HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-08-29 CorrespondenceI would like the Iowa City council to strongly consider keeping
the East Loop busAllunninii.,_M~ child rides this bus during th~
1~1 ret~u~ni~ from
would like to have the opportugity ~o have
ride this bus next yea~ (1995-96). --
Name:
Address: ~.~
City, la. 5224_~.
£L~y £ouncLi
£LvLc £enter
iowa CL~y, Za 522~0
RECEIVED "' '"'
602 It/fiL(Ln~. dye.
Pgeaae ~tefer ~o ~he a~acked ahee't. whLch ~eZZa a6ou~ ~ea ~oLnea, Ia
paaa~n~ a acoope~ Za~ Ln ~e~a~d ~o pe~aona waZ~gng
~ave made L~ a aLmpge mLadeameanoa ca~aLn~ a flLne up ~o $/00 and/or
up ~o 30 da~a &n
I~e aaLLcZe crush6 my eye because I ZLve aL~h~ nex~ Lo S~Lmeh Scfiooi.
you wouZdn '~ 5eZLeve ~fie numbea o~ do~ ~ha~ peopie (o~ [oo~ oa by auLo}
~ahe ~eae ~o ~uan ~fi~ gooae ~o~ exeaeLae. I have had enou~ do~
daoppLn~a on my eoanea paopea~y {wilLeft I have had ~o pLch
wouZd mahea Zot o~ moqey Lff ~Lnea meae-caaaLed ou~.
aee ~fie camp ~o many ~cmea c~ ~oea ~Aaou~h ~he iawn morea. I~ La a~o
daa~eaoua aunnLn~ over ~ha~ ~u~ wL~A a morea aLnce
iopea on ~o ~cdea. /fie mo~e~ a/Ldea do~n L[ 6fie daoppLn~a aae
a~LZZ p~e~y moLaL
o~a ooy~, a thcad. ~ade% ~o convcnce ~he bea boLnea CL~y Council wily
6fie cL6y ahouZd ~av~ ~uch a law. 1~ La becomLn~ more 9~ a problem
aLnce we aaea ~nowcn~ communL~y wLth moae peapie and mone dora.
I ~no~ ~ha~ ~ou ~ave.a 6ua~ ac~eduZe eoneeanLn~ mone~ end ~axea e~c.,
ae~ a iaw ~Aeaeby peopZe ~ouZd be aeaponaL6Ze ~o~ pLehLn~
~AeLa pe~a oa face a[Lne L~ ~Ae~ aae appaeAended. d~ ieaa~ L~ ~ouZd
make ~em ~ALnA e6ou~ L~ and no~ 6e ~o L~aeaFonaL6ie.
~veiyn KraZ
~achmen~
Des
Moines passes scooper law
By CHRIS OSHER
Thanks to 9.year-old Jake
Norman, dog owners now will have
to use scoopers when they walk their
pets in Des Moines.
On May 2, the Hubbell Elemeatary
third-grader outlined to the Des
Moines City Council reasons why the
city should have alaw requiring dog
owners to clean up their pets' drop-
pings.
Norman's comments evidently
caught the attention of man~ resi-
dents.
"I had an overwhelming number
of cmtstituenta that called and said
that's a good idea and needs to be im-
plement,ed," Mayor John ':Pat"
Dorriah said.
Oue woman sent a let~r to Don'i-
an complaining that some dog
owners exercise their pets on school
playgrounds.
"5he didn't think that was appro-
priate because children use them,"
Dorrian said.
So the City Council last week
passed a new law making it a aimpl,e,
misdemeanor for a pet owner to iau
to clean up after a pet. Simple rais-
deemeanors carry a free up to $100
and/or up to 30 days in jail.
Doman said it's an issue that ev-
elyone can relate to, unlike some of'
the more arcane sllbjects ~he ~otmcil
deals with, such ~s tax.increment fi-
nanring.
"I don't know anyone that hasn't
had to deal with it at some time,"
Dotclan said. "But I don't have a big
problem with it at the present tirae.
There's not a lot of irresponsible pet
omersia my neighborhood."
