HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-01-31 Correspondence HONOHAN, EPLEY,
Jay H. Honohan
Maudne A. Braddock BRADDOCK & BRENNEMAN
'Michael J. Branhaman
Patrick C. Peters ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Sarah S. Malers
425 8 Avenue
Kalone, Iowa 52247
(319) 656-2916
104 Jayne Street
Lone True, Iowa 52755
(319) 629-5400
Of Counsel:
Lloyd A. Epley
January 13, 1995
330 East Court Street
P.O. Box 3010
Iowa City, Iowa 52244
(319) 351-8100
FAX (319) 351-0977
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Re: 1995-1996 Budget
Iowa City senior Center
Hills, Iowa 52235
(319) 679-2267
12 W Cherw St
North Uber~/, IA 52317
(319) 626-3440
c...
~-?..: : ~
Dear Mayor Horowitz and Members of the City Council:
It has been called tomy attention that the City Manager has or
will present to the City Council a budget for the next fiscal
year which does not include additional staff for the Senior
Center as requested by the Commission and staff. As I understand
it, the request is for one full time communications specialist
and one half time video specialist.
The Commission and staff will undoubtedly present you with facts
and figures demonstrating the need for additional staff so I will
not include such in this letter. I believe that there are other
reasons that the Senior Center should have some priority in
funding by the City of Iowa City.
Growing old in our society is not an easy task. We seem to be
oriented towards the young. At the same time, we have more and
more senior citizens each year. Most of these people in Iowa
City have contributed both financially and culturally to the City
and the University in their active years. They still contribute
financially to the city, the school distPict, and the businesses
of Iowa City through taxation and p~rchasing of goods. Surely,
we have a real obligation to these Seniors that can be discharged
in .part by funding an adequate staff at the Senior Center.
I believe that the large population of Seniors servedby the
Senior Center and the many more who could be served if the Center
had the staff and the facilities, is entitled to more
consideration than the City is affording them. I will not take
your time to name budget items in the budget that benefit much
smaller populations which receive larger funding but I will
2
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
January 13, 1995
Page Two
suggest that a City budget is to a great'degree always a matter
of which item you wish to give a priority. I thir~kthat the
Senior Center should receive some priority. Based upon the
number of people served, the hours the Center operates, the
variety of things offered, and the huge number of volunteers, I
think that the Senior Center should have greater priority than it
has in the past and that the City should adopt a budget ca11ing
for the additional staff requested.
Very truly yours,
HONOHAN, EPLEY,
BI~ADDOCK & BRENNEMAN
¥: ay H~
January 19, 1995
Honorable Mayor
Members of the Iowa City Council
The debate of the issue to raise the parking rates in the ramps
could continue for years and never achieve total agreement. The
issue is not the nickel or the dime but what do you view the
future of the Central Business District and what do want the
cities investment to become in 5 years. That look into the
future will determine the fate south of Burlington Street as
well.
Change is what makes for a healthy area and since Urban Renewal
nearly 25 years ago, the Central Business District has been
constantly changing. The CBD is ~robably the core for the cities
largest financial investment..it ls and will probably continue to
be the heart that pumps life into this community. The
resurrection of a outstanding CBD was attract students, faculty
and staff to the University. The University is what drives this
town and is our life blood. Apparently, Urban Renewal was
successful because we have a pleasantly looking CBD. And in
pas~ing it might be noted that most of the Council and City staff
arrived after Urban Renewal had commenced.
Change may be continued improvement or lead to deterioration.
The ramps have not had change since the initial construction
except to redirect the traffic flow in the Clinton Street ramp
and to enlarge Dubuque Street to meet the demand. Oh, yes the
rates have gone up.
Ramps in other cit%es have been improved to meet the demands of
the user..better lights, painted wall and ceiling surfaces. Two
features that if not done will affect the usage as the customer
has increased opportunities for selection.
We are wheel driven...we are creatures of the oar. Therefore,
people of this community will shop where it is convenient and
when they have time. That does not have to be where they work,
pay taxes and have a residence.
The city is a two income family. That maybe the combination of a
students ~arttime work supplemented by family contribution or by
scholarship. Dual income is the new standard a working
couple..gender is your choice. The end result is that in this
affluent community people treat shopping (except food and medical
services) as a form of entertainment and relaxation.
