLE O, ENTITLED
"SIGN REGULATIONS," TO DELETE THE SPECIFIC REGULATION OF "POLITICAL
SIGNS," AND TO AMEND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL TEMPORARY SIGNS,
INCLUDING POLITICAL SIGNS.
Miklo noted Council will receive additional information in their Council packets.
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 16 ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
CITY CODE TITLE 14, CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED "ZONING," ARTICLE E, ENTITLED
"COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS ZONES," SECTION 1, ENTITLED "COMMERCIAL
OFFICE ZONE (CO-1)," TO ALLOW SMALL-ANIMAL CLINICS IN THE CO-1 ZONE BY
SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
Miklo noted Council will receive additional information in their Council packet.
See above/discussed earlier in reeeting.
PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING CHAPTER BY
REZONING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES OWNED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
TO P, PUBLIC: 1 E. PARK ROAD (RNC-20), 234 N. MADISON STREET (RM-44),
NORTHWEST CORNER OF DUBUQUE AND CHURCH STREETS (RM-44), 230 N.
CLINTON STREET (PRM), 324 S. MADISON STREET (CB-2), 300 MYRTLE AVENUE
3
(RS-5), 421 MELROSE AVENUE (RS-5), 315 MELROSE AVENUE (RS-8), 121 GRAND
AVENUE COURT (RS-8), 127 GRAND AVENUE COURT (RS-8), 129 GRAND AVENUE
COURT (RS-8), AND 2222 OLD HWY 218 S. (I-1).
Vanderhoef requested a list of University of Iowa owned properties that are not being used
for University related activities.
PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING CHAPTER BY
AMENDING THE CONDITIONAL ZONING AGREEMENT FOR WESTPORT PLAZA TO
ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR A "COHESIVE, INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT,"
AND TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE FACADES OF THE BUILDINGS TO
PROVIDE "HORIZONTAL CONTINUITY," FOR PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE 0C-2,
COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL ZONE AT 855 HIGHWAY 1 WEST. (Staples/REZ96-0010)
Council directed City Attorney Woito to review the effect of Walmart's restrictive covenant
on the original Conditional Zoning Agreement.
Miklo requested that Council continue the public hearing to July 16 because the proposed
amended Conditional Zoning Agreement has not been signed by the applicant.
ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING CHAPTER BY CONDITIONALLY REZONING
A 2.32 ACRE TRACT FROM I-1, INDUSTRIAL, TO C1-1, INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL,
FOR PROPERTY LOCATED EAST OF SUNSET STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF
HIGHWAY 1. (RuppeWWisdom Development Group/REZ96-0006) (FIRST CONSIDER-
ATION)
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING CHAPTER BY REZONING A
1.79 ACRE TRACT FROM CC2, COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL TO OSNCC2, SENSITIVE
AREAS OVERLAY/COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL ZONE AND APPROVAL OF A
PRELIMINARY SENSITIVE AREAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED
AT THE INTERSECTION OF STURGIS CORNER DRIVE AND HIGHWAY 6. (Ander-
son/REZ96-0008) (PASS AND ADOPT)
RESOLUTION APPROVING A FINAL PLAT OF SADDLEBROOK, PART 1, A 62.59
ACRE, FOUR-LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION, LOCATED SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 6
AND THE BON AIRE MOBILE HOME LODGE. (SUB95-0028)
RESOLUTION APPROVING A FINAL SITE PLAN FOR SADDLEBROOK, PART 1, LOT
4, A 222-LQT, 40 ACRE, MANUFACTURED HOUSING PARK, LOCATED SOUTH OF
HIGHWAY 6 AND THE BON AIR MOBILE HOME LODGE. (SUB95-0029)
City Attorney Woito and Assistant PCD Director Davidson presented information.
Kubby requested the information from the developer about how much the escrow is going
to increase the development cost.
RESOLUTION APPROVING A PRELIMINARY PLAT OF WINDSOR RIDGE-PART SEVEN
& EIGHT, A 22.05 ACRE, 42-LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION, AND APPROVING A
FINAL PLAT OF WINDSOR RIDGE-PART SEVEN, AN 8.75 ACRE, 18-LOT RESIDEN-
TIAL SUBDIVISION NORTH OF AMERICAN LEGION ROAD AND WEST OF TAFT
AVENUE. (SUB96-0011/SUB96-0012)
4
Novick noted that line 4 of the comment section should read "7" only (and not include 8).
The resolution includes both a preliminary plat on Windsor Ridge, Part 7 and 8 and a final
plat on just Part 7.
FRINGE AREA AGREEMENT
Reel 96-75, Side 2
Novick noted she received an incomplete proposed Fringe Area Agreement. Miklo stated he
would provide Council with the Fdnge Area Standards, Appendix A, page 2.
Staff Action: The Council will receive a new copy of the Fringe Agreement will complete
standards in their August 6 agenda packet. (Franklin)
HIGHWAY 965 ALIGNMENT Reel 96-75, Side 2
Assistant PCD Director Davidson asked Council to agree on the location of Highway 965
alignment right-of-way.
Council directed Davidson to look at two compromise options, one using Deer Creek Road as a
transition between the east and west alignments, and the other option would use a new right-of-
way.
Staff Action: Investigate alternatives and report back to Council in late August,
(Davidson)
MERCER PARK GYMNASIUM PROPOSAL UPDATE Reel 96-75, Side 2
Parks and Recreation Director Trueblood introduced Parks and Recreation Commission members
Matt Pacha and Ken Ferdng and Parks and Recreation Foundation member John Beasley.
City Manager Atkins explained origination, Council policy, and use of the parkland acquisition
funds.
Majodty of Council Members directed staff to proceed with fundraising feasibility study.
Staff Action: Foundation Committee will proceed to enter into a contract with the
professional fund raiser, (Trueblood)
STATUS TENANT TO OWNERSHIP PROGRAM Reel 96-76, Side 1
HIS Director Boothroy and Housing Authority Director Hagarty presented an update regarding
Tenant to Ownership Program.
Vanderhoef requested that an annual inspection provision be incorporated in the second
mortgage contract, and suggested a one-year residency for applicants.
Staff Action: Staff will Incorporate inspection provision Into contract and an application
eligibility requirement requiring one year residency. (Boothroy)
LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT Reel 96-76, Side 1
City Attorney Woito presented information regarding prepedy acquisition appraisal figures.
5
Majority of Council Members opposed putting the proposed library project on the November ballot.
COUNCIL AGENDA/TIME:
Reel 96-76, Side 2
1. Lehman noted appreciation for the Iowa City police working in the downtown area.
2. Vanderhoef stated she attended the Safety Village and is very impressed.
In response to Thornberry, Atkins stated First Avenue re-opened (after RR crossing repair)
today.
In response to Thornberry, Atkins explained that First Avenue will be closed during the
First Avenue widening project and traffic will be detoured around 2nd Avenue and 4th
Avenue,
Thornberry reported that there was a delay on the Gilbert Street/Burlington Street
intersection project because of bricks. Kubby requested that staff provide a project update
during Council's formal meeting.
6. Norton expressed his frustration in a four year DOT timeline for railroad crossing repairs.
Norton referenced the June 26 memo from PCD Director Franklin and stated he will
contact her regarding the Elks Golf Course issue.
8. Norton stated he liked Assistant City Manager Helling's cable rate article.
9. Norton stated the City ought to rethink some of the City's sign restrictions.
10.
In response to Norton, Atkins stated he will look at the access onto Rochester Avenue
from Hotz and Clapp Street.
11.
Kubby stated she was made aware of changes to the animal control ordinance coming
from the Commission and requested Council consider scheduling a public discussion on
the changes for August 27.
12.
(AGENDA ITEM NO. 6 - INCREASE ON AND OFF-STREET HOURLY PARKING
RATES). In response to Kubby, City Manager Arkins stated staff will prepare a chart
showing current and proposed parking fees for Council's formal meeting.
13.
(AGENDA ITEM NO. 6 - INCREASE ON AND OFF-STREET HOURLY PARKING
RATES). Vanderhoef stated she does not want five hour parking meters in the third block
of Iowa Avenue.
14.
Kubby asked that driveway access be looked at in the First Avenue widening project
between Bradford and Muscatine Avenue.
15.
In response to Kubby, Atkins stated that City staff has asked St. Patrick's Church Parking
Ramp Committee to communicate to their congregation, parking ramp discussion update.
6
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Kubby noted that the Housing & Community Development Commission has requested
some informal time with Council to discuss conflict of interest issues. City Attorney Woito
stated that Assistant City Attorney Dilkes is working with staff and the HCDC Chairperson.
Baker noted that he will comment on Osha Davidson's new book at Councirs formal
meeting.
Baker noted that he will use five minutes of Council time dudng Council's formal meeting
to discuss a recent newspaper article evaluating City Council.
(AGENDA ITEM NO. 14 - IOWA CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 100' BY 100' HANGAR
BUILDING.) Norton inquired about the proposed Airport hangar building. City Attorney
Woito asked Norton to contact her office with questions.
Novick noted that she and Karen Kubby are the only ones scheduled to participate in the
July 4 Coralville parade.
(Consent Calendar item 3f.(2)) In response to Novick, City Clerk Karr stated there are
ground level barriers at Panchero's Outdoor Cafe.
In response to Novick, Council discussed the following meeting schedule:
July 9 - 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
July 15 - 6 p,m,
Meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.
Employee evaluation (special formal/executive
session)
Possible early start for joint meeting with P&Z.
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 12, 1996
To: Stephen Atkins, City Manager
From: Don Yucuis, Finance Director~,~..
Re:
Update on Cash Accumulation for the Wastewater Fund and Water Fund
I wanted to update you on how the Wastewater Fund and Water Fund operating budgets have
fared for the current fiscal year ended June 30, 1996. I also wanted to show you the expected
ending cash balances based on the City Council policy of accumulating cash equal to 20% of the
project costs to pay for a portion of the wastewater and water capital projects. Attached you will
find two schedules summarizing the revenues, expenses and ending cash balances through
Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 for Wastewater and Water Fund Operations.
WASTEWATER FUND OPERATIONS
The estimated actual FY96 cash balance for the Wastewater Fund is approximately $4.6 million
compared to the amended budget cash balance of $3.8 million. Estimated revenues for FY96 are
approximately $50,000 more than the amended budget and expenditures are approximately
$720,000 less than the amended FY96 budget. The major area that was under budget was
transfers to pay for General Obligation and Revenue bonds. These transfers were much lower
than expected because of favorable bids on the project, decrease in the size of the bond issue
and timing of when the bond issue was sold.
