HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-10-24 TranscriptionOctober 24, 1995 Council Work session 6:30 PM
Johnson'County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Council: Horow, Baker, Kubby, Lehman, Nov, Throg, Pigott (6:35 PM).
City Staff: Atkins, Helling, Woito, Karr, Franklin, O'Neil,
Burnside, Smith.
Johnson County Board of Supervisors: Lacina, Bolkcom, Duffy,
Stutsman.
County Staff: W~nite, Peters
Others: Jerry Searle (McClure Engineering Company)
Tapes: 95-123, all.
Airport Master Plan 95-123 Sl
Horow/ I passed out a letter. This is a draft, an example, for both
the Supervisors and the council members to read so that we can
focus on sending this letter to the FAA as a tangible example
of our spirit of cooperation. This is merely one of these warm
fuzzy typed letters. It doesn't set us into cement (can't
hear). So if you just all take a look at it, I appreciate it.
If possible, I would really like us to say hey, way to go,
let's go with it. Those of you who are sitting out in the
audience, this is an informal session with the Board of
Supervisors working on the concept of the Master Plan, the
airport, the FAAdesign. And what I have given to the Board of
Supervisors and city council is just a draft of a letter that
will be sent to the FAA Administrator in Kansas City as I say
indicating our intent to cooperate on this concept and it
doesn't get specific. It deliberately states that we are still
in the process but we are feeling comfortable with it.
Following this letter, if we agree on this letter and Charlie
and I send it off, it seems to me is that the next step then
would be for our attorneys to come up with a resolution that
would agree to whereas and therefores some sort of (can't
hear) to this particular agreement.
Kubby/ So it would be a resolution versus a 28E agreement?
Horow/ I don't see that we are at a 28E agreement yet. If-I don't
see that we are at the 28E agreement yet. Do you, Linda?
Woito/ We have a draft of this?
Horow/ Right, no, no, no but we are not even at that point so that
this-
This represents only a reasonablyaccurate transcription ofthalowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 2
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Woito/ And I couldn't hear you.
Horow/ I am sorry. I didn't have this on. The resolution, after
this letter gets sent, the next step would be for Pat and you
to formulate a resolution that would then be worked out among
all of you.
Woito/ Anne Burnside and I already did a resolution.
Horow/ Okay but that is something that wouldn't go with this
letter. It would be the next step.
Woito/ Right and I will confer with Pat on that, yes.
Horow/ Okay.
Woito/ If that is the approach that you want to take.
Horow/ What are you feeling?
Kubby/ I guess I am just asking because we have a Fringe Area
Agreement and each body interprets it a little differently and
acts upon it a little differently and I guess I want to make
sure that we have a clear and mutual understanding of how we
will act upon the resolution or if it becomes a 28E agreement
or something. I guess a resolution to me sounds a little too
flexible for me. I would like us to be all on board on the
same wave length with flexibility. But to understand that-I
guess I just want to hear from the Supervisors how they are
going to behave about these issues and we should be committing
to the Supervisors how we are going to be behaving when a
developer comes in and wants to do something that may be
different than what is in this concept.
Horow/ Karen, that is the next step. That is why I put down here
that we wish to cooperate in pursuing a joint concept and
making every effort to fulfill our obligations. I totally
agree with what you are saying. But I don't think we are at
that point yet.
Stutsman/ That is the way I took this, too. Is that this is a
letter of intent saying that this is spirit of cooperation.
That we want to work together on this but by no means is this
anything that is in stone or made any concrete decision as to
what we are going to do with it yet.
Thisrepresents only ereasonab]y accuratetranscription ofthelowe City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 3
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Kubby/ I guess I am just expressing that I want those next three or
four steps to happen or however many steps it is after this.
That we need to commit to do that.
Bolkcom/ So, are we being requested to send this letter to the FAA?
Horow/ The FAA has asked that we send them some sort of an intent
of joint spirit of cooperation among our two groups. Jim-
Throg/ Are you expecting that we would read (can't hear) ...
tonight having agreed to the letter as it is written or minor
modifications in which case, I would like to read the letter
now.
Horow/ That is what I was hoping you did.
Throg/ Well, when (can't hear).
Horow/ Right now.
Throg/ I haven't had a chance to read ito So, we will do it right
now,
Karr/ You are also going to have to wear your mics up here or speak
into those here because we can't hear in the back.
Horow/ Okay.
Lehman/ It would appear to me that this should take place after the
presentation. As long as we both like what we hear then I
think we can say yeah, we think this is a great idea and we
are going to proceed with it and I think that will be showing
our intent. What happens down the line when we go (can't
hear). If we do agree with the concept as presented then I
think this is (can't hear).