Entertainment and relaxation do not have to o?cur in the place
one resides. That is what leads to the creation of shopping
centers..a center of entertainment. Minneapolis is the home of
the largest example in the world. An amusement park surrounded
with stores, that is surround with parking ramps.
When we created Urban Renewal and restored downtown as a central
area, we knew that change must be ongoing to reflect the cultural
interaction of society..that is the cultural society of the
world.
Our CBD competes in a the market for the spendable
gilderglobal
dollar, peso, franc, and so forth.
Your decision is more than to provide financial support for the
bus system. Has the bus system changed to meet the demands of
todays society? If so then the system would not have excess
capacity.
Your decision is what do you want CBD of Iowa City to be in the
future. The fountain area was created to bring people to the
center of the city to be entertained and to relax. Create
convenient parking was created and a user fee was established.
A u~er fee to replace taxation t? support the parking and transit
sys=em. The user fee was reflective of the landlords vocal
demands not to increase property taxes.
Change has occurred. Why not have free parking like shopping
centers and have downtown be a place of entertainment and
~elaxa~i~no .How do shopping centers support free parking? We
new tna= under Urban Renewal to j~stify the city expenditures,
w? had to keep the downtown area llve.eightteen ho~rs a day.
Eighteen hours with more than action in the bars..lt has to be at
~heaters, restaurants, library, hotel and shops. Why not have
tee ?arking after 6.00 PM and pay th? expenses with increase tax
base an the CBD. You need to assist in keeping the
establishments full and profitable and no one wilt complain about
taxes. The user will still pay to park..just indirectly.
W? tried fo~ years to have 100 percent particiuation in park and
shop..It will never happen, but you will r-c-~-- ~
participation in payment of taxes~ .........
Change..20 years should be a lesson..1ook at what the CBD is
changing to from what it was. Anticipate the future and be ahead
of the required changes.
You have a wonderful opportunity to leave a positive mark on this
city for the future. Look where the retail growth is. Listen to
tho~e that plan to locate business and homes in Jobpeon County~
believe where the shops, theaters, and relaxation wall b~ locke4
and how will the user be transported there. Coralville ~]1 ~
become the upscale place to live and shop..just like Wes~.~s~ ~6~
Moines, Bloomington, and Oak Brook.
I offe~ you my thoughts based upon 40 years in this city, 35
years in retail and now in a position that I see a lot of Hid-
West. I am not an expert, I have experience, I have a car and
I'm a potential customer. Do not force me away.
Your decision will having lastly affeot.
homas H. Sum~y /
2505 Rochester}~e
Iowa £L~, Ia 52£40
602 ~lki~in~. Ave
Iowa;£Lt~, Ia 52205
~ea~ £ouneL~ ~embe~a,
I am waL~Ln~ Ln ae~aad ~o tile cuanen~
?anhLn~ aatea Ln downtown Iowa
in ~fie. ?aa~ without anonflea incaeaae b~iu~ conaid~aed. I do no~
aftoR Ln down6own Iowa £Lt~. Foa on~ tfitn~ the ~aaffic eon~eation
t~ out l~£n~ mall~ aaound town and £oaa~iil~.
~a?Lda L/ I ~a~e a lot to a~op fo~ ~f I
m~ afioppLn~ ~ocail~. I aiao cfiooae paofcaaLouai ?¢opie {L.e. a
doe~o% den~La~ e~cJ ~fiat aa2 not Ln
been a aaae Lna~anee wficn, I ?aa~,. d?wntown - o~l~ at F.#. Banh -
~g ?oLn~ La ~fia~ I don~ iLhe to ?a~ ?aa~Ln~ ~ge.a. bui ~ouid
eaa¢~aee ~eelLn~ to ~o ~ a mail aaga aud
about o~ea ~rae ?aahLa~ oa ~ettLn~ ~
I fiope ~fiat ~ou value m~ opLnLon Ln ma~Ln~ a d¢cLaLon ~o Ln-
January 23, 1995
Dear Councilmembers;
Exactly what I have been waiting for! A serious look at
incentives for carpooling.
Lower rates for earpool participants and higher rates for non~
participants is just fine. Everything has its price, including
convenience.
