HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-06-05 TranscriptionJune 5, 1995 Council Work Session 6:35 PM
Council: Horow, Baker, Nov, Pigott, Throgo Absent: Kubby, Lehman.
Staff: Atkins, Helling, Woito, Karr, Franklin.
Tapes: 95-73, Side 2; 95-74, side 1.
Consent Calendar Addition 95-73 S2
Horow/ We have an addition ....
Karr/ The Bread Garden
Gina Mondonero/ On behalf of the Bread Garden I would like to ask
that you add on our license application to your agenda
tonight.
Horow/ Do you have all the papers in?
Mondonero/ They are all taken care of.
Horow/ We will be putting it on the agenda for tomorrow.
Review Zoning Matters 95-73 S2
ITEM NO. 6a. Consider setting a public hearing for June 27,
1995, on a resolution vacating Oakes Fourth
Addition, a 5.21 acre, 11-1ot residential subdivi-
sion located at the end of Quincent Street, north
of Dubuque Road. (VAC95-0001)
Franklin/ Set a p.h...They are re-platting. You will be seeing
Oakes Fifth as a resolution as soon as this vacation is
complete.
ITEM NO. $b.
consideration of a resolution to adopt "IOWA CITY:
BEYOND 2000 -- Iowa city's Vision for the Future"
as an amendment to the Iowa City Comprehensive
Plan.
Franklin/ Resolution on Iowa City Beyond 2000. There is a few
things we need to go over on that so that I know what changes
to make...before you resolve to adopt it tomorrow night. First
of all.. there is three pages that you were given tonight that
are revised pages. I just gave you the revisions ..... Naomi
gave me a number of changes ...... These three pages were
changes that were significant enough that they ..... changed
the sense of what was being said. The first, the Cooperative
Efforts is a more aggressive stance .... third goal down. I
will just assume that you are agreeable to these changes
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unless you jump up and down ....
Horow/ That is very very strong. How did this come about?
Franklin/ Naomi suggested it.
Nov/ I would like to suggest a stronger word ....
Baker/ I don't understand the second one, the page 4 one.
Franklin/ That is because there is a mistake on it.
Horow/ ...first page. What do you envision the word develop means
in this particular one?
Nov/
..... If we are the city government, why should we be
encouraging? .... So being the city government, I thought we
should develop a city government and transportation process
Horow/
Nov/ We are the ones who should develop the process rather than
encourage somebody else to develop the process.
Throg/ I am quite happy with the stronger word. I don't know that
it is grammatically correct though.
Nov/ Change it .... just looking for stronger word than encourage
Throg/
Baker/ It is parallel construction .....
Franklin/ These were written by the task forces and the goal was to
keep it as close to what they said as possible. The idea was
there was concern that both government and transportation
planning process... should be more open to input from citizens
on transportation planning issues .... Move on to the next page
Nov/
Baker/
Arkins/ What if you dropped and. "Develop a city government
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transportation process .... ,,
Horow/ That is a good one ....
Franklin/ "That is."
Atkins/ Does that make sense?
Throg/ .... good.
Nov/ Okay, "A city government transportation process that is open
to input from citizens .... "
Horow/" .... citizens that will ensure .... ',
Nov/ ...whatever you want.
Franklin/ Arts, Culture and Human Development. It is the third goal
down. Promote should be totally eliminated. It should be
"Positive media relationships ....
Horow/
Franklin/ Should we move onto the next one? .... Social Services,
the very last one. That is a change in that 1-the council,
commission, boards or committees are not specifically
mentioned. And then the initial statement called for an
evaluation of the potential impact on social service needs.
The statement that Naomi had suggested is much more direct
Horow/ I like that.
Nov/
Throg/ The previous one made it clear the city council,
commissions, boards, and committees all had an active
responsibility to consider social service needs .... Where it
is currently written it is not clear who has responsibility.
Horow/
Franklin/ Focus of this was on the city organization: the council,
the boards and commissions, any committees of the council.