The projected ending cash balance increases from $4.6 million at the end of FY96 to
approximately $7.8 million at the end FY99. Rate increases are projected in each of the three
fiscal years shown in order to accumulate the 20% cash.
WATER FUND OPERATIONS
The Water Fund's estimated actual FY96 cash balance is projected to be approximately $2.95
million compared to the amended budget of $2.5 million. Revenues are approximately $350,000
greater than expected. Water sales were higher by approximately $300,000 and interest income
accounted for the balance of the difference between actual and budget. Expenses were
approximately $76,000 under budget and the majority of that was in transfers to capital projects
or abatements for General Obligation bonds.
The FY96 cash balance of approximately $2.95 million is projected to increase to approximately
$6.67 million by FY99. Again, rate increases are projected in each of the three fiscal years shown
in order to accumulate the 20% cash.
WASTEWATER FUND OPERATIONS
"FY 95'A~fU~L, ~'~MENDED BUDGET AN_D_A~T_.~J.A_I~ .......................................
FY 97 BUDGET AND FY 98 AND 99 PROJECTIONS
FY 95
ACTUAL
1,917,942
'_~ ~g.' i r~k7 n ~' [~ B nce ........
Charg_.e_s For Services ~_ 6,725,486
FEMNFHWA Flood Grant ~. 140.847 ....
Interest Income i 550.93(J
Miscellaneous Revenue 265.070
'~;4 ~-~/~t~'~-'l"~ ~¢'cs Ch9 ba~k_~- i~ .....
Miscellaneous Transfer 163,61¢
FY 96
AMENDED FY 96 EST. FY 97
BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET
3,182,709. 3,182,709 4,596,816
8.518.;;; ~t -'-~..~'~"~ 9.474.774
20,500
53,000 54,841' 53,000
TOTAL RECEIPTS
.... 7_z,~_'~.5_,952 ---¢:058,691 9,107,888
Personal Services . (.1,074,227) _. ~1,148,677
- Com~n'~i't~ ............ [ (~15,~ (230,535
~i~8~a~:~ ..... %' "(992,271) '(1,239,916
'~-~:~ital OutJa_~.~. ........... _-_T~'_ -- - ~'~6,--"~-~') ..."-'~42~
~.~_ra.~_s~e__r~__ i',' ' . '.~'-------~'~ '~4,20~7,~9~ (5,377,460
(234,512
(1,160,478
(411,056
.... (,~'~77~7-47~
TOTALEXPENDITURES
ENDING'BAlaNCE
FY 98 I FY 99
PROJECTION I PROJECTION
5,237,913_[__ 6,149,076
3,823,664
20.500
53,od~"
10,089,426 11,093;087
~'~24~'38-~
(271,3~_).
(1,289,6.34
(289,345',
(7,088,1 ~,~)
(7,693,781) (~7,~8,;3':~¢ ~."-'. (_10,181,92~
--~,~59~,-~'1~ .... 5.~3~.§i~ .... 6,1~-9~-(~78 '
111446,238
599,738
20,500
53,000
12,119,476
(1,316,59b
_-_-.' ~..(1,327,011
(206,571
(7,349,024
~10.478.041
- ' '7,790,5~-1-
TFUNCT.XLS ~Westewater Fund
7/11/96
WATER FUND OPERATIONS J _L.
'~ ~"5-,g,~"l:0~.L,' ~"¢'96 ~,~:NbED BU'DGET ,~Nd ~,~"b-~£, ' ....
FY 97 BUDGET AND FY' 98 AND 99 PROJECTIONS
FY 95 I AMENDED FY 96 EST. FY 97
ACTUAL, BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET
_-B~'~i~'~] 'l~l~n~ .... . 1 ,..92..3.,881..... 2_:3.93_,~8.5 ......~:3.9..3,28__52,9_.47~8_.5~... __
w~t~a~e~ .... _'~ '.._~,_-~.~,979 ' ~,~§:~0--~'i 5,120.,4__1p.-_~'~5.~.~.3.7~:~_9-~"
F--EMNFHWA F-~6~(~ Grant 51,852 1.,663_ _
Interest Income 149,423 175,000 230,586 19~.,.0. 0_0.
Mi--s(~,l~'~s'~ev~&~e- .......... §2,46~- ...... ~d~o ....... 28,503
Misce_ll__an_e.o__us_T_ra_n_s. fcr_ ._ '-F496 !
TOTAL RECEIPTS 4,122,212 5,033,100 5,381,162 6,135~d¢~
FY 98 FY gg
PROJECTION PROJECTION
3,558,426 4,789,936
_ 8,4_7.6,.4.5_1
.398 00'
7,405,~0~__ ~874,451
.__(1,291,224)_ .__~1,366,831
(857,258) _____ (874,283~
(1,205~6__~). (1,241z808
_ (!4_5,000) _(!50,g0__0~
(2.675,305) (3,359,521)
-~'ersona'~'~ic~s .......... (-~,~?-5',7'~ "'~_1,176,_93_.~. _~.!,262,668.) (1,220,017)
_ .C_o..m. mgdL~e_ s- ..... (653,868) (773,441) ~738,146) (840,724)
_Se__~¢c..e.s__A._nd_ Char~es (_9.3.2,82_~ .. (__1,256,120) ...~!,.1_.9.4..,.788)(1,170,588)
_C_a_pi~_l O__~u t I_a. y ..... ' .~2_2.3_,6.7_8~ .....(2:~8_,855) (2.3.5_, 797) ....~5__8,140)
Transfers (766,645) (1,456,724) (1,395,195) (2,035,050)
' (3,652,808_~r" (4 902,071i '- (4,826,594) (5,'~4,519) .(~,~7;4,460)
"~'~:~T~L~PEN DiTORES ............... i ............... t ........
' E'NDIN(~A-EA"-~3~ ......... ~-" '~:3~,285 [ '--%",5-~4~1~-~'~ 2--79-3'778~:~'['--';~.~',~-~'~ '~47789'--'-~-~
-- .
TFUNCT.XLS', Water Fund
7/11/96
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
RE:
July 12, 1996
Mayor and City Council ~
Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
Iowa League of Cities Meeting
You received information recently concerning the upcoming Iowa
League of cities meeting in Cedar Rapids scheduled September 18-20.
Please note the early registration deadline is August 26. This
upcoming meeting will be the last meeting of the full City Council
prior to this deadline. Please let me know if you are interested
in attending.
Iowa League of Cities
98th Annual Conference & Exhibit
September 18-20, 1996 a Cedar Rapids, Iowa
City/Company:
Name (as to appear on badge):
Title:
Mailing address:
city state zip
Phone:( )
Please check the box at the right if you are a first time attendee: [21 1st time
Registration fees
Includes admission to all general sessions, workshops and meal func~dons on the conference agenda. Please inform
Andi Stewart at (515) 244-7282 of any accessibility or dietary accommodal/ons you may require.
Before August 26 After August 26
League member $125 $150
Non-League member $175 $225
Thursday only (includes workshops, breakfast and lunch only)
League member $80 $100
Non-League member $130 $175
City Special
If your city registers 3 delegates at $125 each, additional attendees receive a reduced regish'alaon fee of $90. Please
note: If you take advantage of this special offer, you must mail all registration forms to the League in one envelope.
Fill in the amount of $125 on three forms and $90 on any additional forms. This offer expires August 26.
3@$125=$375 + x $90 = $
Guest Registration
Guest registration fees are complimentary, however, tickets for meals and the excursion tour must
be purchased separately.
Guest name (as to appear on badge):
Thursday breakfast $ 5
Thursday lunch $15
Thursday evening banquet $25
Friday brunch $15
The Great Escape tour $25
Guest fee total $
Total Conference Fees: $
Total Golf Fees ($35/golfer)
(see form on back)
Regtstration wtthout payment will not be ~ocessed. Please mail registration, housing and other necessary forms to the address
below, enclosing tile appropriate fees.
Cancellation policy: All requests for cancella15ons must be received in writing by September 11.
No refunds will be made for no-shows.
Mail registration forms and payments to:
Iowa League of Cities, 317 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1400, Des Moines, IA 50309-4122
Fr~, Jo HogarS¥
Johnson CoLrot7
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Don Sehr, Chairperson
Joe Bolkeom
Charles D. Duffy
Stephen P. Lacina
Sally Stutsman
July 16 1996 "
INFORMAL MEETING
Agenda
1. Call to order 9:00 a.m.
Review of the formal minutes of July 1 lth.
Business f~om Kevin Doyle, Assistant Transpm~afion Planner for
Johnson County Council Of Governments re: Paratransit Taxi Service
agreements between the following:
a) Discussion m: City of Iowa City, Johnson County and the Yellow Cab
Company.
b) Discussion re: City of Coralville, Johnson County and the Yellow Cab
Company.
c) Discussion re: City of University Heights, Johnson County and the
Yellow Cab Company.
d) Other
4. Business from Director of S.E.A.T.S.
a) Discussion re:
b) Discussion re:
Other
County Fair Shuttle.
Policy on Reservations.
913 SOUTh DUBUQUE ST. P.O. BOX 1350 IOWA CITY, IOWA 52244-1350 TEL: (319) 356-6000
FAX(319)35(~6086
70: I0~ ~I¥¥ ~IU[
7-15~9~ O~30a~ p. 3 of 3
Agenda 746-96
5. Business from the County Engineer.
a)
Page 2
Discussion re: speed limit on North Liberty Street.
Discussion re: Kansas Street Bridge over Old Man Creek Altema~ves:
1. Close bridge.
2. Patch bridge with 5 ton load limit
3. Local letting (centrector funded from Local $)
4. IDOT letting (contractor funded from BROS. $)
c) Discussion re: FEMA Projects. 1. Total Funds they will pay us.
2. H~elwood Bridge - replacement alternatives.
d) Discussion re: Sutliff Road (140th Street) East of Highway #1 Pre-
construction Conference.
e) Discussion re: Roadside Vegetation Management.
f) Discussion re: road vacation.
g) Other
Business from Bob Ba!lantyne, Director of Job Training Partnership Act
and Chuck Wieneke, Director of the Regional Work Force Development
Center re: update of legislation/discussion.
7. Business from the County Auditor.
a) Discussion re: resolution 07-18-96-01, accepting the July 1, 1996 Cash
Accounts.
b) Other
Business from the Board of Supe~.isors.
a) Discussion re: FY 97 Juvenile Crime Prevention Community Grant
Contract in the amount of $211,407.00.
b) Reports
c) Other
9. Discussion from the public.
10. Recess.
7/14/96
To: City Council
From: Larry Baker
Re:
ICAD Information
In our meeting with ICAD several weeks ago I suggested that the
Council be given a more complete report from ICAD about its
activities. With that goal in mind, let me suggest the following
guidelines as a beginning point for a future Council discussion.