Although it is appropriate to work on the complex issue of
traffic/parking one item at a time, let me encourage you to attend to
this topic many times and until a number of these items have been
dealt with. Consider incentives for bus-riders, bicyclists and
pedestrians; more numerous and more frequent bus routes,
commuter lots; no more conveniences for cars; anything which will
reduce traffic and the attendant by-products of noise, pollution,
resource squandering, and the need for more ramps and streets.
Let's be innovative and begin solving these problems now.
Carpooling is an excellent start.
sincerely,
Liz Miller
January 16, 1995
Mayor Susan Horowitz
City of Iowa City
410E, Washington Street
Iowa Cily, IA 52240
Dear Susan,
G R O U P'
As ICAD looks forward into 1995 and beyond, existing industry plays a
major role in our growth of good jobs. The issues that they face today are
available warehouse space-permanent and short tei--m, land to expand on, quality of
work force, and just in time delivery,
The just in time issue gives us the chance to work with these companies
vendors that in order to meet their demands are moving closer to their major
customers. If the vendors are already in the area it gives them a chance to grow
along with the major industry.
It is very hard to predict which companies will expand and which vendors
will move closer to them in the next two years but our history tells me it will
happen. Local induslries which have expanded and added jobs are: Proctor &
Gamble, Moore Business Forms, ACT, NCS and Tin-Pat Color Graphics. Future
examples of expansion and growth could very well be: Release International,
Sheridan Mfg., Oral B, UTA and others that I may not be aware of.
We re,st be prepared to work with these companies and their vendors today
in order to make these possible expansions occur in the future. ICAD is prepared
to help in any way needed to secure good jobs for the future.
Sincerely,
IOWA CITY AREA 'DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INC.
325 E. Washington, Suite 100, P.O. Box 2567, Iowa City, IA 52244
(319) 354-3939
Fax (319) 338-9958 {~~ !ii
PO BOX 511
PHONE
Jan. 24, 1995
Nay_or Susan Horowitz
Ci%io Center
Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1826
Dear Mayor Horowitz:
ao~tof ~ a/.ss/.ons _at The. Gazette leto promote open govern- _ }.a~. t.o ~,oster zree ~ls.cusslon oz public issues. As part
,o,=~%z%~f~~ o~i~fi.~,~,~'~in~ a we~Uy zes~ure =ali~d
I a~ writing to you and other public officials to ask for your
support and cooperation with t~ie feelure.
Here's how it will work: Readers willbe invited to subm/t to
The Gazette questions about public issues. We will then for-
wg. rd the questions to public officials for a response, which
will be publishedinThe Gazette.
We expect the subJec.tso~thequestions to range~romtaxand
budge% issuesto roaumaintanance to crime prevention.
When we receive a question for you, we will fax or mail the
~[uestio~ to you. Please l~t your re.~nse to 100 words
less a~.a return it to The Gazette, via fax or mail, within
~even agys. please addres~ responses to me, Dan Geiser. The
~azette-s ma~ling adidas,ess ls: P.O. Box 511, Cedar Rapids, Io-
wa52406. The Gazette s faxmmheris: 319/398-5846.
Please contact me within the next few days to tell me whether
~fou are willing to participate in this project. Also, If you
nave a fax, please let me know the number.
Thankyou for your support.
January 26, 1995
CITY OF IOIV I CITY
Dan W. Geiser
500 Third Avenue SE
The Gazette
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Dear Dan:
This will respond to your recent letter concerning your new weekly feature called "Ask Your
Public Official." I would be happy to assist you in responding to the questions that are
directed to the Gazette. I do have two concerns, the first being the 100oword limitation in
a response. Depending upon the complexity of the issue, it may certainly require a detailed
response and therefore such a limitation may not be practical. My second concern is the
seven-day turnaround. While in most instanoea I believe I can fully comply, a question
requiring any detailed reseamh and/or if holidays or other vacation might be involved, it wou~d
be somewhat difficult.
All in all, I think it's a good idea. If you have any other questions of me, please feel free to
call.
