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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-07-14 Transcription#1 Page 1 ITEM NO. 1 CALL TO ORDER Lehman/ Item land a half. Mr. Atkins celebrated a birthday on the 12th of July. Bailey/ Oh. Champion/ He's 42? Lehman/ And he is a lot older than he looks. (laughter) Atkins/ A lot older? O'Donnell/ Happy Birthday. Lehman/ Happy Birthday Steve. Atkins/ Well, Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Is that a compliment? Lehman/ It certainly was. Atkins/ Thank you. Lehman/ Take it anyway you want. Atkins/ Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #2 Page 2 ITEM NO. 2 A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND BRADFORD CHILDCARE SERVICES, INC. FOR SPACE IN THE COURT STREET TRANSPORTATION CENTER FOR THE OPERATION OF AN APPLE TREE CHILDREN'S CENTER a) PUBLIC HEARING Lehman/ Public hearing is open. Retz/ I'm Justine Retz with the 4C's Childcare Community Coordinated Childcare Resource and Referral Agency and Fm very excited about the possibility of Apple Tree coming here so we're excited have them here especially because we'll have a child care center downtown in the heart of Iowa City which is really needed. So .... Lehman/ Thank you. Anyone else like to speak to this from the public. Public hearing is closed. Do we have a motion? b) RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING O'Donnell/ So moved. Champion/ Second. Lehman/ Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Champion. Discussion. There is one issue that I question that I have the answer to but I think the public should also know. In fact I'm going to ask Jeff if you would this according to our contract Apple Tree is a tax exempt organization so the property is tax exempt and I was and questioned that I asked Jeff and Jeff if you would tell the Council what you told me which is I think is ... Davidson/ Sure when we were negotiating with Bradford, which is the parent organization with Apple Tree, we obviously took a close look at their business model with them and how to structure the lease and we basically agreed that you know there was a certain amount available per month whether that included property taxes or didn't. Apple Tree quite separate from us, the determination is made at the County, not by us, or Andy was it Matthews/ With the City Assessor Davidson/ Made with the City Assessor the determination, and it was determined that based on, and if you have any questions about how This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #2 Page 3 the tax exemption was granted I would ask Frank Reabe who is the CEO to explain that, but the tax exemption was granted. Now the effect of this then is that if property taxes would have be paid on the property the City would have gotten approximately a third of that revenue. Since they are going to be paying the same amount in lieu of paying property taxes the City will get 100% of the mount. So then in fact its probably the first example that we can think of of property tax exemption being a positive thing financially for the City. Lehman/ And basically the bottom line is all of that goes into transit. Davidson/ That's right we'll be obviously paying off the bonds obviously ... Lehman/ Right. Davidson/ ...to fit out the facility and the access over that goes to Iowa City Transit that is correct. Lehman/ Very good. Thank you. Discussion among Council folks? Davidson/ Mr. Mayor we do have representatives from Apple Tree here if you have any questions specifically for them. Lehman/ I would like to say that I am really tickled and I'm delighted very honestly that 4C's is here to no, no, I really am. You always wonder when the City becomes involved in a process that the private sector is also involved sometimes we're sometimes it's frowned on and I'm really, really delighted that you are here supporting this project and obviously part of a long range very complicated project and good job Jeff. Any other comments? Davidson/ Yes, certainly don't want take full credit. Joe and I worked together on this and also wanted to point out that Linda Severson was actually the one that hooked us up with Bradford originally and she deserved credit as well for that initial contact. Lehman/ So noted. No other discussion. Roll call. (all ayes) Motion carried. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #3 Page 4 ITEM NO. 3 HISTORIC PRESERVATION - NRItP NOMINATIONS/NORTHSIDE Lehman/ And I'm going to ask Eleanor if you bring us up to date on this. Dilkes/ Following your last meeting and talking to Ernie about the conversations he's had with the State I wanted to follow up a little bit on what the process would be for withdrawal if that was something the Council was interested in doing. In the process of doing that it it's clear under the federal statues and regulations that govern the nominations that there must be and there is a formal review process that must be undertaken by the Mayor and the Commission and in reviewing our files I couldn't see that those steps had been had been gone through. So I spoke to a woman at the State who informed me that had been a letter sent to the City on April 8 outlining what that review process required uh and she did send me a copy of that letter. That letter is undated. The State says it was sent April 8, we don't have any record of receiving that letter but in any event after reviewing that letter and seeing that quite clearly the process that the State has to go through before it proceeds with a nominations had not been filed we spoke, or Bob Miklo spoke to the State this morning and they have agreed that we will essentially back up to that April 8 letter and proceed with the process as it should have been which involves and Bob will confirm this in a letter to the State. The Historic Preservation Commission will schedule a meeting for reconsideration of the district, the national register district, all property owners will be given notice by letter of the meeting and their opportunity to present their views. The Commission will then make a recommendation to the State regarding the national register eligibility of the proposed district and the specific boundaries. The Mayor will also have an opporttmity to make a recommendation to the State regarding the district and its boundaries, and then the State review committee will examine it again. The bottom line under the statues is that absent an appeal by another party the State is not authorized to proceed if there is an objection by both the Commission and the Mayor so this will provide an opportunity to examine the issue of inclusion of the commercial properties. Champion/ Good. Lehman/ And for Council's information I did meet with the chair of the Commission yesterday before we had the information that Eleanor had, and it is my belief that they will take into consideration the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #3 Page 5 objections from the commercial property owners when they make their recommendation to the Council. Champion/ I hope this isn't going to prolong everything too much. Do you have idea how it will alter the time line? Dilkes/ It's a 60 day review process. Champion/ Okay. Lehman/ So probably not. Champion/ Right. No that's good. Lehman/ Okay, is there anything to add to this? Elliott/ Well, I think it would be good to I'm not quite clear what you said what could happen what is going to happen? Champion/ We don't know. Elliott/ No, I mean who's doing what. When? How? Dilkes/ Well, that's what I just went through .... is the Historic Preservation Commission will schedule a meeting for examine of the districts .... Elliott/ Okay. Dilkes/ ... Property owners will be notified. The Mayor will receive a formal invitation to that meeting. And then there is a requirement that both the Commission and the Mayor review and comment on that proposed nomination and if both the Mayor and the Commission would determine that the boundaries needed to change then that could happen. Elliott/ What I missed is "will schedule the meeting". That's fine. Good. Lehman/ Okay. Bailey/ So I have a question. It sounds like the process that we had difficulty with here in Iowa City the problem was the State letter that apparently was never or that nobody ever saw. Is that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #3 Page 6 Dilkes/ As far as I can determine it's it's an undated letter which makes me curious ... Bailey/ Just very unusual. Dilkes/ ... to start with but they said that in here cover letter to me she said the missing date was noticed after the letter had been sent and apparently came as a result of using mail merge to produce and it sounds like maybe there was a number of letters that went out. But that letter essentially outlines the process that needs to or that you need to go though to satisfy that local review section of the statue. So in any event we don't have that letter in our files and from talking to Shelley because it included a copy of the review form as well which Shelley did not receive from the State she had found it in another file and I started looking at it. It think it is for that reason probably the State was willing to back up because it looks like for whatever reason that communication wasn't ... Bailey/ Okay, thanks. Lehman/ We aren't really as far along in the process as we thought we were. Bailey/ Right. Lehman/ Is that correct? Dilkes/ Pardon me? Lehman/ We really aren't as far along in the process as we thought we were. Dilkes/ Well, fight. We didn't .... Some of the hoops weren't jumped through and really they're statutory and they need to be. O'Donnell/ And this designated area is subject to change then? Am I understanding that right? Bailey/ (can't hear) Lehman/ Could be. Okay. That's where we are. Kart/ Motion to accept correspondence. Elliott/ So moved. Champion/ Second. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004. #3 Page 7 Lehman/ Have a motion and a second to accept correspondence. All in favor (all ayes) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of July 14, 2004.