Annually:
A detailed breakdown of revenue and expenditures, to include
specifics about salaries, travel costs, publications, etc.
Quarterly:
A detailed summary of contacts made by ICAD. klmost by the week.
Who did ICAD talk to; who initiated the contact? Why did we contact
them? Why did they contact us? How did we find out about them? Them
about us? Names and services/products? What did they want? Need?
How was that contact resolved? Did the business go somewhere else?
Why? If they did not decide on Iowa City---why? If they did not
decide on Johnsoil County---why? Is there a pattern to business
inquiries?
In other words, I would like to see ICAD quantify its activities
and then analyze them for the Council. If ICAD feels that certain
information should be kept confidential, so be it. Mark the report
CONFIDENTIAL. The Council regularly receives confidential memos
from other city departments. There is no reason to withhold
economic development information from us. If the report ~!eaks," we
can deal with that the same way we would deal with the exposure of
any other confidential information. If ICAD does not trust the
Council to keep information confidential, then we have a different
problem to discuss.
Also on a quarterly basis, I would like to see a complete listing
of industrial and commercial permits issued everywhere in the
county. Head the column by community name, listing under it who got
the permit, type of business, estimated value, and estimated jobs
created.
The above criteria are just suggestions. I look forward to a future
Council discussion of this issue.
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY-
EXPANSION ALTERNATIVES
Estimated Cost' :: Estimated
.... construction cost of
entire project
(includes commercial
space) of $12.4
million, added costs
bring project costs up
to $15.1 without land
- -' -- - acquisition
Estimated
construction cost of
$12 million, total
costs of $15 million.
Estimated
construction cost of
$9.95 million, total
costs of $12.43
million.
. Advantages
Disadvantages
Services maintainecr'
and library remains
open during
construction. Utilizes
current building.
Allows for future
expansion. Upgrades
current commercial
space.
Most complicated
and expensive of
proposed projects.
Current commercial
tenants must vacate
during construction.
Utilizes current
building. Does not
require purchase of a
site. Simple to
explain.
Expensive structural
support work
requires closing or
relocating the library
during construction,
actual costs difficult
to estimate.
Least expensive.
Simple to explain.
Services maintained
and library remains
open during
construction..
Doesn't utilize
current building.
Eliminates other
options for 64 1A
although structure
could be built to
support additional
floors for varied use
in tlie future.
July 15, 1996
Building on a Century
of Service
[owa City Public Library
Strategic Plan
For Centennial Year 1996 and Beyond
Adopted June 1994
MISSION
The Iowa City Public Library is an innovative, dynamic resource central
to a literate and informed citizenry. The library reflects and responds
to the community and is committed to
intellectual freedom
equal accessibility for a diverse population
life-long learning beginning with the young child
enhancement of cultural and leisure activlties.
IOWA CITY PUBLIC I
GOALS
STRATEGIES
1. COLLECTIONS
Provide collections that reflect and anticipate commu- I
nity needs.
Increase availability of materials usors want
Maintain an excellent reference collection
Emphasize and improve collections for adults and
young adults
Maintain a high quality children's collection
2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
Offer innovative methods of access to information and
materials, and instruction in how to use them.
Ensure public access to electronic information
:sources
Continuafly evaluate new formats and acquire
where appropriate
Provide instruction in the use of e[ectronic [nforma.
tion
Be the resource and referral center for community
information
3. SERVICES & PROGRAMS
Provide services and programs that reflect and enrich
the community.
Celebrate cultural diversity through library programs
Foster the iibrary's role as a community contar
Champion the principle of intellectual freedom
Offer programs which promote reading and self.
education
Develop services for library users with special
needs
Continue to develop joint programming with other
groups and organizations
4. FACILITIES
Provide a suitable and inviting environment which
promotes and enhances the deliveq, of library service.
Develop and implement a facilities expansion plan
Provide appropriate public spaces
Provide space and equipment for staff to work
effectively
Offer equipment in adequate numbers to support all
formats
Guide users with easily understood signage
5, STAFF
Build a team of competent. creatwe staff sufficient to I
provide quality library $erv,ces.
Commit resources to staff development and training
Encourage initiative and participation by a!l staff in
library planning and operations
Maintain competitive salaries and benefits in order
to attract and retain talented library staff
Demonstrate to the public and to funding bodies
the need for a well.trained staff of adequate size
STRATEGIC PLAN
GOALS
STRATEGIES
6. FUNDING
Obtain public funding enhanced by private sources
sufficient to accomplmh goals.
Secure local tax funding sufficient to support
[ibrary's mission and protect the library levy
Build a comprehensive program for the library
through annual and deferred giving, endowment,
partnerships and other private sources
Maximize revenues trom service contracts, grants
and state sources
Build alliances with citizens and governmental
bodies to strengthen fiscal support
7. CUSTOMER SERVICE
Commit to an organization focused on quality customer
service.
Monitor and seek to improve customer service
satisfaction
Improve customer service through technology
Ensure sufficient staffing levels during peak use
periods
Provide ongoing customer service training to all
staff
8. OUTREACH
Reach out to those who cannot or do not come to the
library.
Identify non.user populations and barriers to library
use
Continue 9Dais of recent children's outreach plan
Evaluate effectiveness of current outreach services
9. PUBLIC AWARENESS
Increase public awareness of the benefits and activi-
ties of the free public library.
Report regularly to the public regarding library use,
policies and finances
Publicize bbrary services, programs and collections
Promote library resources and services to those
who work with youth
Encourage use of library resources by the business
community
10. PARTi~ERSHIPS
8udd cooperative relationships w~th businesses and
community groups, educational inshtutions, libraries,
and state agenc',es.
',~ Develop partnerships which broaden the library's
community network
> Actively participate in civic affairs
~ Cultivate positwe relationships with local schools
~' Coordinate activities, promotronal events and pro-
9ramrain9 with other fibraries
~- Work with the local business community to support
economic vitality
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
STRATEGIC PLAN
!mTRODUCTIO
This strategic plan for the Iowa C~ty Public Library was developed in 1994 by a committee of
twenty-eight indiwduals representing the library community A first draft proposal was reviewed
by and input gathered from the Library Board, library staff and interested citizeqs. The final
version is a synthesis of all of the input solicited from the many people who have thought
seriously about public library service in our community and what direction it should take in the
future.
The plan consists of a mission statement, goals and strategies in priority order. Working within
this overall framework, the library staff will develop annual measurable objectives and tasks
designed to achieve the goals established by the planning group. Value statements for each
goal reflect the in-depth discussion of the intent and concerns on each topic.
VALUE STATEMENTS
COLLECTIONS
The most important responsibility of the library is to develop, maintain and offer to the public
collections of books and other materials. It is critical that the staff anticipate the community's
needs and, when it doesn't, that methods exist for gathenng input from the community. Some
collecbons are currently in excellent shape; others need to be improved or enlarged.
iPJFORP,/IATiO TECHIXlOLOGIES
Information and the technologies that support its creation, storage, retrieval, and distnbution are
changing rapidly. The public library is central to facilitating access to information in the
electronic age. Intensive efforts must be made to provide the means for citizens to understand
and use electronic information systems and developing technologies.
SERVICES & PROGRAMS
L~brary collections are not the only way that the library offers opportumt~es to learn, to enjoy,
and to understand. The library plans programs and services to cover the broadest possible
spectrum of community interests and to promote intellectual freedom. Through its role as a
community center the library offers groups access to meeting rooms and a place to deliver their
message through displays, posted notices and brochures. It supports civic activities and
prowdes an informal gathering place.
FACILITIES
The growth and success of the library during the last decade has consumed the spare space
in the 1981 building. Additional space must be provided if the library is to maintain ~ts present
quality and to deliver service to a growing population of library users. The library enwronment
should be inviting to all: in some areas, lively and stimulating; in others. quiet and thoughtful
People should be able to find what they want on their own as well as with the help of library
staff
STAFF
The staff is the engine that makes the library move, the resource that pulls all of the services
and materials together for public use. The staff must be dedicated, committed to serving the
entire community, and, in this era of technical complexities and rapid change, continually
trained and rotrained to do the work required.
FUNDING
Community commitment to an excellent public library expressed through the 1991 passage of
the library levy must be protected. Private dollars also provide critical support and should
continue to be aggressively pursued. Seeking new ways to support the library financially must
be an ongoing task.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
As a busy and complex service organization, the library must continually find new ways to serve
users efficiently and quickly without making them feel like they are being "processed." As
library service grows the staff must serve the public efficiently and effectively while maintaining
confidentiality, respect and individual attention for each person.
OUTREACH
. Offering quality collections, programs and services at the library will always take the bulk
library resources and staff effort. It is not possible however for everyone to come to the library.
The library needs to make a special effort to evaluate present methods of outreach, such as
hornebound services and deposit collections at institutional sites, and explore new approaches
for taking the library to individuals and groups.
PUBLIC AWARENESS
Many regular library users are unaware of the broad range of services and collections offered.
The library should increase its efforts to tell the community what it does and should continue
to determine what the public needs and wants. It is in the public interest to inform citizens
about the library.
PARTNERSHIPS
The library does not exist in a vacuum. To be effective and good community citizens the
Library Board and staff must connect with groups and individuals who direct and operate
community and regional organizations, institutions and businesses. These connecttons can
enhance cooperation, identify needs, and eliminate unnecessary duplication
/~.~q!q ~!lqnd/o!D .MOI
:o~iA~S jo/dmu~3. uo ~ulpl!ng
OP::g VI '/q!O eMOI
L/-~ 'ON l!Ludacl
OlVd
aBelsOd 's'n
uo!lez!ueBJo lgoJduON
,~ql"l oHqnd All:) e~ol ~,,,~/
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Strategic Planning Group:
Community Volunteers:
William Burger
Pat: Cain
Arc Canter
Karln Franklin
Joyce Glaqulnta
Ellen Heywood
Mary JO Langhorne
Heidi Laurltzen
David Lesht~
Kay Loeffelholz
susan Mirns
Mike NOth
Kevin O'Malley
Lynda Ostedgaard
Kathy Pennlngroth
Kathy POIvi
suzanne summerwill
Joan vanden Berg
Dave van Dusseldorp
Jim Waiters
William Welbum
Library Trustees:
Katherine Moyers
K. Jesse singerman
Anne spencer
Librarer staff Members:
Barbara Black
Maeve clark
Susan Craig
Larry Eckholt
LibraryDirector:
LOIIv Eggers
Staff Support:
Martha LUbaroff
shalar GantZ
Document Sen/ices center
Consultant:
Roger 8oldt
City
Public Library
123 South L~nn, Iowa C~ty. Iowa 52240-1820
Susan Craig, D~rector
Inf0rmabon (319) 356-5200
Bus~ness (319) 356-5206
Fax (319) 356-5494
TO: City Council
FROM: Library Board
DATE: 7/12/96
RE: Answers to questions
raised by Councilors
A variety
regarding
in formal
following
of questions have been asked by council members
the proposed library expansion/renovation project, some
meetings, others in memos or conversations. The
information attempts ~o answer some of tkose questions.