Horow/ Okay, I must say Ernie, that that- I hadn't thought of that
merely because the Board of Supervisors had been given a
presentation and we have been given a presentation and I had
assumed that from those two points we could, you know, come up
with this sort of a-
Lehman/ And I think that is true. If we are going to have some sort
of presentation I think that should be first and the letter
second.
Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 4
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Horow/ Well, that will hold the Supervisors here.
council/ (All talking).
Kubby/ Agreement or disagreement about the concept plan. I haven't
heard at all any feedback.
Horow/ What we are doing right now is reading this as was
requested.
[Tape Problems]
Throg/ If it is timely-Is this thing working? It doesn't sound like
it. Doesn't sound like it is working constantly. So I will
try. Having read the letter my gut feeling is that we do need
to have a quick presentation of the material so we can know
that we are talking about the same subject. I don't have any
problem with what I see here at all. I think the city does
indeed want to work with the county on this in a very
cooperative kind of way. But the first sentence is real
important because it says the city council and the Board have
endorsed the concept for redevelopment as proposed with the
current Airport Master Planning process. I think we need some
clarity about exactly what that means. Whether it means
committing ourselves to what we see up here or whether it
means committing ourselves to a few key concepts.
Horow/ I appreciate that, Jim, because what I tried to write here
was leave out the word land which indicated a specific detail.
That the concept was just that and that it is a Mater Planning
profess that is now under way. I don't think that this
council- I mean I know our council has not agreed on all the
aspects of what we see here and I don't think that the Board
of Supervisors has either.
Kubby/ We have never talked about it as a council.
Horow/ We have never really talked about it as a council so that is
why I deliberately left it as a concept that is still under
going its- We are pursuing a joint concept and making every
effort to fulfill our obligations.
Pigott/ So this doesn't commit us to that in stone is what you are
trying to say. That is not your intent?
Horow/ No.
Thisrepresents only a reasonablyaccuratetranscrlptlon ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 5
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Pigott/ Right. Because I wouldn't want to endorse this plan as is
without having a full discussion on council.
Throg/ There are certainly elements of it that I think are pretty
good. So I would need to hear from the public and from the
Planning Department and so on to help me clarify this. It
seems to make sense to close down the north south runway given
what we have heard about the other two runways. It makes a lot
of sense to control with shared understandings on the part of
all parties to control land use around the airport,
immediately around it. Otherwise we are going to get into a
real problem in terms of the future of that particular
location and it makes a lot of sense to use that, develop it
commercially and industrial. I think it is very wise. The part
south of the east west arterial I don't want to commit to
because I don't-I mean, maybe it is good, maybe it is not. I
don't know but it is a little bit farther down the line for me
personally.
Horow/ Do the supervisors have a reaction to this?
Duffy/ Again, this is just a concept of the airport plan. We did
not vote on it in our formal meetings. We were presented with
this plan and I am sure that we will have many more meetings
before we approve the plan. But this is just an idea that a
concept is an idea and I think it is a pretty good idea and we
have listened to concerns to the surrounding landowners and
other things. But still we did not vote on it and it looks to
me like it is going to take several meetings to get this
things resolved.
Lacina/ It is also a long range plan. I received a couple of calls
today of individuals, I think, were somewhat misinformed by
some information that is out there. But a couple of key things
have to happen. The first being the failure of the north south
runway. When that concrete fails, the cost of replacing that
runway will be between $3-5 million and at that point we have
to look at the cost benefit of replacing it. So, that will be
a key trigger. But the other thing is to protect the runway-
what is the designation of the-Okay. We are eventually going
to have to realign Dane Road in order to do anything with that
runway as far as an extension. This is not going to happen
tomorrow and if the owners of the property out there decide
that they are not going to be doing anything for a while, they
want to hold onto that property as is, it is going to remain
in their control. So this isn't something that the city and
Thlsrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowe City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 6
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
the county are buying up and we are going to develop this
tomorrow. This probably won't reach completion, in my opinion,
in my lifetime. But at least it gives us a direction to start
the planning for some of that infrastructure and so that we
don't have a house being constructed at the end of the runway
which is going to cause us problems in the future. And as
Charlie says, it is a concept plan. It is going to long period
of time for this to fall into place but I think our joint
effort on this is great. Plus the fact that it is, as Jerry
will point out in a little while, the lots and things that are
in place may or may not happen if somebody comes in and wants
bigger property or smaller properties. This is flexible to
meet the demand as our county grows and the city. And I like
the letter. I think it is very good.
Horow/ Joe, Sally-
Stutsman/ I would echo what Steve and Charlie said. I like the idea
of a concept plan. That this is just a first step in a long
process of planning and development and the idea of the city
and the county working together towards a common goal.
Horow/ Yeah, it helps.