Horow/ It is nice and concise.
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Pigott/
Throg/ I noticed that we are also proposing to delete the words
"social service needs of the people in this community."
Nov/ That is fine, add it back in ..... I would like something a
little bit more concise ....
Horow/ What did you accept it as?
Franklin/ That as it is written?
Horow/ Yes.
Franklin/ Okay, the other part of this ..... has to do with persons
with disabilities... inclusion concept .... I need a sense of
council as to where you are on this. Do you wish to make any
kind of change in that initial statement? ...suggested by
Naomi is that we look at all the categories that are listed in
the Human Rights Ordinance and include those in that initial
statement ..... The Preamble... that one paragraph statement.
Nov/ ....
Pigott/ In the list...consistent with what we have done ....
Horow/ Has it right in here.
Franklin/ What Naomi was suggesting, I think, is that you include
"In the Iowa city will be an inclusive, accessful and safe
community to all of its citizens embracing all ages, colors,
creeds, disabilities, marital status ....
Nov/ The Human Rights Ordinance has a huge list and the one that I
noticed particularly missing here was ages because we have
had-
Franklin/ In the statement that is in here, culture and lifestyles
I think covers a lot of what is in the Human Rights Ordinance.
Ages is not included. So we could just add ages and then I
think you have got... sexual orientation .... sex you don't
have.
Horow/ Can we leave embracing persons with disabilities and add
aging...Is that what you are saying?
Nov/ Yeah, that was my original thought .... I asked Karin if she
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would find out what the list is that we have in the Human
Rights Ordinance and ask the council if they want to put in
everything that is in the Human Rights Ordnance?
Horow/ I have problems ....
Pigott/ I agree with the ages. I thought Ernie's comment was really
appropriate .... people with disabilities .... If we go with
just adding ages... say something about particularly people
with disabilities.
Franklin/ That is in there now in that last sentence.
Pigott/ But it doesn't say the word particularly ..... emphasis on
that group .....
Horow/
Franklin/ You could put "embracing all races, cultures, lifestyles,
ages, socio economic groups and particularly persons with
disabilities." ......
Nov/
Franklin/ They will advocate that you include in every single
statement reference to persons with disabilities and that is
their position. There is two parts to this. What you are going
to say in this preamble and then it is connected to whether
you are going to day throughout the entire document
highlighting persons with disabilities. The only persons who
gave an opinion at the p.h. was Ernie .... persons with
disabilities should be called out .....
Horow/ My position on this... But in this particular case we have
the persons with disabilities in the Preamble ........
Throg/ Let me suggest this ........ all races, cultures, lifestyles,
ages and socio economic groups while giving particular
attention to persons with disabilities.
Horow/ I can live with that.
Nov/ I can live with that, too.
Franklin/ Okay, that gets us to the issue of the Preamble .....
Horow/ Can you live with that in just the Preamble?...
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Throg/ I was just trying to deal with the Preamble.
Franklin/ Okay, shall we say that is it for the Preamble, then?
Horow/ Yes.
Franklin/ Then the question is should there be further mention
throughout the text of persons with disabilities .... instead
of saying all citizens it would call out persons with
disabilities particularly.
Horow/ I feel this Preamble is sufficient.
Nov/
Throg/ .... Suggest if we state what all citizens means ...... that
has the affect of-
Franklin/ That was the reason for getting into this listing at the
end of the preamble ....
Throg/
Horow/ Would the very first page have the definition of all
citizens again so that it leads into the Preamble?
Franklin/. ~...~. certainly we could do that as a point of
clarification ..... this is going to be in the form...on a
single sheet .... that will have this statement plus all of the
ones behind it .....
Pigott/
Horow/ I am comfortable with that just in the Preamble.
Franklin/ The last issue .... Citizens, residents versus just saying
people. Now, I think that I am correct in saying the task
forces... have always been focused on the people of Iowa City
..... Services and policies and issues that are of concern or
directed at the people who are citizens and residents of Iowa
City.
