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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-28 Correspondence~,e;en J. GroveP~ b]ayoP EASTERN IOWA GATEWAY TO LAKE MACSRIDE AND CORALVILLE RESERVOIR HOME OF 1050 FRIENDLY PEOPLE CITY Jane RentschlePi GITY CLERK -- CITY TREASURER P.O. L~OX 267 SOl.ON, IOWA .q2333 COUNCILMEN Brian fl. Fleck Dennis D. Goshell Brian K. Hahon Jerry g. HcAtee St, Nerlin Studt March 7, 1995 Dear Council Members, In recent publications and discussions, it has come to our attention that you as a governing board are considering placing the Local Option Sales Tax on the November election ballot. We, as members of the Solon City Council same item, and in our meeting of March 2, 1995 support your efforts. have discussed this voted unanimously to We feel that by voicing our support, that perhaps this would give others the chance to get out and push for this referendum. We also feel that this is a chance for all of us to decide through the ballot box what we are willing to support, as well as pay for. If there is anytiling we can do to further support this referendum, please contact us at the Solon City Office. Thank you, Steven J. Grover Mayor, City of Solon State Historical Sodety of Iowa The Historical Division of the Department of Cultural Affairs March 13, 1995 The Honorable Susan M. Horowitz 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240-1826 RE: St. Ma~y's Rectory, 610 E. Jefferson, Iowa City, Johnson County Dear Mayor Horowitz: We are pleased to inform you that the above named property, which is located within yodt~ community, was accepted for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places by the State Nominations Review Committee at its February 10, 1995 meeting. Once a final version is received in our office, the nomination will be submitted for final review by the National Park Service. Listing in the National Register provides the following benefits to historic properties: --Consideration in the planning for Federal, federally licensed, and federally assisted projects. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires Federal agencies allow the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment on projects affecting historic properties listed in the National Register. For further informatiou please refer to 36 CFR 800. --Eligibility for Federal tax benefits. If a property is listed in the National Register, certain Federal tax provisions may apply. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 revises the historic preservation tax incentives authorized by Congress in the Tax Reform Act of 1976, hhe Revenue Act of 1978, the Tax Treatment Extension Act of 1980, the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, and Tax Reform Act of 1984, and as of January 1, 1987, provides for a 20 percent investment tax credit with a full adjustment to basis for rehabilitating historic commercial, industrial, and rental residential buildings. The former 15 percent and 20 percent investment Tax Credits (ITCs) for rehabilitations of older colrunercial buildings are combined into a single 10 percent ITC for commercial or industrial buildings built before 1936. This can be combined with a 15-year cost recovery period for the adjusted basis of the buildings. Certified structures with certified rehabilitations receive additional tax savings because owners are allowed to reduce the basis by one half the amount of the credit. The Tax Treatment Extension Act of 1980 provides Federal tax deductions for charitable contributions for conservation purposes of partial interests in historically important land areas or structures. For further information please refer to 36 CFR 67. [],102 Iowa Avenue Iowa Cit); Iowa 52240 (319) 335-3916 Capitol Complex Des Moines, Iowa 50319 (515) 281-5111 ~Montauk Box 372 Clermont, Iowa 52135 (319) 423-7173 Page 2 --Consideration of historic values in the decision to issue a surface coal mining permit where coal is located, in accord with the Surface Mining and Control Act of 1977. For further information, please refer to 30 CFR 700 et seq. --Qualification for Federal grants for historic preservation when funds are available. Elected officials, representing the communities within which nominated properties are located are encouraged to comment concerning the propriety of those nominations and the accuracy of nomination content. A fifteen day period of public comment, during the period of Federal review, follows the listing of this nomination in the Federal Register. Any comments previously submitted to the S~te Nominations Review Committee are automatically forwarded as part of the nomination and need not be repeated for the Federal review. If the owner of a single property nomination or a majority of private property owners in a district nomination object, a property will not be listed; however, the Keeper of the National Register can make a determination of the eligibility of the property for listing in the National Register. Ifthe property is then determined eligible for listing, although not formally listed, Federal agencies will be required to allow the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment before the agency may fund, license, or assist a project which will affect the property. Should you have any q est~ons about the National Register of Historic Places, or about this nomination in particular, please feel free to contact me at the Historical Building, Capitol Complex, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319, or by calling (515) 2814137. Sincerely, National Register Coordinator James E. Clayton The Soap Opera 119 E. College Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Iowa City Council Civic Center Iowa City, IA 52240 March 13, 1995 Dear City Council Members: Titis letter will present some questions and observations about the sidewalk cafe question. I am examining