A city imvyer had said it might be
hard to enforce the new law, but the
councd refused to take that as an ex-
"Well. murder's hard to enforce,
too," Dorrian said.
Dog_o. wner~sw. ql~.,lfl~:_~l li~
th~' being singled out. The new
law also applies to cats, homes and
other animals. "--'
August 14, 1995
Dear City Council,
I am writing in regards to the annexation and rezoning of over
100 acres of ]and at the intersection of Hwy. 1 and Hwy. 218. I am
writing a second time in hopes of clarifying my concerns. I am not
opposed to the annexation and rezoning as proposed by Howard
Winebrenner. The best use of this land is probably commercial. It
is inevitable that some sort of commercial establishment will occupy
the land.
However, I would like to call the council's attention to the matter
of traffic safety. Myself and the residents of R.H. Davis
Subdivision (on and around Kitty Lee Rd.) travel the proposed annexed
stretch of Hwy. 1 several times daily to get to and from our homes.
Traveling this area frequently, we know how dangerous this highway
can be. The residents of this area have signed a petition opposing
the annexation and rezoning due to the lack of safety precautions
taken to accommodate the increase in traffic. The dangers include
poor sight distance on the viaduct from both directions, and little
lighting. On several occasions I have meet a car "head-on" traveling
on the wrong side of the median. My neighbors have similar stories
of "close calls" on the viaduct.
I would like to shift my attention from safety on the highway in
general to safety at the intersection of Hwy. 1 and Kitty Lee Rd.
Kitty Lee Rd. is located roughly 1200 feet west of Naples Ave, the
access for Winebrenner's proposed businesses. It can not be disputed
that a car dealership, and possibly a restaurant, and gas station
would bring considerably more traffic to and from both directions on
Hwy. 1. Kitty Lee Rd. and Hwyo 1 already represent a dangerous
intersection in that there is no turning lane and no street light.
In addition, the highway is poorly designed at this point. The
lanes merge and the median ends exactly at Kitty Lee Rd. creating a
"bottle neck" effect if you will. Kitty Lee Rd. is not included in
the annexed area, nor do the residents of the area desire it to be
so. However, the concerns over traffic safety are a legitimate
concern when considering bringing more traffic in this direction.
If Mr. Winebrenner builds his car dealership and other businesses
this intersection will undoubtedly be made even more dangerous by
virtue of the increased traffic.
I am told Hwy. 1 is a state highway and therefore under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. I am bringing
this matter of traffic safety to the attention of the city council
so that something can be done to alleviate these concerns in light
of the increased traffic the annexation and rezoning will bring. I
do not wish to see the residents of the area "between a rock and a
hard place" in trying to get someone to do so~'~li'~'~B~l traffic
safety. The DOT saying the city contributed to'the problem and the
city saying the DOT has jurisdiction, and each wanting the other to
finance the improvements. ll'l ~ ~ ~.-~,~.~
The city (county and state) have seen steady growth in this area
west of town. This is evidence by traffic related issues the city
has already had to address on Hwy. 1, namely the intersection of
Hwy. 1 and Mormon Trek. The traffic increase seen at this intersection
just down the road do extend on Hwy. 1, over the viaduct, past
Naples Ave., and Kitty Lee Rd. There are new businesses on Hwy. 1
and new subdivisions past Kitty Lee. There are also greater and
greater numbers of people using Hwy. 1 to commute to Iowa City from
Washington and Kalona. I would like to point out that now is not
the first time the residents of R.H. Davis Subdivision have raised
the issue of traffic safety on the highway. The DOT has been
contacted in the past. Mr. Winebrenner's proposed development made
me feel the issues of traffic safety must be pursued even more at
this time.
Again, I would like to reiterate that the residents of R.H. Davis
Subdivision are not against Mr. Winebrenner. But myself and the
residents of the area want safe passage on Hw~. 1 for the residents
of the area as well as Mr. Winebrenner's customers. Please think
about how rezoning is Going to affect traffic flow and how these
issues can be resolved. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Regina Alatalo
3671 Olde Oak Ln. SW
Iowa City, IA 52240
238-9562