Bolkcom/ I think the challenge before us is really one of trying-
Well, it is a long term plan and we know that property owners
that live out in this area from time to time want to develop
their ground and whatever planning we do needs to try and
accommodate that and so we are looking at probably a long term
development of this area. I think we need to move forward
fairly quickly in determining at least in concept if not
through a 28 Agreement, 28E Agreement, how we see this area
developing in the future so that when we have more
developments come in like Bob Wolfs that we struggled with a
couple of months ago that we can fit those into this plan. And
so I do think we have some work to do to try and figure out
how the county's needs can be met and the city's needs be met
in a mutual way.
Kubby/ And really that is only fair to the property owners that
they know what the expectations are.
Nov/ We have to tell them that we expect to zone the property for
industrial or commercial and somehow project the idea that we
really don't want residential.
Thisrepresents only areasonably eccuratetranscrtptlon ofthelowe Citycouncil meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 7
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Kubby/ Residential is on the concept plan.
Nov/ Not immediately around there.
Pigott/ No, it is just below the east west arterial.
Horow/ Bruno, anything else? Ernie?
Lehman/ I think it is a good letter.
Horow/ Okay. Are you comfortable, Larry?
Baker/ At the end of the presentation and I am assuming-The only
thing I want to make sure about, I think it has been mentioned
before, is that we are agreeing to concepts here. We will have
the concepts in front of us at one time and agree to them
because we had individual meetings with various consultants
and I have a sense of what is going on but I want to make that
that is the common sense.
Horow/ Okay, if you all wish, Jerry, do you want to take it for
about half an hour or less? Great.
Baker/ Preferably less.
Jerry Searle/ Well, if I can keep from tripping over this cord here
and walk between the two exhibits we will get through this
presentation. It pleases me very much to have the opportunity
to see both governing bodies together to take a look at this
concept plan for the area surrounding the Iowa City Municipal
Airport. We were retained to prepare an Airport Master Plan
for the Iowa City Municipal Airport and prior to doing so we
felt that it is essential to consider off site uses in the
entire area as part of the plan because otherwise we would
prepare a plan in conformance with FAA requirements, so on and
so forth. We would have lines on the drawings but we would not
have built a consensus, one that people understood. We felt
this process is very important, very crucial, to the success
of developing the Airport Layout Plan that will accommodate
aviationing of Iowa City and the airport service area over the
next 20 year period of time. We have approximately 50 based
aircraft at the facility at the present. We anticipate there
will be some growth reaching upwards of 70 airplanes and
somewhere upwards of perhaps as many as 40,000 aircraft
operations. We feel that the concept plan that we have set
forth will accommodate that aviation activity and we have set
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of October 24, 1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 8
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
some priorities in terms of attempting to do that. One of
those is to try to move the airport into a position where it
is more self supporting, self sustaining that will generate
more revenue that will be part of the infrastructure much like
the roadway, sanitary sewer system, water distribution system,
so on and so forth, that will encourage the development of
compatible land uses adjacent and around the airport that will
provide for job creation, increase tax base and other
opportunities that we might not otherwise enjoyed to date. So
with that I did give you a handout that basically, I think,
sets forth this and says something about the developing
concept from 1995 to year 2015. It is truly a long range plan.
It is one that will evolve over time and be responsive to ever
changing conditions and the first obligation that we have is
to accommodate the aviation activity that we envision to take
place within the airport service area. I think this plan also
prioritizes the airport projects in order of priorities, being
safety first, preservation second. Preservation we mean
preserving the investment that has already been made. Making
and using as much of that present investment of the airport
facility as we possibly can. Third, our objective is to meet
current FAA design standards and lastly, to consider any
expansion type projects. Expansion being our lowest priority.
In fact this plan is basically not an expansion. It basically
focuses on the first three of the four categories. The plan
also recognizes the public investments that have been made
primarily in U.S. Highway 218 or Avenue of the Saints, Highway
1, Riverside Drive, the sanitary sewer improvements, future
improvements in infrastructure that will be required in order
to facilitate the development. Storm water management plans
that have been put in place and so on and so forth. I think
the plan also recognizes the investment the private sector has
made. As we ought to focus on what the public sector does, I
think the private sector itself has made a substantial
commitment in investment in this particular area that further
promotes the goals and objectives in the community.
Horow/ Jerry, you are about to be interrupted. You can wonder-
(Change of microphone.)