Nov/ I remember the word citizens was the word that bothered me
because of all the foreign students and professors.
Franklin/ .... this terminology is easy terminology to use and I
can't see that the policies are going to be directed at
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excluding but .....
Horow/ I think we have captured that in the last sentence ....
Throg/
Horow/ You still fall into one of those categories .....
Nov/ The word citizen is a more confining word.
Woito/ Only if you are viewing it as international and law. It
certainly isn't in terms of municipal law. All of our
resolutions... citizens of Iowa City. If I thought I was
excluding I wouldn't use it.
Nov/ Okay.
Baker/ Do we restrict city services now on the basis of residency?
Nov/ Residency but not citizenship.
Baker/ Some services are designed for either residences and
citizens.
Throg/ I can live with citizens...
Franklin/ So, you are okay with that? Okay ....
ITEM NOo 6c.
Consideration of an ordinance amending City Code
Title 14, Chapter 5, entitled "Building and
Housing," Article H, entitled "Site Plan Review,"
by adopting design standards for exterior
stairwells and exterior corridors on multi-family
residential buildings. (Second consideration)
Franklin/ Second consideration on the exterior stairwell thing. You
will have the resolution with the guidelines on your pass and
adopt at the June 27 meeting.
ITEM NOo 6d.
Consider an ordinance conditionally amending the
use regulations of an approximate 1.63 acre lot
located on the west side of Waterfront Drive,
approximately 140 feet north of Stevens Drive from
CC-2, Community Commercial, to CI-1, Intensive
Commercial. (REZ95-0004) (Second consideration)
Franklin/ Second consideration... Boyd and Rummelhart request.
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ITEM NO. ~e.
Consider a resolution approving the preliminary
plat of East Hill Subdivision, a 36-1ot, 13.11 acre
residential subdivision located at 655 Meadow
Street. (SUB95-0009)
Franklin/ Approving preliminary plat of East Hill Subdivision.
Horow/ We received a letter about that this evening.
Franklin/ Yes. There were three conditions that the P/Z Commission
recommended .... approval of the grading and erosion control
plan prior to council consideration. We expect to have that
all tied up by tomorrow night. There was a wetland discovered
late in the game ..... dedication of public access r.o.w.
...will occur with the final plat and those legal papers .....
city acceptance of the developers offer to dedicate outlot A.
The P/R Commission has supported that dedication ..... We are
working on acquiring some land .... so we can extend a trail
from Meadow along the north side of the creek .... connect up
with the Eagles Project eventually. The big issue in terms of
the public... secondary access question .... The developer has
stayed within that number. The neighborhood continues to be
opposed to this subdivision unless it has secondary access. On
Dover Street there is an existing situation there where the
folks who live there feel there is too much traffic on
Dover .... Dover does function as a collector Street here
because it is the only street between First Avenue... Willow
..... Dover is carrying some of this traffic in kind of a
collector fashion.
Throg/ That is the point. that they are making that traffic is
excessive on Dover ..... 'It is suppose to be a local road ....
and we would be exacerbating that.
Franklin/ We would be adding traffic to this street ..... We don't
believe it is excessive. We are not prepared to say there is
a safety issue here that would warrant us limiting further the
development of this property or requiring ...not development
of the property until secondary access could be acquired.
Throg/ .... We also received from staff .... a table with traffic
counts ..... Most were on the order of 200-300 or 400 vehicles
per day. So this is really out of the ordinary for local
roads.
Franklin/ .... But what is the solution to that? ...... One solution
is no development on this property ..... compensate the
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property owner ....
Throg/
Horow/ Have to start thinking about that in any other infill
subdivision .....
Throg/
Nov/ Are we really sure they are going to put zero lot lines on
everyone of these lots?
Franklin/ That is a safe guess because that is what is selling
now .... warm market now ....