1. Can the design be altered to lower costs?
The Board has examined options~prepared by the architect and the
construction manager and believes up to $1 million dollars in
possible cuts to the construction cost of the project could be
made. The largest item, at $769,000 is the structural capacity
to build a third and fourth level at some time in the future.
Smaller amounts can be saved by altering the design. Other
substantial reductions can only be made if significant cuts to
square footage are made or if the project is moved Go city owned
property which eliminates the cost of property acquisition.
2. Could we use space below grade in the pedestrian mall which
is already owned by the City?
The estimate of construction costs for below grade space is $214
per square foot, considerably higher than the $122 for new space
in the current proposal. The costs are high because of the
construction constraints related to building in such a confined
area. Although not challenged at this time our construction
manager believes the City figure of $50,000 to relocate utilities
is very low. Given the costs, the lack of any opportunity to
expand in the future and the aesthetics of below grade space this
option is not one the Board favors.
3. What are the library's mission and goals?
Attached is a copy of the library's long range plan adopted in
1994. The plan which was developed by a 28 member team, 21 of
whom were community volunteers, is used to guide the development
of library services and programs. One of the Goals is to,
"Provide a suitable and inviting environment which promotes and
enhances the delivery of library service." The primary strategy
under that goal is to, "Develop and implement a facilities
expansion plan," a task which the Board has been working on for
three years. Annual objectives are approved by the Library Board
and biannual reports are made. The libraz7 has a strong history
2
of long range planning and is proud of it's ongoing efforts to
reflect community priorities.
4. What has been done to address access issues, primarily
related to parking?
Iowa City is lucky to have a bustling downtown area. Parking
immediately adjacent to the library is in. high demand. Temporary
parking for drivers returning library materials is provided and
two ramps providing over 1100 spaces are within a block and a
block and a half of the entrance, no more than the distance
between Younkers Department Store and the Capitol Street ramp.
The Library is located within a block of the Senior Citizens
Center (which provides some permit parking) allowing the
convenience of visiting both facilities in one trip. The
transportation hub of mass transit in Iowa City is the downtown.
All downtown residents, including the library, need to work with
~he community and the City Council on the parking problem.
Ease of returning library materials could be addressed through an
off site book return.
5. Operating costs are a concern, how can they be contained?
Providing the needed library space in a central facility is the
most efficient way to contain ongoing operating costs. The
building has been carefully designed to minimize additional
operating costs. Increased operating costs associated with the
building expansion could be partially paid for from sources other
than the general property tax levy which only accounts for 75% of
library income. The county contract funds almost ten percent of
operating expenditures and the outlook for state funding is
improving. Fine income could also fund a portion of the
increased operating costs. Costs associated with maintenance of
the building and safety of users and staff are the highest
priority. The Board will commit to trying to raise revenue to
help cover the needed increases.
6. All expenses need to be shown, even if gifts are anticipated
to cover part of the project.
The bond referendum language would be worded using the phrase "up
to", and the total cost of the project would be listed. Only in
the campaign would explanatory material be provided on how much
private money we hope to raise. If the current proposal, which
includes commercial space and income to pay for it, were to be
placed on the ballot the entire amount would be listed, again
with explanation of other revenue sources offered during the
campaign.
7. How many Iowa City residents use Coralville Public Library,
can Coralville residents use the Iowa City Library? How many
library users are really college students?
Coralville and Iowa City both loan materials to residents of
either community. Over the years the borrowing patterns maintain
a near balance. in FY96, 39,000 items were loaned from the
Coralville library to Iowa Citians and 46,000 items were borrowed
from ICPL by Coralville residents. This relationship is mutually
beneficial to both institutions. Coralville residents benefit
from a larger collection, Iowa City has a nearby library with
free, convenient parking available and everyone can use the
library most convenient for them.
University students do .tot make use of th~ library in proportion
to their presence in the population. Usin§ 1990 census figures,
18-29 year olds make up 45% of the Iowa City population, but they
account for only 25% of library circulation. In contrast those
under eighteen borrow materials in almost equal proportion to
their presence in the population, 15%, and 30-44 year olds borrow
40% of all library materials, but only account for 20% of the
population.
SHARE
THE ROAD
HAR
THE
SHARE
THE ROAD
Pusey Library
[ Back to map I Main Map I ~earch the Map I FAS Home Page ]
In 1967, Harvard decided to construct an underground addition to the three-library complex in the New Yard.
An underground addition had been chosen as the best alternative in terms of both handling the overflow from
Widener Library and maintaining open space between surrounding buildings. Other aitematives were: (1)
another building, (2) a wing attached to Widener where Wel~t Hall now stands, and (3) an addition in the
central light courts of Widener. The underground library concept, although unusual, is not unique to Harvard.
Other underground library facilities exist at the University of Illinois, UCLA, and Yale; a partially underground
structure can be found at the University of British Columbia.
The naming of the library in honor of President Emeritus Nathan M. Pusey (A.B. 1920) was publicly
announced on Commencement Day, 1971. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates and built at a cost of
$8.4 million, Pusey officially opened on 17 February 1970.
Pusey contains some 87,000 square feet of floor space and provides additional stack space roughly equivalent
to the addition of two stack levels to Widener Library.. In addition, Pusey is designed so that future
expansions, ff deemed necessary, could add up to 160,000 square feet of space through a combination of
above- or below-ground construction implemented in one or several phases. If full expansion were required, it
would become necessary to move or demolish 17 Quincy Su'eet (the former President's house). There are,
however, a number of possible expansions less sweeping in scope which would not involve this step.
The building is surround by a landscaped "light moat" and has heated stairways to melt snow and offer access
to the fully landscaped roof and central atrium, a light well with a thirty-foot Japanese maple tree. Since the
library is eleven feet below water level, it contains several advanced waterproo£mg measure, and precautions
for sealing the bottom. These include aconcrete drainage casing that channels water to diesel-powered sump
pumps, exterior walls containing ironite, a forra of metal shaving which expands when wet, and several other
sealing compounds· Pusey is "tied" to the bedrock beneath the Yard by means of steel girders anchored to the
rock. TI~ helps to prevent the gound's hydrostatic pressure from "floating" the library upwards, as it would
tend to do ff unchecked. Upper levels of the building house the University Archives, the Harvard Map
Collection (the largest and oldest at any United States tmiversity), the Theatre Collection, and the Theodore
Roosevelt exhibition. Overflow from Widener stacks are located on the lo~ver levels, and graduate carrels and
studies for faculty are located on the middle level surrounding the courtyard. Pusey is the first library in the
counuy to install a completely automated (Halon) fire-extinguishing system. Halon 1301, an inert form of
freon, is discharged through ceiling outlets and is capable of extinguishing fires immediately, yet it does not
damage rare books or human beings in the process.
In addition to its vast research collection, Pusey contains a thirty-by-six-foot silk-screened mural designed by
Merle Westlake which cryptically encodes the name "Pusey" using characres based on the alphabets of five
Renaissance calligmphers. Alexander Calder's six-for steel sculpture "The Onion" (1965), on loan from a
Radcliffe restee, stands outside the main library entrance.
Building information courtesy of the Crimson Key Society.
The FAS Web Pages are maintained by the FAS Computer Services Web Team.
Please send questions and comments to help@fas, harvard edu.
This page was last modified Saturday, 17-Feb-96 16:31:18 EST.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
HEADLINE: Underground library rises to the occasion; Carl A. Kroch Library
at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
BODY:
Burying the building is not the typical approach to a library project.
However, in the case of Cornell Universit¥'s $ 18.6 million Carl A. Kroch
Library, locating the building underground resolved a number of site
constraints.
By situating the new 90,000-sq.-ft. rare book library underground, Cornell
was able to locate it next to the existing graduate library without spoiling the
ambience of the oldest quadrangle on the Ithaca, N.Y., campus.
While solving some issues~ the underground solution created other design and
construction problems. Some of the challenges. included establishing an
above-ground presence for the underground library; excavating through bedrock
adjacent to existing foundations; waterproofing the concrete structure in an
area with a high water table; and designing a roof configuration that would
support soil and planting yet not cause drainage problems on the steeply sloped
site.
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
Architect Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott (SBR&A) of Boston resolved
the problem of establishing an above-ground presence for the Kroch Libraryby
connecting it to the adjacent Stimson Hall, which may be converted to library
uses in the future.
Stimson serves as the gateway to the four-level Kroch Library. An elevator
and a stairwell built in its entrance extend down one level to Kroch's main
entry. A passage from the adjacent graduate library also leads to the same
point.
The main entry overlooks a three-story atrium ringed by offices with glazed
doors. Four mirror-lined skylights reflect daylight into both the atrium and
offices. More than 1 million rare books and manuscripts are located in a
separate area that is not exposed to natural light, which could damage them.
Bedrock complicates excavation
The building team had to contend with a complex excavation in order to make
way for these spaces. Bedrock located 25 feet below ground level required
blasting, which was complicated by building foundations located immediately
adjacent to the site.
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
the foundation was supported, workers could proceed with the excavation under
Stimson Hall.
After excavation, a drainage system was installed at the bottom of the site.
"The volume of water coming up through the bedrock was small enough to drain it
away," said Ronald Finiw, project architect with SBR&A. "If we had tried to
waterproof the underside of the building, we would have had to reinforce the
structure so that it could withstand the resulting water-pressure uplift."
The drainage system, located under the concrete structure's slab, consists
of crushed rock and perforated drain pipe that is channeled to sump pumps
located at the lowest point of the site. The pumps expel water into the sewer
system.
Stephen Ruggiero, senior associate with waterproofing consultant Simpson
Gumpert2 & Heger, Arlington, Mass., stated that the library's concrete walls
were waterproofed with a heat-weldable reinforced PVC membrane. To install the
membrane, round pat&es were first mechanically attached to the concrete walls.
"Sheets of the membrane were then heat welded to the pat&es. The approach
allows a waterproofing system to be attached to the building without a
penetration through the membrane," Ruggiero said.