Searle/ (Can't hear). Anyway, the concept plan itself also
recognizes the environmentally sensitive areas, Ryerson Woods,
the County Fairgrounds, the wetlands and hydric soils. It also
recognizes prime farm land and any other agricultural
resources as well as sites that may be considered of a
historic nature. And lastly and I think the plan really
encourages a cooperation between the city and the county and
Thisrepresents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthelowa Ci~ council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 9
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
the private sector. I really think it is going to take a team
effort between land owners, potential investors, developers,
the City of Iowa City as well as Johnson County, other
interest groups, to include even the FAA as a partner in this
project and the IDOT. So it is simply something that is not
going to be done by one individual or by a group of
individuals. I think it will be in essence a collective
effort. Let me explain a little bit the rationale behind the
concept plan itself. Our primary obligation is to consider the
needs of the airport. In doing so we need to accommodate
foremost the aviation activity that we envision and in
considering those options we begin to look at the existing
airport infrastructure, that investment that has already been
made and that is in place. One of the tools that we used is a
program called Micropaver and we evaluated most of the
pavements on the airport site. And this projects the condition
of the pavement in about the year 2000 or five years from now.
Basically the purple with the yellow represents pavements that
are considered to be in fair to excellent conditions, those
with the brown and red colors represent those pavements that
tend to either be in poor or failed condition status. If we
look at the sum total of all the pavement sections on the
various runways we basically see that runway 17/35 is going to
be the first of the three runway facilities to deteriorate and
need to be reconstructed. At that time we consider that to be
a major decision point as to whether or not to invest local
funds in the preservation and reconstruction of that
particular facility. By and large out goal is to have an
airport that can get by with one runway. However because of
winds and other conditions we need a two runway airport
facility. So our recommendation will be in the final master
plan to ultimately close runway 17/35. FAA will concur with
that in as much as they will fund basically the two runway,
that being runway 12/30 and runway 6/24. In conjunction then
with that we would propose to accommodate the various runway
safety areas, obstacle free areas, so on and so forth,
associated with the runway 6/24 and that would include the
extension of 1,200 and displacement of the threshold on each
runway end. This will give us 1,000 runway obstacle free area
beyond each runway threshold location as well as a runway
safety area of 1,000 in length. Basically how that really
works is that on landing the distance available, the distance
between the two thresholds, on take off we can put the
airplane on the end of the runway, have that total run
available, and therefore have a length beyond that we
presently enjoy and allow the aircraft to operate under fewer
Thisrepresents only areasouably accuratetranscription ofthelowa Ci~ council meeting of Octobe; 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 10
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
constrained or less of a constrained condition than they
presently must operate on. Because of the fact that we can
obtain our wind coverage on 6/24 for the larger airplanes,
that basically means that runway 12/30 can be built and
designed to a lesser standards and to that end we propose a
4,000 foot length along with the runway safety areas and
obstacle free areas which we can accommodate on the present
airport property. The site itself consists of about 450 acres
of land that is currently used for the most part for
aeronautical functions. In developing the concept then, it
seemed logical to look at what impact and what would have to
happen to allow the airport plan itself to take place.
Primarily we would look at the relocation of Dane Road and we
consider Dane Road to be a major arterial street in a north
south direction and it seemed quite logical and made some
sense that it should perhaps intersect with Mormon Trek, that
being a signalized intersection and would provide then for
traffic movement along and parallel as well as across Highway
218 ultimately. It also seemed to make some sense that we
would need a east west connector, an arterial or collector
type street extending basically from Dane Road on the south
end of the airport to Riverside Drive. Those are the two main
features in terms of transportation. We would also envision in
some time in the future that there would be a sanitary
interceptor sewer that would extend up along and through the
Willow Creek drainage thus providing an opportunity perhaps
for more intense development at a higher yield. we also
considered the manufactured housing subdivision and how that
would fit into the scheme of things and how that would be
located south of this east west connector. We think that a
range of housing choices given the lay of the land and so on
and so fourth may be a suitable use for consideration. But our
primary focus again is on the area immediately adjacent to the
airport. With the closure of 17/35 it provides an opportunity
to develop industrial and commercial sites on the airport
itself and our objective there is to perhaps consider long
term lease, 99 year type leases with considerable investment
potential that would generate revenues then to the airport
owner. We created an area just north and south of Highway 1
adjacent to an already established commercial area and a 60
r.o.w. that extends through the site, upwards of ten
commercial lots. Again it was pointed out these lot lines can
move from time to time. It is not a plat. It is simply an
illustration as to how it might ultimately work. If we move
then south with relocation of Dane Road to Mormon Trek, we
will propose the acquisition of land approximately 20 acres or
Thisrepresents only a reesonably accuretetranscrlption ofthe Iowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 11
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
so that would extend airport property to the intersection of
218 and Highway 1. For the most part, the airport property now
follows the drainage way along Willow Creek and extends to a
point where it does intersect Dane Road. So if any of you ever