Baker/
Franklin/ I am sure they will be phased ..... It could never get any
higher than this, yes. There no doubt will be people who will
be here tomorrow night that will argue .... that secondary
access should be required and the only means to get secondary
access is to go through other property.
Horow/ This is into a p.h.
Franklin/ No... just letting you know.
Horow/ Suggestion in the letter we received tonight is to go
through two exits .... from Catskill Court ....
Pigott/ Come up with two exits.
Nov/ We talked about that at one point ....
Pigott/
Throg/ Even is secondary access somehow magically appeared, that
would enable the developer to increase the number of units in
the area, would it not? ......
Franklin/ I would have to look at .... It is zoned RS-8 now.
Pigott/ He agreed to do 72 ......
Council/ (All talking).
Franklin/ Maximum would be 130 under RS-8.
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Nov/ Other way to think about this is that Dover Street has two
access points and therefore it became a collector street .....
Franklin/
Baker/ Do we have a sense tonight...open it up for public
discussion again?
Throg/ People have the right to speak at a public discussion.
Horow/...for things other than on the agenda.
Woito/ If it is on the agenda people have the right to speak but it
is at the council's-
Horow/ It is not only council's discretion. This clearly says
public discussion, items not on the agenda. We have done this
through council's discretion. If you think there is something
not already discussed-
Woito/ I am talking about... the zoning item. If it is a public
matter, it is always subject to public discussion. It just
depends on how much you guys want to permit it.
Pigott/ I am not afraid of having them talk again ..... I don't want
to shut them off.
Throg/ I thoroughly believe people should have the right to speak
about this .... 72... might try to lower it down.
Nov/ ...we should let them speak...when this item is on the agenda.
Horow/ Okay.
Council/ (All talking).
ITEM NO. 6f.
Consider a letter to the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors recommending denial of an application
submitted by A1 Streb to rezone 73.85 acres located
in Fringe Area 5 east of Scott Boulevard and .5
mile north of Highway 6 from RS, Suburban
Residential,-to CH, Highway Commercial (18.39
acres), and M2, Heavy Industrial (55.46 acres).
Franklin/ Map shows you where this property is .... Staff
recommendation which the Commission concurred with was that
this area has been an area that we have designated as a
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potential expansion for industrial park for years and that the
appropriate way to address this property would be through
annexation of the property and zoning to I-1. Tomorrow I will
be going to talk to the Board of Supervisors at their work
session. It did go through the County Zoning Commission with
a recommendation of approval ..... for the 18 acres of CH and
remainder for M-2 .... back up position, if it is going to be
zoned in the County, I have discussed with A1 Streb that he
consider an M-1 zoning for the entire property ..... that still
allows him to do some commercial development ..... I think that
.... that is a back up position ..... I have had discussions
with A1 about annexation. He is not totally opposed to it .....
need some more chats.
Horow/ If that were designed M-1 would he still put the commercial
along Scott Blvd?
Franklin/ He would have the option of doing that. If he does any
kind of development which requires platting, we review the
plat ...and it requires the city's approval for that plat to
be valid ..... If it is not in the city...we have less
control .... means trying to work with him.
Horow/
Franklin/ The advantage to us...an M-1 would not preclude him from
having industrial development along Scott 'Blvd ..... Ideal
would be to leave it in Ag or put it in Ag Zoning until it was
.annexed and zoned I-1. We are not going to get that. The
county will into downzone it .... This is one possibility ....
Throg/ How likely...land would have to be platted?
Franklin/ Very likely ..... Most industrial and even commercial
development is going to want to have individual lots ....
Nov/
Franklin/
Horow/ Do we have any control over the fact that he is proposing to
realign the stream?
Franklin/ In looking at the plat, yes.
Nov/
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Franklin/ Actually the realignment of the stream would probably be
advantageous to the city in terms of sewering this in the
future .....
Throg/ What would happen if the Board did agree to M-1 .....
Streb... put in commercial uses and Board liked it and we
didn't'.