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
A 4- to 5-ft.-wide trench was left around most the building in order to
provide space for installing the membrane° As each level was waterproofed, the
trench was back-filled to the next level with gravel. Then workers would apply
the next level of membrane while standing on the gravel infill. The moat of
gravel helps to drain water downward before it migrates horizontally toward the
library.
One side of the library abutted the foundation of Stimson Hall. To
waterproof the wall between these buildings, a 4-in. layer of concrete was first
poured against the ragged face of Stimson Hall's masonry foundation in order to
create a flat surface.
The round PVC patches were mechanically attached to the leveling concrete
wall, with the full PVC sheets again heat-welded to the patches. The concrete
wall for the new library was then poured directly against the PVC membrane,
sandwiching the waterproofing between the concrete walls.
Underground roof requires special attention
Because the quadrangle drops off 15 feet from the library's sou&east corner
to its northwest corner, the designers needed to pay special attention to the
librar¥'s roof configuration.
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
A sloped-roof concept that would have drained all of the water to the low
point of the site was discarded because it might have allowed the covering soil
to slump, creating a swamp-like area° A warped concrete slab could have been
used to make the roof conform to the quadrangle's multiple slopes, but it would
nave been too expensive, according to Finiw.
Instead, a stepped-roof design was implemented. From east to west, the
slab-and-beam concrete roof features eight 2-ft. steps. From north to south
there are two steps. The steps were divided into grids, each of which contains a
drain. A thin topping slab of sloped concrete was poured on each of the grids to
direct water to the drains, according to Ruggiero.
After the topping slab cured, a PVC membrane was laid on the roof. Each
'membrane is heat sealed to the roof along the edge of the grids. "By sealing
each grid individually, the university will be able to isolate any potential
leaks and only have to remove soil from the one grid in order to address any
potential problem," Ruggiero said. "The stepped roof also allowed us to create
contour lines for the quadrangle above. The lines help to re-create the shape o~
the original q~adrangle," Finiw said. The deep areas of the stepped roof allowe~
the planting of trees and bushes, while the shallow areas are adequate to
support grass.
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
Building Design & Construction, March, 1994
In order to reduce the load on the 14-in.-thick concrete roof, a special,
lightweight blend of soil was used. "We mixed fine bark, peat moss, sand,
nitrogen and fertilizer in a concrete batch mixer to create the soil," said
Klinger. The sand helps to conduct water quickly through the soil to the drains
before it has a chance to add weight to the soil, according to Klingero
Because the building is concealed, the best way to judge it is not by its
appearance but by its use. David Corson, director of the university's main
library complex, said, "There has been an enormous increase in the use of our
collection, and the atriu~ has become one of the most popular places on campus
for students to study." Those are the best grades a university library could asl
for.
GRAPHIC: Photograph; Table; Chart
SIC: 8231 Libraries ; 1542 Nonresidential construction, not elsewhere classifie~
IAC-NUMBER: IAC 14934392
IAC-CLASS: Trade & Industry
Press Alt-H for Help or Alt-Q to Quit.
University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Office of the
University Librarian
230 Main Library
1408 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
217 333-0790
217 244-4358 fax
June 28, 1996
Mrs. Mm'garet MacDonald
400 Foster Road
Iowa City, IA 52245
Dear Mrs. MacDonald:
Enclosed are two articles that give basic information about the underground structure of our
Undergraduate Library.
The fn'st is a general article, but quite descriptive taken from AMERICAN LIBRARIES, vol. 2
(1971), p. 876-881.
The second is a more analytical presentation by Library officials and the architect for the
building with questions by a library building consultant. This was the proceedings of a
conference program held in San Francisco in 1967, entitles"Library Buildings: Innovations for
Changing Needs," sponsored by the American Library Association.
I hope these will be of assistance.
Sincerely,
University Librarian
RW:jb
More Than
a House
of Books
by Karen Rugen
A Youxc man relaxes in a stuffed year in the old undergraduate library
lounge chair. A freshman coed quarters.
taps her foot in tune with the music "We have Inore books that are
¢0ming through the earphones on easier to find and a well-rounded
her head. A long-haired student reads selection of materials,' expla'ns Set-
m a corner cartel. And another has fert. "Our library is more than just
fallen asleep on the carpet. a house for books."
This is the University of Illinois Many of the university's 24,000
undergraduate library. undergraduates find in their new li-
In 1960 librarians began planning brary a comfortable modern atmos-
10r a separate library building organ- phere that makes a long night of
.-~. ked in simple fashion with a book stu,? or research more bearable.
c01.ection t~o meet undergraduate never thought I would like to
needs. In 9/1 the result: a $4.2 rail come to the l'brary, says one fresh-
d h0n underground structure used by man coed. "But it's more comfort-
$~Udenls for recreation and browsing able to study here than in my room.
~s well as the more traditional in- Here you can have quiet if you ,,,.'ant
'"~g 10rmation and stud).. it."
.~1Ore than a )'ear ago the library "I always run into my friends
· '~ ~t Ihe Urbana campus moved its un- here," says one long-haired senior.
'~--j ~e:graduate book collection from a "In the old building nobody but the
:~ ~ Cramped reading room in the thirty- hard-core students used to come.
[~['~/~ i~ae')ear'old genemlliblarybuilding It was so boring that even if I had
~ t°h.the new modern facdity. Since something interesting to do. I xvould
~i~,--,~ move. use of the b~ary has fall asleep. Here it's different."
~.~$,~ ':~'ubled ant! circulation has in- The library with space for 150,000
ii~ ~eaSed by mo e tha
~ e, .... n onc.thu'd. ac- volumes was built with the student
~'~.~ ..r0mg to Jan Selferr. undergradu- in mind, an important asset con-
'i7~ ~ ~j_e hbmrian. One year after dedica- sidering a college student could
~ ,~rt m June 1969. the automatic spend a great deal of time in the
~ ~. l~te, rs on the entrance turnstyles library during his four years. Lucien
~l ,t'"ca to 1. 05000 as corn ared to White, assistant clean of library ad-
, ~ .~e 500 ' P
~ :.,. ,000 reached during the last ministration, worked with librarians,
architects, and achninistrators before
drawing up the building program
statement. That statement urged
that the facility "be designed and
furnished to provide a stimulating
and intellectual environment" for
the students who use it. "We wanted
to make the library pleasant looking
without appearing to be under-
ground," explains White. "We were
concerned it should be... furnished
with student needs in mind."
The decision to build underground,
as only a few libraries in this coun.
try have done, was made because of
limited available building space near
the general library building. Site
studies in the first planning stages
pointed to a grassy mall directly east
of that building because of a central
campus location and proximity. After
consultation with architects, the
planners decided an underground
structure would fit the librarians'
requirements as well as maintain the
open appearance of the mall. Says
Selferr, "Being underground. the
building doesn't block traffic or
shade the Morrow Plots" (a small
field for agricultural experiments
near the library).
An attractively landscaped, well-
lighted stone plaza has replaced the
grassy mall and provides bench seat-
ing for those who want to read out-
side in nice weather. On either side
o[ the plaza is a red-brick pavillion
provMing co~er for the stairways
leading to the first underground
level.
^11 tee!tag of being underground
disappears as soon as you walk down
the stairs to the first le''el. Each
level is square-shaped with a com-
mon square courtyard in tile mlddle
opening up to tile stone plaza above.
The !ight and glassy landscape of the
courl gives the imp:cssion of being
abo~e groand. "Whcn the library
first opened I used to sit at the cir-
culation desk and watch students
walk into the courtyard expecting to
be on street level," says Seifert.
°'Some x~ould even lo0k for a door
leading to outside."
The walls enclosing the court on
each level are made of glass so stu-
dents reading at tables or in lounge
chairs can look across the courtyard
to the other side. Students often
pull chairs up to the window to
stare across or to catch glimpses of
what is going on up above. In fair
'.vcather students use the courtyard
for informal class nicerings, bull sos.
sions or recreational reading.
Tile air-conditioned building is
joined to the main library bl
underground tunnel. making it
for students to walk between the
buildings in search of reference
terial and information. Vending
chines are provided in the ttt
for those who get hungry duri~
stud), break. Inside, tile buil,
looks even less like a t)pical lib
than it does on the outside. Ex
for books shebed in groups bet','
the seating stations, tl:e libtaD
sembles a modern meeting P
uith man)' comforts of home.
comfortably stnffed orange, yel
checked and striped lounge ch
with their' modern-art wooden t
local point o[ the general reading and
shelving area' is the exterior coart
which readers ca,t view [rom both floors
o! file library a,d [tom tire plaza out.
side. The plaza [eatures bemh seating
~td is a ~velbligbted artery by night.
fAnother view o[ the cottrt is on p. 876.)
Photo at felt shows ramp btdlt [or con.
venience o[ tvheelchair Mudeats.
itOols are popular for reading and
sleeping. and add needed color to
Ikc neutral walls and wooden
Ihelves. So does the wall-to-wall
Orange Carpeting. Table seating is
~so. provided mnong the ounae
[.~. ung the glass walls met.
'",,king the Cour yard. There a stu-
den can stud,.. without books or
.. People Star n~ him in the face
";~ time tie takes a break.
¢h(fe remainder of the seating was
,~i~a~en "¥Hh the serious student in
,~- ; pProxm~ately two.thirds of
'~':~&i?ary's 1.905 seats arc at nd-
~,'id~' Study C,urcls forty inches
~ and thirty inches deep, larger
than average size for comfort as ,.veil
as isolation· According to White,
stndies indicated students prefer in-
dividua[ seating. and cartels were
chosen to provide generous work
space with as much privacy as can
be arranged in the unpartitioned
levels.
Besides its interior, the library has
several unusual services attractive to
students. Probably the most popu-
lar' is a listening center on the tipper
level. tlere students can select tapes
of Iheir favorite musicians from ]Bob
Dy[:ut ond the Moody Blues to Bach
and Beethoven. Through individual
earphones in listening cartels they
can have accompaniment while read-
ing or studying. The facility provides
channels for eighty monaural or for-
ty stereo programs or some combi.
nation at one time, as well as ao
cess to AM-FM broadcasting. The
area consists of a control room and
106 listening stations designed to
make available audio materials re-
quired to supplement course lectures
or for recreational purposes.
Near the listening center is a mu-
sic record library where students
can check out records to play on
a',ailable turntables. The records
trace music history, modern histot%
and litcratare, and include readings
/ .,_...~, I:'~, ~.~ ~ .,.,~, ,:... .
..--,~E,~ :';' -',, ~ ~ ~~ ' -~-':.,.~-.~ -. ~ :- '. '-
......-.-" ......