go out to that area you might be able to look at the chain
link fence that was recently put in and that really demarks
the location of airport property at the present. So the actual
amount of acquisition is relatively small in comparison to the
current site. The amount of land that would be available for
commercial research development industrial use is in the
neighborhood of 300 acres if we consider the entire site north
of the east west connector and on runway 17 itself. What we
envision here is an upper end research development park. We
have proposed location of Dane to follow a ridge line that
would basically begin to curve just north of a series of
houses that are located on Dane Road itself. That would allow
us an opportunity to create upwards of ten lots that we would
recommend might be set aside as a research development park
itself. Given the visibility that Highway 218 affords and the
fact that the Avenue of the Saints will extend from St. Louis
to St. Paul, it may some day carry considerable amounts of
traffic and provide an opportunity for folks that own the
ground to maximize their return on the investment that they
have made in the past. That investment will be enhanced by the
fact that we have provided access to the properties, hopefully
utilizing federal moneys to pay for the relocation of the Dane
Road. Ultimately it is something that is going to be caused by
the runway extension itself and with the other infrastructure
component we may see development then sometime into the
future. As we move to the south we kind of set aside an area
that is relatively flat with the northern part of the site
being hydric soils, an indicator of potential wetlands whereby
we set aside a light industrial area and then simply
identified sites to the south and east for future commercial
along Riverside Drive itself. The reason we focused on the
residential was because we wanted to take the lay of the land,
and again, and place a road essentially down the ridge line
utilizing cul de sacs to extend between the various drainage
ways and provide a transition then from the light industrial
to a higher density residential to perhaps a lower density
residential as a transitional kind of area as we move then
closer to the fair grounds and Ryerson Woods itself which are
resources that we think are important and should be protected.
So that in essence is the concept plan and the reason that we
think the concept plan is so important is that for us to
proceed on with the airport layout plan and to deal with
Thlsrepresents only areasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 12
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
specific elements of the airport such as apron area, hangar
location, runway lights, pavement thickness, taxiway location,
runway markings, and all those kinds of things that typically
bore most people, we really feel that we have to get his out
of the way first so we have some direction as to which way to
go and then we can get on with the balance of the master plan
itself.
Horow/ Thank you, Jerry. Any specific questions? Larry? Sally? Joe?
Bolkcom/ ¥eah, I had one relating to runway 1735 and the time frame
in which that might actually be closed. I received at least a
couple of calls from people concerned about that runway after
the accident of last month and rather the time frame gets
shorter as concern about that are expressed or whether or not
we are looking at simply the life of that pavement, when that
pavement wears out that is when it closes?
Searle/ I consider that to be a local decision that be made by the
Airport Commission but we would anticipate that somewhere
within a 5-10 year period of time that the pavement itself
would be at the point of failure and have to be reconstructed.
There is no reason that the time frame could not be
accelerated if that were the desire locally and that is why I
think it is a local decision and is something that the Airport
Commission, especially Howard, would have to wrestle with and
make that decision. Another component of this particular plan
in as much as these industrial sites are we might consider
relocation of some of the municipal facilities to this site on
the airport itself. So I think there is plenty. It is such a
dynamic environment or dynamic area that I think some of the
elements of the plan may be accelerated to accommodate
specific needs.
Lehman/ Jerry, if and when we extend whatever number that is 1200
feet, will it be necessary to have the north south runway open
at the time construction is taking place on the other runway?
Searle/ I think it would be desirable to do that but we would still
be primerily working on this end of the runway and that would
allow us to have a two runway airport. At the time we would
still have runway 12/30 because we don't intend to reconstruct
the entire runway. Where this area is purpose, it represents
basically the expansion.
Lehman/ It would probably be wiser to keep that runway open until
Thisrepresents only are[~sonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa Citycouncil meeting of October24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 13
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
the extension is complete?
Searle/ It would give you a lot more flexibility and better local
service, yes. We have had airports with one runway that we
have had to reconstruct and it always desirable to have two
runways.
Lehman/ What sort of time frame do you envision for the extension
of that airport?
Searle/ I think once the master plan is done I think FAA, assuming
that they have the funds available, would make Iowa City a
fairly high priority and my guess is we could see substantial
movement probably within a three year period of time. Once we
get the master plan done some time in April, in May FAA
approves it. We submit our CIP, their funding is about two
years out in the cycle. So, I would say 2-3 years I think.
Kubby/ Really that is realistic to give it to them in one month and
have them say we will fund it the next one?
Searle/ No. What they would do is program sometime in the fall.
Generally around September 30/October 1 is when the CIPs have
to be in. So, if we are done say March, April, May, somewhere
in that and make submittals by the coming September in the
fall, then we would go into, hopefully, into the cycle and I
do believe that Iowa City is a very important airport in terms
of a national airport system. It is also an important airport
within the state system and given that I do think FAA will
consider and look upon it quite favorably. The other is to
resolve the issue once and for all because the issues
regarding the Iowa City Airport have been around for sometime.