Franklin/ The only alternative we would have would be .... that we
would look very carefully at the plat .... design
appropriate... require full city standards ....
Throg/ We would'have no ability to deny the commercial use of the
re-platted land?
Franklin/ We would not be able to deny the cor~mercial use but it
might be very difficult to work something out to have adequate
access to Scott Blvd. We control that access.
Nov/
Franklin/ Yes, controlled access road.
Throg/ How important it is to the City of Iowa to retain this as
industrial land?
Franklin/ If we all agree...it is important for Iowa City to have
some place to expand the industrial park... Seems to me there
was consensus that that was true .... This is one of the very
few places in Iowa City where we can have industrial
development... access to rail... access to a road system ....
It is an important piece ..... What we are faced with is rather
the Board will go ahead and zone it CH and M-2.
Throg/ What I am hearing is the Board could make that choice and we
couldn't do anything about it.
Franklin/ You could sue that .... they would have violated the fringe
agreement.
Woito/ You could condemn .... for an industrial park.
Franklin/ With a lot of money.
Woito/ You do have authority.
Franklin/ There are some options...extreme ..... This is addressed
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in Fringe Agreement .... appropriate extension of industrial
development ....
Horow/
Franklin/ Commercial development is going to go more quickly .....
Industrial is more unknown ....
Horow/
Franklin/ The commercial... takes away that industrial land ..... It
east away particularly at prime spots.
Throg/ What puts us in the strongest position to retain the land
for industrial use?
Franklin/ Annexation...puts us in the strongest position .... two
ways: voluntarily and involuntarily... My g0al is to work with
A1 on voluntary annexation ....
Throg/ Short of annexation, what then puts us in the strongest
position?
Franklin/ .... M-1 .... Then the industrial is not precluded on the
east side of Scott Blvd.
Throg/ If part of that newly rezoned to M-1 land ...... used
commercially ..... Would we have legal recourse to block that
in any way?
Franklin/ No ..... taking action under the Fringe Agreement.
Woito/ Pat White suggested that we do that several times.
Throg/ I wonder if P/Z Commission has an opinion?
Sally Dierks/ (Can't hear).. We didn't have those other options
available to us.
Horow/ So you denied it on the fact that it was interrupting the
flow from industrial .....
Dierks/ We figured we would see the plat when it came in. That
would be our second option at some point
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 95-74 SIDE 1
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Throg/ One way to take a strong position...draw a line in the
dirt ....
Nov/ Easier if we just annexed ....
Franklin/ The five of you, are you to amenable to annexation for
industrial?
Horow/ Yes.
Baker/ Certainly voluntary.
Pigott/ I would like to think about it more.
Nov/
Express my concerns about the building code .... I want the
building code .... I am going to vote against the plat unless
we can compromise and get city building codes because that is
right there... close to the Iowa City Fire Station ....
Franklin/ In terms of industrial development of this area ....
anybody who goes into this area...will think twice about doing
it in the county...versus city.
Nov/ Commercial is between the industrial and the city ....
mistake ....
Woito/ So, he is willing to talk to you about annexation in?
Franklin/ We talk about lots of things.
B~ker/
Franklin/ I think he would like to know that if he comes for
annexation there won't be resistance to it.~.. from city
council.
Throg/
Franklin/ Basically all you need to do tomorrow night is to vote on
this recommendation to send to the Board a recommendation of
denial in this rezoning that has been requested ....
Dierks/ I think the P/Z Commission was getting with frustrated with
the Fringe Area Agreement .....
Throg/ We just need a bargaining position with regards to the
Board .....
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Horow/ Are we ready to put the amenities, the infrastructure, into
that? Or at least think about it ....
Franklin/ One project that you just discussed is the East Iowa City
Trunk which would serve... this area ... That would provide
sewer to it... water is already on the east side of Scott
blvd .... There is road access .....
Horow/ Seems to me that the annexation would make sense ....
Nov/ Annexation as a first priority and then .... city building code
as a condition for approving the plat.
Franklin/ Okay.