Pictured across the pla~a is the original library building (above). The new
Undergraduate Library, though underground, is flexible in that special sections
of wall can be taken apart for [uture library expansion. See building data and
floor plans for both levels (right).
of poems to supplement specific
English courses. Also on the upper
level. a browsing section offers re-
centl,,. published fiction and nontic.
tion. Books on the best-seller list
are available for recreational reading.
The upper level also houses a card
catalog. part of the general book col-
lection. staff offices, and the refer-
ence and periodical collections. A
periodical index is available with the
exact location of all magazines
owned by the university library. The
lower lerel contains the major por-
tion of the general book collection
as well as reserve books for special
course reading. "Our reserve system
is unique in that it is not quite open
and not quite closed," Selferr says.
"People can go in and find reserve
books themselves before checking
them out v,'ith a librarian." Typing
cartels and four separate rooms for
the use of blind readers are also pro.
vided on the upper level.
Construction on the underground
building began in 1966 and phase one
of the project has been completed.
While no plans for expansion are
under immediate consideration, spe-
cial sections of tke walls were built
to be easily taken apart for future
addition. Construction for phase one
was partially financed by a one-rail.
lion-dollar federal grant under
Higher Education Facilities Act c
1963. and the building was selecte
for a first honor av, ard in the
Design Award Program of tke
Department of Health. Educatio:
and Welfare.
It's not hard to see why Illinoi'
Undergraduate Library won tl:
award. But more important than it
architecttaal aesthetics is the fac
t~.at the library is a change from tl'.,
traditional !nf~rmation storage ptac,
found on many college campUSe~
Instead it's a pleasant experience
mind.stimulating as well as
enjoyable.
UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY
FloOr Plan
Building Data
COST
Financed by state appropria.
tion, Illinois Building Author.
Sty, and grant from United
States Department of Health,
Education and Welfare
Building construction ..... $3,150,000
Movable equipment and
furnishings ............... 400,000
Landscaping, fees, utilities,
and other costs .......... 690,1Z5
Total project costs ....... $4,240,125
Unit cost (based on 98,-
689 gross square feet)
Building
construction
cost per
square foot ...... $31.91
Total project
COSt per
square foot ........ ~42,96
EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS
Lower level and
upper level ......... 241'90x217'8'
Two entrance
pavilions .......... 26' x 72'
Pedestrian tunnel ..... 170' x 14'
Center court ......... 72' x 72'
Two side courts ......... 22' x 64'
AREA5
Gross area .... 98,689 square feet
Net (assignable)
area ........ 67,121 square feet
Ratio of net
to gross ..... 68
CAPACITIES
Total seating stations . .. 1,899
Table seating ........ 542
Lounge chairs ....... 166
Carrel seating ..... 1,191
Shelf capacity in volumes .... 150.000
Blind reader rooms ........ 4
Typing cartels ........ 14
Listening carrels .......... 106
ARCHITEC¥S
Richardson, Severns. Scheeler &
Associates, Inc.. and
Clark, Altay and Associates
Consulting Engineers:
Clark. Dietz and Associates
Robert G. Burkhardt
and Associates. Inc.
.;5 :' :. '~: '"'~
Dc.'mbc~ 19.Yg, Ibhonc 0'I..\m.bc~ 't I~,x,' 001L]651
'I h:s Molah at %I_B ,d. .Mix m tiqng Index 1 ~2
L'pfront. Nc~,~ 1 1
Wa~hmqhm ()b~c~xcr J~ [.iJJr.tI ~ ~t-rGtc~
Calcml.u Ig l)irccu~x 1~
I.~b/arx Wodd 20 Sh.,c;tw 160
The Tcmt)c Public Lil)rary:
A Model for the 1990s
Will .Thinicy 22
Going Under:
Park Collcge's Undcrgq'ound Library
Itamhl Smith 26
There's a library at lhe Mall
Sa~a Bchrman with Gordon Conohlc 31
Out of the
The Los Angeles Public I.ibrarv
'l.m li}tt*on 3d
I.ost in the Information Supermarket
:lmht'u' }~'uman 42
Spec:al l{t-lml l: IlIA Mcc/~ in
E~thc~ I)u-~ 70
Exe on I)111)hshin§
I'l'tcr Mmh'l 74
Facmg thc Pubhc
ill .~hlnlcx 7~
S('hoo[ Media M,,i:c~
I.tmla ;laddie 78
hen P.t:k {7~,lh-~,-
Utdizmg the land
l:l:liti-:.:lt f.:,:it:; hn.!' :.::
tal cost for the entire excavated
alta of 127,000 sqnare feet was $4
million; the lil)rary's 45,000 squnre
feet cost approximately $1.5 mil-
lion, about $31.50 per square foot.
Blasting and excavation began in
1981 under the direction of nrin-
tug engtheer John Massc}~ Since
an architect was not used, tile min.
ing cngineer's assistance was vital,
particularly in the early stages of
the project. The quality of the
rock was carefully calculated and
sections of rock, or "pillars,"
proximatel), twenty-rive feet square
were left in place for snpport.
Twelve- to fourteen-foot high ceil-
ings were provided--that is, an
overburden of six to eight feet was
left, with a filler of approximately
four feet left as floor. Tile chan-
nels opened by this excavation
were approximately twenty-five
feet wide and ran north to south
and east to west, thus creatiug
what was essentially a grid pattern.
By 1985, tentative plauning was
nnder ~,'ay but precise floor plaus
had to wait ,'timest until construe-
lieu was completed. Only ,alter tile
last rock had fallen, utilities had
been hung or buried, decisions
made on whether to cover walls or
leave them exposed, and assign-
ment made of specific "bays" and
"avenues" to various campus uses
could I know tile extent (and irreg-
ulariD') of space a,cailable and try to
fit a library into it. lu the conven-
6onal building program you begin
knbwing with some precision the
space and configuration that is
m,'ailablc, but in this testanee that
was abnost the lea thiug known.
This unnsual construction sched-
ule meant that there was no model
to look at and no one to go to for
advice. Consequcmly, all planning
was cmried out by the staff until
the later phases when an office de-
sign firm was called m to adhse on
layout aud furnisblngs.
Blasting had been completed by
1986 and in 1087 tile college's new
p]esideut, Dr. Donald Breckon,
pushed for completion of tile li-
blacy. Dtuing 1987 aud 1988 floors
were poured and otihties ruo. A
few finished walls were placed over
tile pillars, bnt most walls were left
exposed anti sprayed with Gunire
in a subdued white.
Allaying anxieties
sion of anxiety by staff,unl p,I-
trons about bciug in an
aid Jones and Company. a
Kausas Cily (if[ice inlctn)[~
blue cmpct tile for
light oak fiu-niture duough-
out, and blue cloth chair
equipment alld flnorcsccllt
light fixtures recessed in the
ceiliog added to tim sense of
bhghtne~ and simplicity.
The seuse of spacioumcx~ iq on.
hahred by the use of ~5ndows and
br long lines of sigbt ~thm the li-
brary. Windows are used libor-
ally at the en~p~}; in s~tff of-
rices, in rooms on tim perone-
ter, and in the sprinkliog of
seminar and group stndy
rootns throughout the libnuy
Immediately npon totering the
libmrr the indiadual hit~ a line
of sight of approximately 175
feet down Avenue 8 p:~st
set,See desk, the catalog [emil-
uals, the service o~ccs, the in-
dexes, and the current periocli-
cal display sbeh'es. Looking
fl~e left doom Avenue C,
e~y to see the beginuings of
the book smc~ in Avennes 7
and 6 as well as microcomput-
The library is entered from the
central p.t$sageway.
ers, copy machines, oversize books, long lines of sight within the library
and a children's titel.'alm e a~ea. add to the open feeling.
Signage do'eloped by Young Sign
Company of Leaveuwordt, l~lmas
quickly helps the user know
which way to proceed. Arouud
the perimeter of the library
two large se~tlinar FOOlIlS, a
twenty-font-hour study roein, a
music listruing rouen. an
archives and special collections
m'ea, and service offices Win.
dews ill SOlBe of illes(.- looms
look out on tile un(le~grmmd
pedesu/an %,calkway.
The librely ll~ the cenual
space and serves as a core
around which ethel under-
ground units ate clustered.
trante is at a domed fo)er at
ground level. Vlsiruts then go
dram a long halbray past tile '
campus switchboanl, wlle~e televi-
sion monitors alh)w seahiring of lie'
.-. · :..--.,; :::':,, :~:; ~.--...; ,,...Sr:l?.~5.?,~::,~<,V4'
Part of the gallery. which has walls
designed lot hangitig art
Ill!l l:.l]l lJ-:'~ J~l' .l!l,J Iltll'}:.lJJ
A space for study
and reflection
~l: ~hJ'i.:llul~ {ll,:ll::i:l~
,1~ ilJh.:l~.m .ll I~.:: k
~l;,, ~,.k i.-~,- h.~- ,.-.l,,~'~i Jill'
Li3rary
Bui cings:
Innovation fo~ Changing
Needs
Proceedings o! the
LIBRARY BUILDINGS INSTITUTE
Conducted at
SAN FRANCISCO~ CALIFORNIA
June 22-24, 1967
Sponsored by the
LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION DIVISION 0[ the
A~MERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Edited by ALPHONSI~
Director, Illinois
Library ,..
American Library Association
Chicago 1972
Undergraduate
University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
Library
presentation of plans
librarian: LUCIEN W. WHITE
architect: JAMES SCHEELER
critic: ROBERT A. MILLER
LUCIEN W. WHITE
The university library has had a separate
undergraduate book collection since 1949-ever
since the discontinued branch at Galesburg was
moved to Urbana and its collection placed on the
first floor of the general library building. This
unit now provides a collection of about 28,000
volumes and seats for 326 readers. The desira-
bility of providing a more adequate undergradu-
ate library was recognized from the start, but
strong impetus was given to this idea in 1960 as
statistical data
architects: Richardson, Severns, Scheeler
& Associates
Champaign, Illinois
type of library: College and university
population to be served: 29,120 (20,786 undergraduates)
area: 6'/,121 square feet
book capacity: 150,000 volumes
seating capacity: 1,899
construction: $4,240,125
equipment: $400,000 (estimated)
cost per square foot: $42.96
At the time of hts presentation, Mr. White was di-
rector of public service departmenis for lhe University
of Illinois Library. He is now associate dean of library
administration, University of Illinois, Urbana. Mr.