Kubby/ Although if the FAA continues to change what they consider
to be their safety standards, I mean this couldn't be a
confusing issue. I mean looking at 24/6 we can't expand on
either end once we expand this amount. I mean as there are
continual changes in the safety standards that you are not
grandparented in on we still could have challenges in the
future, even with a great plan.
Searle/ Sure, things do change over time but that with all sorts of
requirements.
Kubby/ That is just a big given in life.
Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 14
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Searle/ Right and to that end then I think FAA will look at this as
providing an adequate level of service for 25-30 years and
then it has to be revisited again and when we look at the life
cycle, the investment, the return, we are probably in fairly
good shape. There is one other thing that is of interest and
I would like to pass this out. I happen to be up at Ames last
Saturday and they had on display a jet airplane that is
possibly going to be manufactured in Ames, next to Ames
Airport and located primarily there because of Iowa State
University and this airplane is kind of a remarkable airplane.
When we talk about runway lengths and how we need in the
future, this is more of the state of the art kind of an
airplane. It only costs about $1.5 million.
Kubby/ State of the art price.
Searle/ I want to pass this around because this airplane can
operate quite comfortably at about 4,000 foot of runway and at
sea level a little over 2,000 foot of runway. It is a single
engine jet that carries-what does it carry? Well, I will pass
it around and you can look at it yourself. I think we will see
more of this sort of thing when we look 20 years into the
future. What we will really want to focus on, I think the most
important element of this plan is this opportunity adjacent to
it and at least wise not let this considerable investment in
infrastructure that we have already made not be utilized to
the fullest and maximum extent possible. But I think you will
find that some interest and hopefully they will get off the
ground and they are using various (can't hear) materials that
make planes lighter and so on and so fourth. Recycle plastic
maybe, I don't know.
Horow/ Charlie, Steve, any questions?
Lacina/ Well, one point I think I was in error on and I had
mentioned to someone I didn't think that the Dane Road
alignment would take place for five years and it sounds like
depending upon the funding of the FAA that it could possibly
start taking place in 2-3 years.
Searle/ Yes, I think it really depends onto a large extent, on the
FAA and that is why I think it is important that the FAA be a
partner in this thing because of 1-they are funding 90% of the
cost~
Kubby/ They are a big partner.
Thisrepresents only sreasonablyaccuratetranscrlption ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 15
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
Searle/ And secondly then to keep them fully informed as to what we
are doing and why we are doing it.
Lacina/ So the idea then is that this airport will be more of a
working airport as far as warehousing and businesses around it
and also keeping it open for the University and their uses.
Searle/ Right. I think we should think of the airport as a
commercial and industrial airport facility and develop the
lands that are not utilized for aeronautical purposes or
needs. Specifically use for other kinds of activities that
will promote commerce within the community.
Horow/ Bruno?
Pigott/ Well, one of the interesting things. I notice that you have
some wetlands marked off and tonight we are having a p.h. on
sensitive areas ordinance. It seems that when you sort of
sketched out this plan you have taken into account at least in
part sensitive areas and I was just glancing over at our
Sensitive Areas Inventory Map and wondered how you took that
into account when you sketched this. Will there need to be
refinement of that as we go on?
Searle/ Oh, I think there will need to be refinement because I
think there will even need to be refinement of that particular
exhibit. But what we did is we went to the Planning Department
and they gave us a book, a big book, and we went through that
and took that information and basically sketched on that. So
I think it basically reflects the same thing that is on the
map.
Horow/ Ernie, Karen? Okay-
Nov/ One more comment here. This is a comment that came up at one
of the meetings that I went to with other citizens and if we
are going to consider industrial development we may need city
sewer lines in this area and we may need annexation in the
future sometime. So I just wanted to bring this out as a
potential.
Horow/ Okay.
Lacina/ Just a procedural question now. Linda, we are not in a
formal meeting to be able to take a vote but at the same time
I would like some type of a roll call, straw poll to show the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of October 24, 1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995
Johnson County
commitment. Can we do that?
Pigott/ You don't want to use that word.
Horow/ Don't use that word.
Lacina/ I am sorry.
Pigott/ People said no to that idea.
Lacina/ Could we do that? Could we just start
Audience/ Madam Mayor-
Horow/ Yes?
Council Work Session Page 16
Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
at one end and-
Audience/ In p.h. we are suppose to hear what you are saying. I
don't think anybody back here has heard-
Horow/ Well, that is part of our problem. We have-our mics are not
totally working. This is certainly a public area. We are sorry
if you cannot hear it. What Steve asked whether we could have
some sort of an informal roll call-right, I am not going to
use the word. Linda, what was your answer? Okay.
Throg/ Susan, the question does point out something though. Ideally
it would have been a lot better if we would have been able to
use a 35 mm slide here so that everybody in the audience could
have been able to see everything discussed. So I regret that
was not the situation.