Sincerely,
Stelhe J. Atki~ '
City Manager
cc: Mayor Horowitz
410 EAST WASIJlNGTON STREET · IOWA CITY, iOWA I2340.1i36 · (219) 3S6-S000 · FAX (IlJ) ISG-$009
35'1
CITY 0£ IOWA CITY
NOTICE: PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT
In accordance with Iowa. Code Section 28E.20 JOINT PURCHASES OF EQUIPMENT,
the City' of Iowa City is giving notice of intent to purchase one or more Items or
accessories or attachments to equipment, the total cost of which is estimated to be
$50,000 or more.
The following political subdivisions have been contacted:
Johnson County ~lutual Aid Organization
NOTICE WAS MAILED: ~]anuary 20, 1995
EQUIPMENT TO BE PURCHASED:
EQUIPtI£;iT TO BE SOLD:
1500 GPH Custom Fir~ Pumper T~uck
1975 ~ard-LaFrance 1500 GPM
Pumper Truck with 750 Gallon
Booster Tank, 671 Detroit Diesel
Engine, and Allison Automatic
Transmission
City of Iowa City
Finance Dep.artment
Central Procurement & Services Division
cc: City Coundl
,,
At ~ ~anua~ 26th m~*th~ the Co~ on Community Needs un~h.ously voted to
support the rccomm~iations put £oxth 5¥ the task force whi~ was created to study
Senior Center/Adult Day Program issues.
The recon~_endations are to: (1) expand ADP to 1,500 square feet in the $~or Center
and, (2) immediately begin a 6vo~year plan to build an ad~ional ADY site to provide for
Smwth ~d two !~els of servia.
The Commlttce on Cotm'~. :,~ty Nccds
M~AnnDennis, Ch~ '
Linda Mun~y, Vic~-Ch~
.Tohn Falb
Grace Cooper
Snyder
Keith Puff
~oo~
dl/llI/O(IOY~l~l
January 24, 1995
Mr. Bruno Pigott
717 East Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear Bruno:
I read with interest the Press-Citizen storywhich appeared
on January 23 regarding the Council's discussions on forcing the
carpooling issue downtown. I am compelled to respond as follows:
I have worked downtown for 28 years, and have had a city
parking permit for probably 22 of those years° I have
always had to pay the permit fees myself, since it was
not an employer--paid benefit. As the article states,
permits are hard to come by, and for several of the
locations there are not even waiting lists. After
fighting for so long to be able to afford and maintain
my own permit, I am not about to give it up now. It is
OK to quote that Craig Welt purchases 12 permit spaces
for his employees. That is well and good, but most of
the permit holders are paying for their own, with their
own money.
Currently I have an elderly parent in Iowa City in very
bad health trying to recover from a stroke. I need
immediate access to my car to be able to go to her upon
receipt of a phone call. That has happened in the past
when I have had to leave work to go to her. If I do not
have access to my car, what can I do in an emergency
situation like this? What happens to my
responsibilities (or guilt) if I have no access to my
vehicle?
No one in my immediate neighborhood works downtown near
me so carpooling from the neighborhood is not a
possibility. Three other staff persons in my office
commute from three different towns to work in Iowa City,
and no one else lives near them. If we all choose and
need to drive ourselves to be able to work in downtown
Iowa City, we should be allowed to do so.
People working downto%~ spend a good deal of money
downtown for meals, breaks, shopping on noon hours and
after work, etc. We already cannot participate in park
and shop since we have permits. Aren't shopping and
food dollars spent by people working in downtown Iowa
City as important to the local merchants as the money
coming from shoppers who don't work here? If we aren't
good enough to pay for our own permits to drive to and
-2-
park our own vehicles and work in downtown Iowa City,
then are our dollars spent among local. businesses good
enough either? It doesn't look like it.
Already the city council has begun raising our utility
bills for water, sewer, refuse. Now you are talking
about raising parking permit fees or assessing penalties
if we drive alone. People spoke at the council meetings
before about being on fixed incomes and finding it
difficult to keep up with all these extra fees. Please
remember that not Just retired people are on fixed
incomes--we all are. Our salaries can only go so far to
pay all of these extra charges, and it becomes very
difficult when it all goes back to the same place (the
city) for things which are not visible to us. Every
time the city raises fees or assesses penalties like
you're talking about now, where are we supposed to find
the money to pay with? We can't go back to our
employers every time this happens and ask for more
money--our incomes are fixed, too.