Throg/ Can we do that? A city building code as a condition for
approving the plat?
Franklin/ Well-
Nov/
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Discuss Local Option Sales Tax
Horow/
95-74 S1
Atkins/ It is up to you all.
Horow/ We have already discussed this. We have had the joint
meeting .... I felt that the various cities that were there
received a lot of information .... Since then I have heard
from a couple of cities who have said that they really
appreciate .... they feel that their boards are open to this
...North Liberty and certainly Solon ....
Pigott/ Sue, could you explain that election business to me. How
would you put it on the ballot and when...?
Horow/ Marian, would you like to give us the run through on when
this can be put on.
Karr/ It cannot be held at a city election. So, according to state
law, it must be held either at a special city election to be
determined by you folks within the parameters of the state
code or at the next state general election which would be
November '96.
Throg/ What is the earliest date by which a special election could
be held?
Karr/ At this point-
Woito/ August.
Pigott/ Could you have it on the ballot along side the November
' 9
election.
Karr/ You cannot have it at a regular city election ....
Nov/ ...put it on with the county.
Baker/ One election date for all localities.
Nov/ Yes, everywhere in the county.
Karr/ Assumably, yes.
Baker/
Karr/
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Woito/ That is only one option.
Karr/ We being the ones who would trigger it because our population
is 50% more of the county. We would trigger it and we would
give them the date that we are requesting. I suppose there are
situations that would exist that other cities might take a
different day. I think with the Commissioner of Elections it
would be one date that would be the best for everybody. The
county sets it but the city requests the date. So it would be
for everybody.
Horow/
Nov/ ...you can tell the county we don't want it .....
Woito/ There is another way to get it on the ballot, special
election or general election November '96 and that is 1700
voters get votes from Johnson County, which could be done from
Iowa City, to put it on the ballot and you take it to the
Board of Supervisors. They have an obligation under State law
to put it on the ballot. They would then call the special
election for it.
Throg/ So what is the purpose of our discussion tonight?
Horow/ I had talked with a couple of you in terms of having it even
raised on the ballot this fall as to whether or not the
citizens would want to vote on it on a special election ....
have a question on the ballot as to whether or not the
citizens wanted to vote for it in a special election.
Pigott/
Throg/ A vote to see whether there should be a vote.
Woito/ Straw vote.
Horow/ ....
Woito/ The short answer is no. The long answer ..... I have called
a couple of former city attorneys .... my own staff. The long
jurisprudence and political history of this country is we
never ask people to vote as a straw vote in a polling place.
We have always asked them to vote on an issue ..... The only
way the populous, other than what we have just explained via
state law to get it on- The only other way you can get a
ballot issue by the local populous is by initiative and
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referendum ..... by Iowa City petitioners .... It would come to
Marian.
Karr/ As an initiative and referendum it wouldn't because it is
limited by our Charter. It would be a petition under our state
code.
Woito/ ..... sales tax cannot be a subject matter of initiative and
referendum. So what you would be doing is trying to say it is
not really the question of the tax but it is whether you want
to vote on the tax. It would not binding.
Horow/
Woito/ Do you want me to continue to look into it?
Horow/ I don't know .... We also agreed... that if we are going to
put it on the ballot as a council we would have to spear head
the educational aspect of this ......
Pigott/ ...I am against the sales tax ....
Woito/ If there are four of you that want to get it on the ballot.
Horow/ I personally do not think we have four people who are ever
excited about this.
Nov/ ..... If I were sure the city needed the money ..... way to
spend it .....
Throg/ Make a couple of other arguments against the sales tax .....
One is we surely should anticipate a decline in federal
funding ..... it will become more intense. We should consider
reserving the $3.9 million annually from the sales tax for
other potential funding needs. Second... in my judgement ....
choice of...choosing between two forms of regressive ways of
paying for a water system: user fees or a sales tax ..... I
would argue you instead...adopting e more progressive rate
user fee structure ....