at this as it would apply to the pedestrian plaza only since the plaza area is the most unique feature of our downtown and the one I am most familiar with. I'll first comment on the draft ordinance and then later on areas not addressed at all by the ordinance. SECTION 4-5-3, 2. A, Should this section mention that the area under license be open for business at the time alcohol was being constimed? In other words, just because you are in a licensed area you can't drink unless the area is open for business and has sold you the beverage. SECTION 10-3-1 DEFINITIONS RESTAURANT: Perhaps you need to specify that the restaurant be a year round business, not just a summer one. Also, how do you enforce the requirement for the "primary function" of the business to be food service'? Could you require the business to advertise as a restaurant and in addition not have advertised cocktail or beer specials? Could you also ban the use of disposables in the food and beverage service on the plaza? SIDEWALK CAFE: Why don't you allow the cafe to occupy the space outside of zone 1 that is directly in front of their business? They could use all of zone 2 and only that part of zone 3 that would not have their tables etc. encroaching into the fire lane. A food %7 business on the second floor of a downtown business building could in that way also have a sidewalk cafe. USE FOR SIDEWALK CAFES: 10-3-3, A. Permitted uses: 2. If the cafes occupy only zone 2 and part of zone 3 directly in front of the building then there would be little difficulty in determining if they were indeed set up in the right axea. There is a strip of 2 bricks 10 feet in front of the downtown plaza buildings that exactly defines the end of zone 1. So, if a cafe was not over that line of bricks, not in the fire lane and not outside of their side property lines extended to the street, then they would be where they belonged. Otherwise, the police had best be carrying tape measures when and if they answer a complaint. B. Usable sidewalk Cafe Area: 1. Use just zones 2 and part of zone 3. If zone 1 is kept as a sidewalk area then customers can "window shop" without having to navigate around cafe areas. I am certain that once you get them "navigating", they will move out to the fire lane and cease to be influenced by displays in our retail windows. 2. I have a hard time visualizing how large an area of the "corner" defined must be free of tables. Even tables in zone 2 could impede movement from the central fire lane, through zone 2 to the zone 1 sidewalk. What would prevent customera from rearranging the tables to suit their needs? They do it all the time on the inside of restaurants. 3. How will you be sure the ropes get put up right at the beginning of each day? Will there be marks on the plaza? Do you need to specify that vehicles are not going to be pemdtted on the plaza to bring the tables in during the morning and then return to haul everything away in the evening? 4. You should indicate that the trash barrels are "city provided" and not for the use of the cafe. 2 C. Days and Hours of Operation: 3. Eight AM to Nine PM. It could be difficult to enforce the closing time when people are eating a meal. It would be better to start to close earlier in order that the plaza be clear before the large groups of students congregate and line up for the big bar openings. 4. Food and beverages should be available all during the time the tables and chairs are in place, The care could not close for 3 hours mid~day and leave the equipment outside. Once set up on public way they would have to be open continuously until the equipment was removed. D. Sound Equipment: 1. What about non-.amplified entertainment at the care? Would you want a jazz band or salsa band playing in a cafe area? Maybe you need to ban any entertainment in conjunction with the cafes and also indicate that music from inside any establishment should not be audible outside. E. Sidewalk Care Easement Agreement: 2. I would like to see you notify 3 property owners on each side of the proposed use. You should also post signs on the plaza to indicate an application is in process. 5. What if the wind blows a canopy or chair into a pedestrian or through a store window? Should the cafe be required to have special insurance for possible injury to pedestrians or other businesses? F. Operation of Sidewalk Cafes: 2. Do you really need to allow the name of the cafe on the tables and chairs'?. I think the umbrellas, which I assume would be used owing to our pigeon population, would be adequate identification. 3. Do you need to define how wide an exit is needed? If you just use zone 2 and part of zone 3 this would not be a problem, as the care would be away from any building entrance, 8. The monitor needs to be someone not going to and from the sidewalk to the kitchen. A waitress may be away from the area for several minutes at a time and could not perform that function. 3 9. The cafe needs to clean the plaza when they are finished. This means all the trash and anything that has spilled or broken on the pavement. Perhaps a way to help this along would be to ban the use of disposables at the cafe. This would also tend to reinrome the definition of a restaurant. A real restaurant would use china plates, real glass, real silver and cloth napkins etc. 10-3-4 NUMBER OF PERMITS; USE LIMITATION, EXCLUDING SIDEWALK CAFES: Actual practice now being observed is for two periods of four days each for sidewalk sales. 7. Section 10-5~8c c. I don't understand what you mean by "Buildings extended on to etc." Some other questions not addressed by the draft ordinance are: 1. What happens during bad weather or brief storms? Does the cafe equipment go in and out as the weather changes during the day? Once in, must they stay in? 2. What do you do to make enforcement easy for the police as to location, hours or other violations of this ordinance? The police have almost no success enforcing parking restrictions in downtown alleys, enforcing the noise ordinance or even keeping bikes, roller blades and dogs out of the plaza. I know they are on the job when the bars get busy but I never see a police officer on foot during my hours downtown. 