Horow/ I would be interested though in the audience how many of you
have already been to one of the gatherings that the Commission
has had to give this presentation.
Nov/ Many of them.
Horow/ That is pretty good.
Pigott/ Maybe other people could come up and look at this or we
could turn it around if-
Horow/ Yeah, I think afterwards if you wanted to take this out in
the lobby and have just a mini briefing. I would certainly
urge those who have not had an occasion to take a look and
talk to Mr. Searle about it. But I appreciate everybody that
Thisrepresents only areasonabiy accuratetranscription ofthelowe Citycouncil meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 17
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
has come and sustained an interest in this. Okay. Charlie-
Kubby/ Is this about the letter?
Horow/ This is about the letter. I want a nose count. Is it okay?
Lacina/ I would feel more comfortable if we just all went on record
as saying yes we support this in concept, yes we realize it is
going to have to be flexible and build some things into it.
But this gives us direction.
Horow/ Charlie?
Duffy/ Again I will ask-I see our County Attorney is here. Pat, is
this all right to have a straw poll? Not to go over you,
Linda, but-
Kubby/ Informal indication.
Duffy/ We are kind of sticklers on this thing.
Woito/ Can you hear me?
Nov/ Pick up the little microphone.
Horow/ It should be right there.
Woito/ I would suggest that you go ahead and take your nose
counting and head nodding tonight but that you ratify your
actions by form of a resolution (can't hear). Pat, do you
agree?
Pat White/ Yeah. I got some-You probably regret asking because I
have got some substantive questions about this. This meeting
didn't turn out to be anything what I expected it would be and
I think there are a number of questions that need discussion.
Horow/ Okay, can you give them?
White/ I have real problems. I don't know anything about the plan.
I haven't heard it. I haven't a clue what it is and to ask the
Board of Supervisors to endorse a plan that affects land use
gives me some reservations. That is what this says.
Horow/ No, no, no. No, I deliberately deleted the word plan. This
is a concept.
Thisrepresents only areasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa CIW council meetingof October24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 18
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
White/ The letter of intent to cooperate by-
Horow/ Okay, cross out that word plan. Cross out that top word plan
because this is a concept, Pat. I totally agree with you.
Pigott/ What is you just said a concept.
Horow/ I forgot to take that one at the very beginning.
White/ Regardless Sue, it says maps. The question is if this is a
land use plan of any sort, don't we need to go through our
Zoning Commission and p.h.s and comp planning process before
we-before the policy makers say this is how we are going to
develop our land?
Horow/ This is a letter of intent to cooperate. Does that have the
same concern for you?
White/ Well, I don't have any problem with that but in reviewing
the proposed concept including maps, Johnson County and the
City of Iowa City believe it is in our best interest to
anticipate how certain areas will be developed-
Horow/ Okay, want to take out the word map?
White/ I don't have any reservation about cooperation. I am just
not so sure that this one doesn't go too far and you need to
remember also that experience with issues surrounding the
airport will be both an advantage and disadvantage. I have
gone through two trials, have either 4-5 more to go and the
attorney representing the other side is in the room. But not
withstanding that I don't mind saying I have been surprised in
the past at things that I didn't realize were there at first
blush. I think, for example, when we got to trial on the Hagen
case it turned out we adopted an ordinance that said in some
places you couldn't build higher than four feet off the
ground. And if we would have understood that we wouldn't have
done that. But we didn't understand it and so I am very
cautious when it comes to land use decisions visa vis this
airport.
Kubby/ Can the letter be changed to just say that we are going to
cooperate about developing a concept plan?
Horow/ Look at #3 on the second page, Pat. This is really kind of
the gist of this. It indicates that it is a planning process
Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 19
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
still under going.
White/ The problem I have with #3 although that is a policy
question for the Board of Supervisors is whether they really
want to participate in the Iowa City Airport Master Plan and
what the connotations of liability that carries with it.
Lacina/ Don't we now do so, Pat, in that we sign off on the land
use policies? And in that example of the law suits we were
named as defendants as well.
White/ One of the things that I would say to my client when that
point comes is if the city needs your signature on something,
this might be a good time to ask them to hold us harmless on
these lawsuits.
Horow/ Pat, how can we get a letter that goes to the FAA saying
that we have a feeling of mutual
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 95-123 SIDE 2
Nov/ I have no problem with having Pat revise the letter and I am
sure Pat and Linda can get together and do that. I think we
have all nodded our heads and conveyed our intent to cooperate
and not to take off on a tangent on our own. I think that is
all we have to do here.
Horow/ I wanted to use the word comfortable but that is such a warm
spongy fuzzy word that it was totally inappropriate but that
is what we are talking about.