Baker/
Throg/ ...Surely there are ways to restructure the water rate
structure that is much more progressive .... I am not capable
of devising a rate structure ....
Baker/ Prior proposal that was defeated .... Can I make a
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hypothetical case why we should put this on theball~t? ......
It comes out of the context that says we are faced with a
major rate increase for a water and sewer plant ..... Real
problem with water and sewer ...are financing problems .... We
had forced staff to really look hard... Biggest part of that
refinancing proposal .... is a phased in schedule in which the
bulk of the bonding is going to come in 4-5 years ....
Throg/ Many different ways to finance a particula~
investment .... different kinds of rate structures... Do you
have a regressive or do you have a progressive rate structure?
So the issue I am raising is one of progressivity versus
regressivity on generating the needed funds.
Baker/ We had a discussion about rate structure six months ago and
a majority chose a certain rate structure. So we are working
on those assumptions ..... We are moving on a line here and we
are making decision...now we have to goal of paying for the
project .... phase in water and wastewater .... rates that will
accumulate a substantial amount of money ..... And the purpose
is... What a sales tax option does is offer you the
opportunity to generate in a short period of time
approkimately another $10-12 million that you can apply to
that same funding problem .... What we are talking about is
given an option, does it make sense for the people in Iowa
City to say alright...sales tax .... five year sunset clause ....
save ...in the long run ........ maybe 10% of the sales tax
generated comes from the outside...applied to another
project .... Another savings that a sales tax offers .....
trade off ....
Throg/
Nov/ You pay sales tax on your water bill.
Baker/ We are all going to pay for this. Can you save the people of
Iowa City .... a way here to save another $10-15 million on this
project .....
Throg/
Baker/ ..... What you are doing is you are asking people t6 expend
energy to ask us to give them a chance to vote on taxing
themselves. It doesn't work that way in the overwhelming
majority of sales tax applications in this state ..... As a
city.council we have an opportunity or obligation to say here
it is ..... and here is the amount of money you will save ....
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Horow/ To me right now .... majority of elected officials in this
county .... are not about to take a good healthy educational
program out there to really educate the voters .....
Baker/ If it is just one person on the council...that is not a
driving force ....
Horow/ I agree with you in terms of letting the voters have an
opportunity to do that ..... we can't do it ..... It comes down
to us making a decision to either hold a special election or
wait a year and put it on the general election for 1996 ....
unreal ....
Nov/ I don't know if it is .... Why not wait until 19967 ......
Pigott/
Horow/ I want this to go on all night ....
Baker/
Throg/ ...You both talk in terms of educating the public... about
pros and cons of sales tax .... What about the pros and cons of
two regressive choices versus one progressive choice which is
a different rate structure...?
Baker/ We did talk about rates structures .....
Horow/ We have already gone through ....
Throg/ When we discussed it it was in the contact about the
passionate heat of the moment... We, those of us who had
suggested a flat rate structure, are not utility
economists .... And the majority of council did not instruct
staff to spend a lot of effort and attention into devising a
progressive rate structure. Therefore, staff didn't.
Horow/ We felt comfortable...was not the way to fund .... I still
very comfortable with that ..... There is a majority that has
already talked about this once. We came to a conclusion.
Woito/ I still owe you... water impact fee. All that pile of stuff
I got from you and Ralph Russell.
Horow/ In terms of sales tax, unless I hear differently, I do not
see a consensus here that we go forward on the sales tax.
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Throg/ You might have four votes if Ernie was here.
Pigott/
Nov/
Baker/ I see a political debate occurring like this .... It becomes
a political debate .... The sort of thing that the public
expresses their opinion on through that vote .... it may be
that you put it out there... the public may say I will bite
the bullet for 5-10 years .... What you are talking about here
I don't think will get resolved by this council ..... This
council have said we have reached a rate structure that we
think is fair ..... majority of council... this is another way
to soften the overall impact of water and sewer plant .....