Schooler is a partner in lhe firm Richardson, Severns,
Schooler and Associates, Champaign, Illinois. Mr. Miller
is director of the Indiana Universily Libraries, Bloom-
ington.
the result of one of President Henry's faculty
conferences. These are annual 3-day events to
which about 100 selected faculty members are
invited, the purpose of which is to discuss some
phase of university life of general importance.
In 1960 the topic chosen for this faculty con-
ference was, "The Undergraduate Climate at the
University," and as you can imagine, the question
of libraries soon came into the picture. The gen-
eral feeling among the faculty members present
at this meeting was that our undergraduates, es-
pecially those at the freshman and sophomore
level, should not be expected to depend on a com-
plex library system oriented toward research
more than toward instruction, but should have a
library, one of their own, which would be simpler
in its arrangement and would meet their instruc-
tional needs in a better fashion.
Dean Downs and I were present at that meet-
ing, and we helped draft a resolution which called
for a separate library designed as much as pos-
sible to serve the needs of undergraduate stu-
dents. It was our thought that an adequate under-
graduate library building would not only provide
a stimulating learning center suitable to the
needs of undergraduates, but would also help re-
lieve the crowded conditions of our other reading
rooms, which at that time could accommodate
about 13 percent of the student body. Looking
ahead ten years to 1970, which when our enroll-
ment was projected to be 32,500 students, our
proposal then was for a building which would seat
4,600 students and bring our overall seating ratio
to nearly 25 percent. As events developed, the
decision was finally made to build in phases, and
119
120 COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SESSIONS
phase 1 of the building which is now under con-
struction provides seats for 1,899 readers and
book space for 150,000 volumes. When this phase
is completed, we estimate that our overall seat-
ing ratio will be at about 18.5 percent.
The new facility will be backed up by the
general library, and it is expected that under-
graduates will make increasing use of these ex-
isting facilities during their junior and senior
years. The library will also be available to stu-
dents in the professional schools who are meet-
ing course requirements in the liberal arts and
sciences area
The building site is centrally located with
respect to classrooms and residence hahs and is
adjacent to the general library, to which it will
be joined by a tunnel. An underground structure
was planned in order to maintain the open ap-
pearance of a major north-south mall and to pre-
vent shading of the Morrow Plots, which have
provided valuable agricultural research data con-
tinuously since 1876. ]Provision for future addi-
tions is made both on the north and on the south
side.
The facility will consist of ~o floors ap-
proximately 217 feet by 241 feet with a 72-foot
square court. It will provide seats for 1,899
readers and shelving for 150,000 volumes, in-
cluding approximately 10,000 reserve books. Al-
most two-thirds of the seating (1,191 stations)
will be at individual cartels 40 inches wide and
30 inches deep, with front and side extending
panels 53 inches above floor level. The balance
of the general seating will be at 4-foot by 6-foot
tables or in cushion chairs. The intent is to pro-
vide generous table worlting surface with as
much privacy for the individual student as can
be arranged in an unpartitioned area. The latter
effect is augmented by placing the bookshelves
in alternate modules, thus creating many small-
er seating areas instead of a few large ones.
Modules 24 feet square are used throughout, and
general lighting intensity of 90 footcandles is
specified in both reading and shelving areas. In
view of tile anticipated heavy use of this facility,
two entrances will be maintained, one on the
east and one on the west, and students will be
able to check out books at either side.
The upper level will house the card catalog,
the reference and periodical collection, a brows-
ing collection, part of the general book collection,
staff offices, and a listening center. The latter
consists of a control room and 106 listening sta-
tions designed to make available to students
audio malerials of all kinds as required to sup-
plement course lectures or for recreational pur-
poses. A microfilm reader room accommodating
30 flanks the control room, separated from it in
part by glass panels for visual supervision. The
lower level will house the major part of the gen-
era] book collection, as well as the reserve
books, and provides 18 typing carrels. Four sep-
arate rooms are also provided on this level for
the use of the unsighted and their readers. Copy.
ing machines will be available on both levels.
House phones will be located strategically on
the lower level and at the card catalog on the up-
per level for the convenience of students seeking
help from a staff member if one is not in the im-
mediate area. Telephone and electrical conduits
are also being provided for eventual use in a
computerized circulation system. Other electri-
cal features include a public address system to
be used for paging in case of emergency, a chime
system instead of the usual bell system for
classes, a fire alarm system, and a smoke de-
tection system.
The surface area will be an attractively
landscaped and lighted plaza providing bench-
type seating for those who wish to read outside
in fair weather, and the central court is designed
to serve a similar purpose. The two pavilions not
ouly provide cover for the stairways, elevators,
dumbwaiter, and certain needs of the mechanical
system, but are designed to heighten the esthetic
effect of the plaza treatment.
Mr. Scheeler's firm was engaged to under-
take a site study and, as it developed, these two
general criteria that I have mentioned proved not
to be in conflict. There were other conflicts,
however, and at this point I will conclude my
own introductory remarks and turn the balance
of the presentation over to Mr. Scheeler.
JAMES SCHEELER
Having been here for a couple of days, I am
beginning to feel that, for an architect, being in-
vited here is rather like having a marksman in-
vite you to a turkey shoot-then discovering you
are to be the turkey!
On a more serious note, this kind of dialogue
between the professions is very fruitful, as con-
structive criticism and exchange should always
be. We were delighted when the undergraduate li-
brary was selected for presentation to this group.
The reasons for going underground with the
undergraduate library are probably the unique
part of the project. As Dr. White has said, these
reasons had to do with location and the center of
gravity of the undergraduate population.
UNDERGRADUATE
LIBRARY, ILLINOIS 121
Courtyard view of the undergraduate library, University o~ Illinois
FOLLOWING IS
BEST DOCUMENT AVAILABLE
'
~te plan of undergraduate llbr~y; s~d~ area shows existing
facility (p~se 1) ~d pro~s~ e~sion (p~ses 2 ~d 3)
UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY, ILLINOIS 123
Architect's model of the undergraduate library, showi.n.g pavilions, general
library (right rear), Morrow Plots (left front), broadx~alks of north mall
(right front), and south entrance drive (left rear)
124 COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SESSIONS
Cross section of
The University of Illinois lies between
Champaign and Urbana with its major axis of de-
velopment in a north-south direction described
by the main mall. East and west expansion has
been somewhat restricted by the urban fabric
and quasi-university institutions of the adjoining
cities. The campus is generally organized
around the liberal arts and sciences (LAS) core,
the nucleus of which is the general library. Site
selection criteria for the new undergraduate
brary indicated the desirability of locating this
facility in close proximity to the general library
and LAS core--an area where very few uncom-
mitted sites were available.
As site selection studies proceeded, it be-
came evident that the only available or uncom-
mitted site which met all the location criteria
was the north-south mall directly east of the
general library. This site, centrally located with
respect to undergraduate classrooms and resi-
dence halls, would permit a direct connection to
the general library.
The decision to build an underground struc-
ture grew out of the need to resolve conflicting
criteria. Adjoining the proposed site on the east
are the Morrow Plots, the oldest agricultural ex-
periment fields in the United States, which have
provided valuable research data continuously
since 1876. A normal above-grade structure of
the order required to house the undergraduate
library would create a shade pattern on the plots
that was deemed disruptive and unacceptable.
Development of a major above-grade building on
the site would also be ruinous to the basic open
space structure of the campus. Thus, in order to
preserve the integrity of the Morrow Plots and
to maintain the open and spacious character of
the south mall, the decision was made to go un-
derground. Following economic studies which in-
the undergraduate library
dicated .that the approach was feasible, the idea
was presented to the library administration, the
university administration, and the university
board of trustees. Their acceptance and support
of the idea was, indeed, gratifying.
The library is developed on a modular sys-
tem of 24-foot bays and will be constructed to
provide maximum flexibility of space. It will
consist of two floors of approximately 217 feet
with a 72-foot-square central court. A tunnel wil
connect the upper level of the undergraduate li-
brary with the basement of the general library
building.
The grade level is conceived as a land-
scaped, lighted plaza providing both a visual and
functional focus to the south mall. Bench seating
will be integrated into the large tree planting
tubs on the plaza. Entrance pavilions will be lo-
cated on the east and west sides of the plaza and
will give access to stairways, elevators, and
dumbwaiters. These pavilions are designed to
give definition to the building entrances as well
as to provide an "edge" to the plaza. This edge
definition is reinforced by low enclosing walls at
the corners of the plaza, which are reinforced
by shoulders of low decorative landscape. En-
trance to the plaza from the north will be by way
of a broad flight of stairs and ramps which are
related to the broadwalks of the north mall. This
broad entrance is repeated at the south to pro-
vide access from the entrance driveway.
The central courtyard with its great land-
scaped drum is to be dedicated to Edmund Janes
James, a former president of the university. The
court development as well as a dedicatory frieze
around tile top of this court will be made possible
through a generous gift from the Class of 1916.
This courtyard will be accessible from the lower
level of the undergraduate library to provide
U.x:~ERG RADU:\T~ LI.~ ~(A R'~'. I~_I.~NO,S 125
126 COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SESSIONS
t
UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY, ILLINOIS 127
controlled outdoor reading space in fine weather.
The structural system of the north and south
walls is designed to permit expansion to the
north and to the south so that ultimately the fa-
cility can be doubled in size.
It might be of interest to review briefly
some of the building statistics. A gross area of
98,680 square feet has produced a net assign-
able area of 67,121 square feet at a construction
cost of $3,150,000 or $31.91 per square foot, to
house facilities for approximately 1,900 readers
and provide a shelf capacity of 150,000 volumes.
This goal has been accomplished in a central
campus location with provision for direct access
to the general library and 100 percent expansion
capability without altering the basic circulation
or spatial organization of the campus.
As ! mentioned at the beginning of these re-
marks, the decision to build this facility under-
ground is probably the most unique part of the
project.
ROBERT A. MILLER
All of us know that each library building's
solutions have frequently been dictated by local
considerations, and certainly it has been true
here at the University of Illinois. Yet I think I
must call it an inspired solution, because it gave
an undergraduate library a physical relationship
with the main building. It provides expansion, it
makes maximum use of space in a very restrict-
ed area.
When I first looked at the plans, I thought
they might have been much better designed if in-
stead of having a central court we had a single
pavilion. It would have looked very much like the
University of Washington Undergraduate Library
in reverse then. But I thought thai before I based
my whole criticism on such a suggestion, I
should pretend in a few minutes to do an archi-
tect's job, to worry about the design of this
structure once the decision has been made that
we must go underground. I said to myself, how
can we go underground? Can it be by stairs
which one approaches immediale]y as, for in-
stance, in New York City when we descend to a
subway? Could they perhaps be improved as they
have been improved in Paris and perImps other
places, where we have a series of steps, broad
steps going down to some sort of a shelter grade-
level plaza?