Baker/ If Pat's concern is something that he's uncomfortable with
this ....
Horow/ Yeah. If you're comfortable.
Baker/ If that's something you're comfortable with, knowing what
our intentions are.
White/ It certainly is easily done to write a letter that says
we're going to cooperate.
Kubby/ Can we just address our legal council to do this?
Horow/ Do you to do this tomorrow so that I can get the names or
signatures?
This represents only e reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meetbig of October 24, 1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 20
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
White/ I have not five minutes open for the next two weeks.
Horow/ Oh, Pat, can you delegate this to somebody?
White/ I guess.
Horow/ Okay. I'd really like to push this on, just get it off here.
White/ I don't have anybody else who's been involved in this very
important litigation.
Nov/ Well this is not a settlement of litigation. This is just a
letter of intent to cooperate. I think we can get it done.
White/ Had I known what you were going to do I would've dealt with
it. I thought I was coming to a meeting to hear both boards
discuss this plan.
Kubby/ Not to agree on a document? I was taken aback when.
Horow/ It's used as a tool to kind of move us forward on it.
White/ It skips over what I thought you were going to do, but maybe
you've already done that, which is fine.
Woito/ Is there something tonight that is motivating this that we
could not wait two weeks for Pat and I to get together? Is
there something I am missing in terms of timing?
Horow/ No, I don't think so. Just move.
Pigott/ Let's just arrange for-
Kubby/ The Airport Master Plan is still going to go forward in this
time period. So it is not like we are going to wait to do
anymore planning or have our consultant or Airport commission
be waiting while we are-
Woi~o/ But if you are going to use these two weeks to be
comfortable and come back with something worse I would like to
hear it.
Kubby/ You two can figure that out.
Pigott/ Yeah, why don't you do it?
Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of October 24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 21
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
White/ I can write a letter that says we are going to cooperate. I
am scheduled to be at the Board's formal meeting on November
2 and I think that is the next time I see you and I could have
to them that day a revision of this.
Woito/ Okay.
Horow/ Let me ask Scott Horan, our Chair of our Commission, are you
comfortable? God this word is driving me nuts. Are you
comfortable with this two week period of time?
Scott Horan/ I think so. I am really happy to see everybody
cooperating and getting involved in it. We are just volunteers
trying to do a good job and take care of some community
infrastructure. Two weeks is two weeks after all. That puts it
off a little bit farther and it is of some concern to us and
we would hope that if there was anyway to get it done sooner
we would-
Kubby/ I don't understand this. We are not going to be sending our
Airport Master Plan in the next two weeks or the next six
weeks. We are not going to be asking for any decision made by
the FAA within that time frame. So I guess I don't understand.
Horan/ When we were waiting to be funded for this particular
project and time went on and time went on, two weeks became
pretty important. So it is a consideration, Karen, that is
all.
Kubb¥/ I guess I still don't really understand because we are not
slated to have out master plan finished and turned into them
for quite awhile.
Horan/ That is true.
Kubby/ I mean until the beginning of the year, into spring.
Horan/ We would like to keep, you know, we would like to keep Jerry
working and on his own schedule.
Kubby/ Oh yeah. I would not want to hold up them, the consultants,
doing their job in this time frame.
Lehman/ But isn't this meeting really kind of twofold. i-To let the
FAA know of our agreement to agree and the other to let Jerry
know that we think he is going in the right direction? And we
Thisrepresents only areasonably accurate transcription oftholowa City council meeting of October24,1995.
WS102495
October 24, 1995 Council Work Session Page 22
Johnson County Board of Supervisors/Airport Master Plan
have in fact let him know. So, his work can continue if this
letter is ten days or two weeks.
Kubby/ But conceptually we can agree.
Lehman/ I think the important thing is Jerry knows that there is
conceptually we have agreed to agree.
Horow/ And if there is anyway Pat that you can get this to the
Board quicker than two weeks, fine, that is, you know-
White/ I leave town Thursday morning and I am in trial Monday. So
that there really isn't-
Horow/ Okay. All right, thank you very much.
Lacina/ I might be right after all. It may be five years before
Dane Road is relocated.
Horow/ Thank you, Board.
Lacina/ I do want to commend Jerry and Karen Countryman for the
work that they have done on this plan. They did a lot of work
meeting with people and I want to commend them for that.
Balkcam/ So, will we get together again to do more on this.
Horow/ I hope not. Why would we?
Kubby/ To talk about this-
Horow/ Oh, yes, but not the letter.
Balkcam/ We might want to set aside some time soon to talk about
that Fringe Area Agreement between us.
Horow/ Yes, Charlie and I have to get dates for that.
Adjourned: 7:28 PM
This represents only a reasonably accurste transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of October 24, 1995.
WSI02495