Surely'you all realize that the same people are being asked
to come up with all of this extra money, whether it is for
increased utility rates, increased ~arking rates/penalties, or
whatever. Don't you think we have a limit on how our resources
can be stretched, or how far we can be pushed?
Please don't vote on anything to make any more of your
supporters angry. We obviously like to live, work, and own
property in Iowa City or we wouldn't be here. Please also
remember that when theuniversity is not in session, there are
more available spaces in the ramp when not as many people drive to
downtown Iowa City. I would hope you can find something more
worthwhile to act upon that would benefit Iowa City more tha~
trying to make more rules and penalize people who drive and work
in downtown Iowa City, and who help make the quality of the
downtown what it is.
Please share this letter as you see fit. I have enclosed 7
copies of this letter for you to share with the other members of
the council. Thank you for reading this letter. You may contact
me if you wish.
Sincerely,
Ma~ E~len Chudacek
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
337-2804 (home)
337-9606 (work)
January 30, 1995
Honorable mayor and members of the
City Council of Iowa City, Iowa
Civic Center
410 E. Washington St.
Iowa City, IA 52242-1826
Dear Councilors:
Attached you will find a petition regarding a request by Mr. Bruce Glasgow
to open and pave that portion of the "Virginia Drive" right of way between
Oaklawn Avenue and the Shimek School boundary. As the petition
indicates a number of the residents in this area oppose Mr. Glasgow's
request. Particularly disturbing is his request that property owners in
this area be assessed for the road improvement. Since no one in this area
would benefit from the paving of "Virginia Drive", it is difficult to
understand why we should pay for such an action.
I have read the correspondence between Mr. Glasgow and the City. I was
encouraged by Karin Franklin's letter to Mr. Glasgow (dated 12-19-94)
which appears to indicate that the City has no interest in pursuing the
matter nor does it appear likely that an assessment would be possible.
However, taking nothing for granted, I felt it would be prudent to present
the attached petition to the Council. We understand Mr. Glasgow's rights
as a property owner and developer, but as residents of the area we feel
our point of view must be presented as well.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter. I plan to address the
Council in the near future regarding this issue. Please feel free to call me
at 353-4394 (work) or 337-4367 (home) with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Bill Hubbard
1445 Oaklawn Avenue
Iowa City, IA 52245
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
PETITION
Honorable mayor and members of the Cit~ Council of Iowa .~.~, I(~va ::Z~;
Residents of Oaklawn Avenue and Samuel Ddve> _
January 30, 1995
We, the undersigned residents of Oaklawn Avenue and Samuel Ddve, Iowa City, Iowa,
oppose the paving of the Virginia Ddve Right of Way between Oaklawn Avenue and the
eastern boundary of the Shimek School property. In particular, we oppose any attempt
to assess property owners in this general area for said road improvement.
SIGNATURE
DATE ADDRESS
January 25, 1gO5
28 South Lirm Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
(319) 356-522O
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
As it is our (Senior Center Commission} responsibility to
look at all the seniors, all of the different points of uiew
and considering eueryone's perspective, we heue as a
group decided that it is in the best interest of the Senior
Center, the senior citizens who participate at the Center
and for senior citizens generally, that euen considering
the problems of the Adult'Day Program, we reaffirm our
prior position to remain in our present configuration and
recommend that the City, County, and Adult Day Program
Task Force look outside the Center for other options.
Moued by Shelton, second by Peters.
ayes.
Senior Center Commission
Monday, January 23, 1go5
Motion carried, all
SUSAN M. FEENEY
719 RONALDS STREET
iOWA CITY, IA 52245
(319) 337-2275
~q
Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County
P.O. Box 2794 Iowa City, IA 52244 (319) 354-7989.
City Council
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington
Iowa City, IA 52240
In re: 1994 Crime Bill
January 31, 1995
Dear Members of the City Council:
I am writing on behalf of the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson
County (NCJC) to request that the City accept the assistance
provided in the 1994 Crime Bill and hire additional officers.
As you know, the NCJC is a nonprofit agency working with
children and parents primarily in the Broadway Street and Pheasant
Ridge neighborhoods. The NCJC has worked closely with the Iowa
City Police Department on crime prevention in those areas. In
fact, the NCJC budgeted a portion of its limited funds to assist
the Police Dept. in paying for co,m,~nity policing last su~,~er.