3. When you look at potential locations for the cafes you must examine every building. Use by one type of tenant toady may not be the same tomorrow. 4. What would prevent a restaurant from using the care as a waiting area for patrons when there is not enough room inside the restaurant? Would the cafe become an extension of the bar rather than the restaurant? 4 My major concerns still involve unobstructed access to my display windows by pedestrians. If them were five cafes downtown, each seating 20 people, this ordinance proposal disrupts use of public way by the majority of pedestrians in favor of a minority of five restaurants and 100 diners/drinkers. I have seen how enforcement of ordinances works in our downtown community. I have great difficulty understanding how you could ever successfully enfome this ordinance. Thank you all for agreeing to more critically study this draft ordinance. 5 March 1, 1995 To: Steve Arkins and members of the City Council From: Morgan Jones 401 Linder Road NE iowa City IA 52240 (354-1157) am writing regarding the expansion of the intersection of First Avenue and Muscatine in Iowa City. As owner of the two apartment buildings on the northwest corner, I am, of course, concerned about its effect on my property. I have reviewed the preliminary concept drawing and have visited with Rick Foss regarding the matter. He suggested that I write you. I certainly realize that one cannot stand in the way of progress. However, I would like to express my concerns and ask some relevant questions. My buildings are currently very close to the roadway, and are about to be closer. The increase in traffic and noise will be detrimental to my property. Additionally, I have a large Colorado spruce and a beautiful pine, each of which is about twenty years old, gracing the property. These have been grown at some expense for transplanting and for maintenance. I feel they add substantially to the appearance of this well-maintained property. Would you be able to address these concerns? Can the roadw&y be adjusted in any way to obviate the necessity for moving the roadway so far to the west? Can the trees be saved? Can the engineer be directed to save the trees, even if it involves some expense? Thank you and the members of the council for your consideration of my questions. Separately, would you please place a copy of this memo in the "Council packet?" Respectfully submitted by Morgan Jones. To tile Iowa City Council ,110 PlashingLon St. 1o~qa City, Iowa 52240-1826 28 February 1995 I am m'ltlng to you about the East Loop Bus Roule or {The Special}. On February 27 tilere was a ice storm t, hat hit during night and tile Iowa City Schools were delayed for 2 hours. I would like to thank Ron Logsden and Joe Fowler for running tile bus one mor~, extra round. This was a greatly appreciated by tile students as wcli as tile parents, I talked to Joe Fowlel, today and he said that Ron Logsden made the call Io run it one more round. There were a lot of riders, so it paid off. Tills route bas been a great help to the people who use it and they are most appreciative for this. co:Joe Fowler Ron Logesden Thank You Vice President of the Grant l~ood Neighborhood Assoelat Ion HOME E)UILE)ERS ASF OCIATION OF IOWA CITY P, O. B o X ~3 8 8 I~ Iowa City, Iowa ~58244 Phona:(819) 351 -5~)~)3 March 14, 1995 Iowa City City Council Civic Center 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council: The Home Builders Association of Iowa City would like to promote an alternative for our builders to reduce solid waste in the landfill. We believe that builders will take the initiative to sort clean wood froin other construction debris at their construction sites and transport it separately to the landfill where it could be handled in the same fashion that tree tritonrings are now processed. For the City of Iowa City and the entire JCCOG region, our community and county would benefit by such a prograln by reducing the cost of handling this debris and diverting it into a positive recycling alternative. We seek your help, however, because the key to the builders enthusiastic acceptance of this alternative, we believe, is action by the Council to halve the tipping fees for this clean wood debris. No cost would be involved to begin this program, and the cost-saving of diverting these products froln the landfill waste stream would be significant. This proposal can truly be a "win-win" situation for everyone involved. We hope that this proactive interaction by the Home Builders Association can replace confrontation and become the norln for addressing future challenges faced by our membership. To that end, we anxiously await your consideration of this initiative and look forward to working with you. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Ernie Galer President Home Builders Association oflowa City affiliated with NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS & HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF IOWA March 20, 1 ~-9.5 MEMORANDUM TO: Susan Horowitz FROM: Nila Haug RE: Second request for mediation regarding city staff disputes January 31, 1995 I wrote to City Council members requesting mediation concerning ongoing problems I am having with city staff. I have not received a response from the City Council, but did receive a letter from the City Manager which he indicated he sent also to you. It appears to me that Mr. Atkins has assumed the liberty of taking over my request and is dismissing it as my other requests have been. I was told by Doug Boothroy that I needed a basic permit for the remaining work to be done on the main floor of this house at 521 E. Washington, but my check dated December 7 to the City for a permit has been returned to me not cashed. They are denying me, again, the possibility of obtaining a permit and thus holding up the work. This has been a practice of the inspection department in my case as well as many other cases, as I have been told by other Iowa City residents attempting to get work done. As noted in my first letter to Mr. Atkins, there was a deadline for this project. The city's stonewalling actions have caused the deadline to pass without the completion of the work and additionally have created a financial hardship for me because of the work not being completed and therefore not being able to produce income for all the expenses related to the project. Mr. Boothroy has on several occasions threatened litigation to me. I am sure the tax paying residents of Iowa City, myself included, would not appreciate him and the city using our taxes on frivolous cases such as this. Also, Ron Boose has gone into the house at 521 E. Washington without calling me, without an appointment, without permission, and without announcing who he was when he entered. This is against City code and I know other inspectors have been chastised by Ron for doing this same thing. I have considered filing trespassing charges. I have been given conflicting information by different inspectors in the department. The information given is not consistent even to me on different occasions of this project. I believe I am being jerked around and harassed and I am sick and tired of this treatment. I would like to have the opportunity to tell the specifics of my side of this conflict. The report prepared for Mr. Atkins contains many errors or outright lies. It seems to me to be illogical to go to the offending party for input and not also to come directly to me to find out what the problem is from my perspective. I was told a procedure for mediation was available to settle disputes to avoid wasteful use of tax money and, again, this is the assistance I am requesting so I can get on with my house remodeling. Please set up the r~eeting with an independent third party to meet with Steve Atkins, Doug Boothroy, Ron Boose, Noland Bogaard, and me so we can attempt to get this settled. My goals for this mediation are; To complete my present project, To clear up misunderstandings for future interactions with the city, and Achieve a more cooperative, helpful attitude by city employees in the inspection department. I am awaiting a response from you as city council members. JOHNSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY March 17, 1995 Susan Horowi~ 1129 Kirkwood Ave. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dem' Mayor Horowitz: On behalf of the Board of Directors, the 750 members of the Jolmson County Historical Society, and the 12,000 people who participated in museum visits and activities in 1994. I thank you for your continaed annual support of the Heritage Museum. As you know, the Heritage Museum provides an essential service to our community and contributes. to our quality of life. In fact, the Heritage Museum is, at present, the only facility that presetwes, interprets and teaches our local history. In FY94, the City of Iowa City provided $2300 in support of our operating budget. For the 1995 fiscal year, you have increased that amount by $700. We will raise the remainder of our $100,000 operating budget through membez~hips, revenue-producing programs, grants, and a $25,000 county appropriation. The support of the city and county governments, as always, is the seed money which helps us to attract grants, donations, and memberships. Please understand that it may not be possible to continue expanding the services of the museum under circumstances of low or level funding from local governments; rising prices; and the chilling effect of the 1994 elections on personal and croporate giving. Indeed, services may be curtailed in some ways. I appreci.ate tlic difficulty of c 'eating a city budget which meets the particular needs of our I m sure you did 3'our best under very difficult circumstances. And, once more, I community. ' , thank you for your continuing support of the museum. Reggrds~, '~; (.~Lafirie Robinson Museum Director cc: Arkins Coonc, I For ,~s ~a+,nu,nq eFFOrts ~oor ~/evr~e~ ~re cer+~tnl~ h,~h on ~,s I,~, but on~le +o ~e~ F~adl~Y m~e%FnnS' ~ Full Mon~q n,%h+ ~ce ,n~o~M ~nd ~,m~s, ~a6,n~ OF~,ce hoor~ , once. ~8&n FOr gout e~or~ CO March 16,~ 1995 Dear Mayor Horowitz~ I am now paying approximate]y.$3.80 to dispose of a bagof'trash - and this does not include yard waste. I don't mind paying to ed- ucate the neighbors kids ~ut they can damn, wel~ pay for their trash collection. When is the city goin'g to a combination of' special bags and labels? Awaiting yo~ur reply, ~ remain~ ~ery truly yours, Robert G, DostaB 326 Douglass St. Iowa City, IA. 52246 cc~ ICPC' March 8, 1995 TO: RE: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council Civil Service Entrance Examination - MAINTENANCE WORKER I ~ SENIOR CENTER. We, the undersigned members of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do hereby certify the following named person(s) in the order of their standing as eligible for the position of MW I - Senior Center. William Thomas Hired: 3/8/95 Marc Miller Hired: 3/24/95 ATTEST: Mar'~-an Karr, City Clerk IOWA CITY CIVIL BERVICE COMMISSION Michael W. Kennedy, Chair March 8, 1995 TO: RE: The Honorable Mayor and Civil Service Entrano~ ~ BENIOR CENTER. City Council nation -MAINTENANCE WORKER I We, the undersigned member: the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do the following named person(e) in the order of their standJ eligible for the position of MW I - Senior Center. ' WillJ Hired: 3/8/95 Hired: 3/24/95 IOWA CITY CIVIL BERVICE COMmiSSION ATTEST: Marian Karr, City Clerk