Pigott/ ...Sales tax .... should be considered when we really
face... variety of other issues .....
Baker/ This is a major problem...funding .... biggest construction
project... wait for a bigger problem I hate to see it ....
Pigott/...question is if things go as republican voters would like
them, may we will face those sort of thing...maybe we will
want that choice a year from now .....
Baker/
Nov/
Other concern is that we are voting as a contiguous
metropolitan area .... If Coralville decides to drop
out .... when they are opening a large new shopping center. This
is not.particularly great for the economy of Iowa City.
Baker/ Two points here: I am uncomfortable for the fact that Iowa
City is driving other communities into a decision they don't
want to make ..... Two proposals: One...say to other
communities .... special election ...fails...we will pay your
special election costs .... Second...Coralville .... faced with.
They are forced to take this $750,000 for a year ..... they will
dedicate some use for it .....
Nov/
I am saying if they get $750,000 from a sales tax, they will
get twice that much in property tax from new commercial mall
..that will offset the $750,000.
Horo~/ Times up. Come on ..... W~at disturbs me are those
communities that are looking to Iowa City for help in putting
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this on the ballot .....
Karr/ They can do it on their own...two ways...by motion of a
governing body or combination of governing bodies that
represent half of the population .... Or a petition filed with
the county board of supervisors representing 5% of the voters
of the county who voted in the last state election. That means
1,722 county residents can petition the county board of
supervisors.
Council/ (All talking).
Karr/ 1,722 which is 5% of the 34,441 Johnson County residents who
voted in the last state election.
Woito/ .... just have to be a body.
Nov/...they do have to sign a petition.
Woito/ Yes they would. Someone would have to organize it.
Horow/ I think we have reached a conclusion.
Baker/ Case to made that the public ought to have a choice on the
sales tax option ....
Nov/ It will still be there next year.
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Council Aqenda/Time 95-74 S1
1. Baker/ Tomorrow night we will be singing happy birthday to my
son...lOth birthday tomorrow. I want to wish him a happy
birthday.
Horow/I would like to ask council's consideration and approval
of creating a mayor's Task Force for the Sesquencentennial
..... This is going to take place next year .... to much in with
the county... Does anyone have a problem with this?
Nov/ I thought we were going to appoint a committee to the county's
system.
Horow/ I think the city is going to be asked to be part of the
overall process ....
Nov/ Okay ....
3. Horow/ John Dane has sent a memo to many of us .... recognition of
the commemorative for WWII .... committee that is already
working on this ..... Most obvious day would be Saturday,
September 2 ..... increase your awareness about this.
Nov/ I haven't seen the letter.
Horow/ I will xerox this and get it to you for tomorrow.
Throg/ With regard to the Plaza Task Force, Nick King ..... a
real good person to be on that task force .... design
background... reach him at the mall.
Baker/ Chris Montague ....
Horow/ ..... Jean Hood
Atkins/
Be
Nov/ Question .... Tell me what is two rooming units in relation
to solid waste ..... now it says per two rooming units and I
don't know what that means.
Woito/ Some s.f. dwelling, RS-8...two roomers. RS-5 you can have
one roomer.
Atkins/ Two rooming units shall be deemed the equivalent of one
dwelling unit.
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Woito/ They cannot have a kitchen or a separate bath .... only just
a sleeping area.
Nov/
Woito/ You would be paying as a duplex...
Horow/ I have a questlon...the letter we received from the VA
Administration about the sidewalk along Hwy 6. Is that a
possibility?
Atkins/ I need to do a little work on it .... cost it out ....
University .... we will run some numbers for you.
7. Nov/ Linda, sidewalk cafe agreement. Bottom of page 7..refrain
from .... can we say or similar .... do we need examples...
Woito/ In the next version I can add or similar.
Nov/ I don't want to limit us to 2 for 1.
Karr/ The intent was to give examples of drink specials. Do you
want i.e?
Nov/ e.g. if you mean it as examples.
Adjourn: 8:15 PM.
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