This cooperation has been successful and is ongoing.
It is vital that the City accept the federal assistance which
will provide for corf~ao_nity policing. Residents of the Broadway
Street neighborhood as well as NCJC staff and board members have
addressed the Council in the past on this issue. The NCJC is
co,mlitted to prevention, and community policing is consistent with
our mission. More importantly, the residents, daily lives are
significantly affected by a high profile police presence.
We are all fully aware that the City's budget has limits. At
the same time, the City is going to have to increase thenumber of
officers soon. The City is growing and already has the lowest
officer to population ratio in the state. If the federal dollars
are accepted now, the City will have three years to plan for the
additional costs of these officers. Consequently, it makes fiscal
sense to leverage the federal money now. If the money is refused,
the officers, which will inevitably be hired in the future, will be
paid for entirely with local money.
Additionally, money spent on prevention in the short term is
a fiscally sound long term investment. If crime and delinquency
are prevented, the government saves money. This savings includes
less criminal court filings, less juveniledelinquency filings, and
City Council
January 31, 1995
page 2
less Child in Need of Assistance filings. Therefore, in order to
save money in the future, money must be spent now.
In closing, let me return to the twin concerns of prevention
and safety. Unlike raany budgetary outlays, co,~uunity policing will
directly enhance the quality of life for the residents. Thank you
for your consideration, and I look forward to discussing this
matter with you at the budget hearing in February.
Sincerely,
Susan Dulek, President
Board of Directors
cc: Chief Winkelhake
Stephen Arkins
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January 31, 1995
CITY OF I0 WA CITY
Charlie Duffy, Chair
Johnson County Board of Supervisors
913 S. Dubuque St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Charlie and Members of the Board:
An application has been submitted to Johnson County by Jerry Eyman to fezone 12.48 acres
from A1, Rural, to CP2, Planned Commercial. This property is located within Fringe Area 5,
west of the Interstate 80 interchange at Herbert Hoover Highway.
At its January 19, 1995, meeting, the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended that the City Council forward a comment to the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors strongly recommending denial of the requested rezoning due to the proposal's
inconsistency with the mutually agreed upon Fringe Area Policy Agreement and because it
wou;d result in urban uses being developed in a rural setting, would prematurely expand a
commercial zoning district for which an actual market has not yet been demonstrated, and
would result in inappropriate land uses being established along a major entryway into ttie
community. The Council agrees with the recommendation from the Commission and
respectfully requests that the County deny the proposed rezoning. The enclosed City staff
memorandum further details the City's concerns regarding this rezoning request.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Horowitz
Mayor
Enc.
EAST WASHINGTON STREET · IOWA CITY, IOWA II2~40-1S;16 · (~19)
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date:
January 12, 1995
To:
Planning & Zoning Commission
From:
Scott Kugler, Associate Planner
Re:
CZ-9465. Eyman Rezoning request on Herbert Hoover Highway from A-1 to
CP-2.
Johnson County has received an application from Jerry Eyman to rezone 12.48 acres from
A1, Rural, to CP-2, Planned Commercial. This property is located within Fringe Area 5, west
of the Interstate 80 interchange at Herbert Hoover Highway. The applicant plans to develop
contractor offices, warehouse buildings, and a convenience store. This property was the
subject of a previous rezoning request filed in May of 1994, together with the 16.5 ± acres
immediately to the east. That request was to permit mini-storage warehouses and a future
convenience store. The Commission and City Council recommended denial of that request
due to its inconsistency with the Fringe Area Policy Agreement and its impact on the
appearance of this entryway into the community. However, the Board of Supervisors
approved the rezoning of the eastern 16.5 ± acres, leaving the 12.48 acre tract that is the
subject of this request as A-l, Rural.
The Fringe Area § Policy states that non-farm development should be confined to existing
zoning within one mile of the eastern corporate limit of Iowa City. This site is located nearly
two miles from the corporate limits. Expansion of the commercial zoning at this location
would be in conflict with this mutually agreed upon policy. To encourage additional
commercial development this far removed from the nearest urban area would be inefficient
transportation policy. The Dodge Street and West Brahch interchanges along Interstate 80
would be more logical locations for the proposed convenience store. The other proposed uses
do not appear to be dependent on Interstate 80 and would be better located within an
urbanized area.