It would be nice just to drop the students into
a hole, but one of the problems, of course, is that
they must also get back out again. How do we get
do~vn? By staircases, by elevators, by escala-
tors? If we provide some sort of a broad series
of stairs going down, we would have a rather for-
mal, hard-looking approach. How about providing
some sort of pavilion or some sort of structure
as in the state parks?
If we had just one, it would be very nice, be-
cause the student traffic coming in from any side
could be accommodated either with more en-
trances, one on each side, or more entrances,
one at each corner. It might have some great
convenience, too, because it would have meant
that the exit and entrance control would have
been simplified. Yet, as I keep thinking about it,
if I built such a single pavilion in the dead cen-
ter, I would really have a mausoleum over my
tomb, and I didn't like that either.
So it was not only the fact that I could visu-
alize the flat surface with some sort of pavilion,
which would represent Lenin's Tomb, but I was
failing completely to do an~hing which would
signalize the fact that this was a library. Much
as I hate, in this architectural essay of mine, to
waste the space that a court wonld require, I felt
I would have to have it, because without this
court there would have been nothing to show that
this was a library. Once having it in a court, then
I thought perhaps I should descend as one does at
Rainbow Center to the skating rink on the inside
of this court. But that would have spoiled entire-
ly the effect I was trying to get by showing that
there was a library. It would also have distracted
the readers who would be seated near the lighted
portions of the court. Then, happily, although it
wasn't needed, I thought the balance would be
greatly improved if I should have two pavilions. I
recognized that initially probably the one closest
to the present main university library building
would be the most heavily used, but I would think
I would need the second one sometime in the fu-
ture, and I might well operate it in the very be-
ginning. It does have inconveniences, because the
student entering from the second pavilion is
some distance removed from what I consider the
focal entering point of this building, namely, the
stairs closest to the library where the card cat-
alog and presumably reference and information
service will be vital.
It then occurred to me that during vacation
period or during a period of slack use, I need not
open this second pavilion. I don't know if that has
occurred to Mr. White, but it certainly occurred
to me, because there will be times when both
exits-and they are expensive to maintain and su-
pervise-may not be needed, when one will suf-
fice. Having arrived at this conclusion and Imv-
128 COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SESSIONS
0
UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY, ILLINOIS 129
Nightview of the undergraduate library from across the courtyard;
surface-level pavilion is below cluster lights.
ing balanced my plot over this landscape, I was
delighted to find out that Mr. Scheeler had de-
signed such an attractive structure, and that my
own ideas corresponded completely with his. I
am very naive. I have done something which Mr.
McKinley would not approve o[ at all.
I have tr~ed to design a building in my own
limi[ed and na~/ve way in the space of just a few
minutes. It took Mr. Scheeler a long time, but, of
course, he had difficult librarians to work witb.
He had governing officials, and he had colleagues,
all o[ whom had to be conwnced. I have gone over
:t very quickly, and I am very pleased that Mr.
Scheeler has seen fit to give instruction for what
I consider an ideal architectural solution to this
problem.
I do have some questions about the interior
arrangement. I am a great believer of the modu-
lar system of library construction. The fewer
pm'tiiions the better. The fact that there is no
p!~ce on the plans to indicate a reference or in-
[or,na~ion service does not disturb me, because I
know the librarians are thoroughly experienced
and competent, and they will be thankful for hav-
ing a modular building and be able to place the
services where they are needed. I am, however,
wondering whether there is not a better method
of interoffice communication. You must go 130
feet to the ascending stairs in either pavilion. At
these extreme center points of these walls, I
should have provided a between-floor staircase.
I am a little puzzled also by the courts which
open from the underground tunnel access, which
seem, if you walk past a landscaped area, to pro-
vide another door and entrance. This must no[ be
true, because these doors must necessarily be
kept locked, and I am sure that there is an ex-
planation for this. One could exit from the lower
level through one of the doors, walk through the
court, and go into the tunnel, and miss the turn-
stiles altogether. I would expect you have an. an-
swer for that.
If I had the design, the interior layout of this
building, to do for myself, I would have provided
some small group study rooms, because ! do not
believe the experience at Michigan, Vermont,
130 COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY
SESSIONS
Seating in general reading and shelving area, upper level
and other undergraduate libraries has disproved
the need for tk, ern. I also realize, with the mod-
ular system of construction and the large base,
that these can be separated by partial partitions
when and if they are needed.
I would like to conclude my critique,
though I am afraid it hasn't been very critical,
by saying that, again, I think this is an inspired
solution.
DISCUSSION
Mr. Miller: I should think the cost of walls in
this structure would be somewhat less, at
least in terms o[ labor, than the erection of
an interior wall where brick and stone are
laid core by core. Do you have any figures
on the savings? I am speaking now only of
the walls.
Mr. Scheeler: First, the basic cost analysis was
done during the site budget study. We worked
with a cost consullant and determined that
part of the rationale for going underground
was that there were no on-campus sites
available that met the requirements, and
that to go off campus would mean purchase
of additional sites. In only factoring the ad-
ditional cost of land acquisition, we were
able lo justify the added cost of going under-
ground.
It looks simp]e, but we have some very
severe water conditions to take care of. Vie
UNDERGRADUATE
Plaza seating, surface level;
pavilion in the rear
are actually building a concrete boat, and we
want to be very sure it doesn't leak. So all of
the precautions of bracing are necessary not
only in the lower slabs, but also in the side
walls. Obviously, once you are using your
roof as a walking surface, you have a prob-
lem of keeping the water out. In the final
cost from bids, our initial assumptions were
correct, but I do think it is fair to say you
can save money by going underground.
As for circulation, I think you ,nay have
misinterpreted the use of the two corollary
stairways. There are two stairs that open
into the small courts on the north and south
end of the lobby. These stairs would be con-
trolled; they would not be available to the
students. The reason that we exit the stairs
into the courts and then back into the build-
ing is to meet our code requirements and to
satisfy the library staff that once a student
finds he can go through the door if he wants
to and take a book, there is at least the psy-
chological discouragement of having to leave
the boilcling and come back in. Also, the
small courts do provide for the mechanical
systems. We don't have to come up above
grade for anything. We get our air in at that
point, and we don't have shafts coming up
above grade. There is nothing above grade
to misguide anyone.
Question: Why is the reserve-book collection
on the lower of the two levels? Would it be
possible to move it over to the other en-
trance, if you are worried about encouraging
use? If you moved it over ,'red put it on the
LIBRARY, ILLINOfS 131
upper level, it would be more accessible un-
less you are convinced that most of the traf-
fic is going to come from the old library
site.
Mr.
White: Our theory on reserve books was
that the students are sure to find them. But
you can't have everything on the top floor.
In this case, we felt that there was good jus-
tification to leave the principle that you put
the most-used materials at the nearest point
of access.
Notice that the stairways to the lower
level take the students directly to this point.
They don't have to go into the library. They
have adequate seating space then on the low-
er level to use the materials.
.Question: Have you provided for snow melting
equipment across the terraces and in the
inner court?
Mr.
Scheeler: There is no snow-melting prob-
lem. The plaza level is accessible by ramps
for paraplegics. These ramps trove been
scaled so that the university's normal snow
removal equipment can be used. There is no
provision in the court, because in the winter-
time we don't anticipate the court rooms will
be used except as a view out.
Question: As long as you have already anticipat-
ed going underground, would you consider
also making it a bomb shelter?
White: That was discussed when we first
went into this underground program. Appar-
ently there was money available if we would
prepare ii as a bomb shelter. We discovered
that the costs might be equal to or more than
what we would get. It presented a number of
problems, and the decision was not to do it.
Mr.
Scheeler: There was a cost problem. How-
ever, the building is quite a suitable fallout
shelter, and there are provisions at the low-
er level for storage of the necessary ancil-
lary packaging.
Mr.
White: Has anyone here had experiences
with courts of this kind? In nice weather it
is our intention to use this court as a seat-
ing area where some of the students can go
and enjoy themselves at the benches that are
available. It is a large area, 72 by 72, and I
suppose a couple hundred students might be
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SESSIONS
found out there. Would this present a prob-
lem of disturbance, distraction, and noise to
people inside the library?
Mille_r: It depends on what kind of students
you have at Illinois. It would be a great dis-
traction on my campus, especially if you
have glass.
Mr. Scheeler: There is no glass.
Q_uuestion_: I am curious how the inner court
would drain. Wil! that be done by pumping or
what, in the event of rain?
Mr. Scheeler: We are well below the water table.
There will be drains provided in the court-
yard to take off ground water. Our courtyard
is also our second line of defense. We have a
sump pump system, and in the event of a
power failure, we have an auxiliary genera-
tor. In the event that the auxiliary generator
fails and the water rises in the court, flood-
ing the lower level, it will reach a point
where it balances the hydrostatic pressure
which will keep the building from literally
floating out of the ground. While it may seem
a very remote possibility, the backup system
is there.
Question: Going back to snow removal, you don't
need to remove it from the court in the win-
tertime, but should tt snow five or six inches
or should a sudden fall occur, might it not
seep in through the windows? Or would it be
below the window level ?
Mr,
Scheeler: We hope it won't seep in through
the windows. The natural radiation of the
glass would tend to melt the snow immedi-
ately adjacent to the glass as it comes in
contact with it and keep it from piling up.
The small side courts are right over t
mechanical rooms. We anticipate that
heat loss from the mechanical rooms
take care of the snow melting there.
~Question: Would it be possible to have the
reading rooms on the upper floor, so tt
blind readers won't have to change elem
on the first level?
Mr. White: This is not an inconvenience fo~
blind readers. We expect they will not r
the elevator, but the stairs. The Univer
of nlinois has a special program in reh
tation, covering all kinds of physical ha:
caps, including blindness. One of the fir
things that is taught to the handicapped i
the program is self-reliance. Actually,
think that blind readers would be oftendE
they thought we took their handicap into
sideration. They are very proud of their
ability to get around, and one guided tou~
the blind reading room is adequate. We .~
peet they will not use the elevators at all
Question: Will wind not cause snow to drift i
the court?
Mr. Sc~heeler: If a court fills up with snow,
have got problems.
Q:'es_~lion~: Was consideration given to putting
glass bubble over the court?
Mr. Schealer: No. This would have been plac,
el:her above the court level so that you cl
see into the court, or become another str
ture in the mall, or it would have blocked
view for the pedestrian on the mall to the
court. We Very definitely wanted to have t
piece of our beautiful Illinois weather rigl
down at all levels of the library.