The fact that the adjacent property has already been zoned for commercial uses does not
necessarily mean that this site is appropriate for a similar classification. To date, the adjacent
parcel has not yet been developed. The amount of mini-warehouse space planned for that
parcel seems unrealistic, given the lack of a surrounding population of potential users and the
site's distance from surrounding population centers. There appears to be an adequate amount
of commercially zoned property already existing to reasonably accommodate all of the uses
proposed for the two areas. In the staff's opinion, extending commercial zoning to the west
at this time before any of the existing commercial property has been developed, and before
the actual market for commercial uses in this location is established, would be premature.
When the previous rezoning application was being considered, the staff, the Commission and
the City Council expressed concern about the impact that the proposed commercial
development would have on this entryway into the community. The uses being contemplated
2
at that time, mini storage warehouses and a convenience store, were determined to be
inappropriate for this entryway. The addition of contractor offices, which typically includes
the outdoor storage of equipment, and more warehouses will further exasperate this problem.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Because the proposed rezoning would be in conflict with the mutually agreed upon Fringe Area
Policy Agreement for Fringe Area 5, would result in urban uses being developed in a rural
setting, would prematurely expand a commercial zoning district for which an actual market
has not yet been demonstrated, and would result in inappropriate land uses being established
along a major entryway into the community, staff recommends that the City Council forward
a letter to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors recommending that the proposed
rezoning from A1 to CP-2 be denied.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map.
2. Applicant's Letter of Intent.
3. Concept Plan.
b~c.z-9465
Approved by:
Robert Miklo, Senior Planner
Department of Planning
and Community Development
II
LOCATION .MAP
CZ-9465
A-1 to CP-2
Letter of Intent
To: County Zoning Officials
Pl~ase be informed that Crateway, Ltd. Is requesting the rezoning of 12.48 acres from
A-1 to CP-2. We are interested in meeting a Real Estate Market driven demand for warehouse
space for a cabinet shop and a plumbing contractor. As there are currently voay few to no
choices for companies to gain access for warehouse space, the market need can be well
demonstrated. Please reference our concept plan.
We intend to remove the old crib, chicken houses, hog confinement building, and pump
house as soon as weather permits in the spring. We will kccp the 2 machine sheds to store our
own equipment and utilize the house as an office until the lot is developed. We will not use the
house for residential purposes. Our long term intent is to remove all of the buildings as the
land is developed.
We are excited about the growth potential at this site and the consequent tax base
increase for the county.
IfI may be of further assistance please advise.
Sincerely,
/erfffL. E
Applicant
~man
JL
HERBERT HOOVER HIGHWAY / LOGN. ROA~
N
SURVEYINO AND ENGINEERING
535 SOUTHGATE AV~'¢UE
IOWA CIW~ IOWA 52240
PHONE (~19) 354-1984
TITLE
Concep[ual Site Plan
PROdECT
(;ateway Development Wes[
tel I
January 31, 1995
CITY OF I0 WA CITY
Charlie Duffy, Chair
Johnson County Board of Supervisors
913 S. Dubuque St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Charlie and Members of the Board:
An application has been submitted to Johnson County by Jerry Eyman to rezone 12.48 acres
from A1, Rural, to CP2, Planned Commercial. This property is located within Fringe Area 5,
west of the Interstate 80 interchange at Herbert Hoover Highway.
At its January 19, 1995, meeting, the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended that the City Council forward a comment to the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors strongly recommending denial of the requested rezoning due to the proposal's
inconsistency with the mutually agreed upon Fringe Area Policy Agreement and because it
would result in urban uses being developed in a rural setting, would prematurely expand a
commercial zoning district for which an actual market has not yet been demonstrated, and
would result in inappropriate land uses being established along a major entryway into the
community. The Council agrees with the recommendation from the Commission and
respectfully requests that the County deny the proposed rezoning. The enclosed City staff
memorandum further details the City's concerns regarding this rezoning request.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Horowitz
Mayor
Enc.
b~y.~
410 EAST WASHINOTON STREET · IOWA CITY. IOWA SE340-1826 · (~19) 3S6-S000 · FAX (319) 3S6-SOQ9
376