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Home My WebLink About1998-10-20 CorrespondenceACC 'SS Your Neighborhood Network Public Access ]'elevision October 13, 1998 Iowa City City Council 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Members of the Council, You are cordially invited to attend the grand (re)opening of Public Access Television, Inc. (PATV) on Friday, October 23. As you are aware, PATV relocated this last summer in order to accommodate an ICN classroom in the Iowa City Public Library. We're now located at 623 S. Dubuque Street, in the old train depot district south of the Holiday Inn. On October 23 we will be celebrating our grand opening from noon until 7 pro. The Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will be coming to officially "cut the ribbon" at 2 pm. We would be honored to have you attend this event. Sincerely, gen~ Paine Director 623 S. Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Phone (319) 338-7035 e-mail: patv@avalon.net web site: http://www.avalon.net/~patv Date sent: To: From: Subject: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:49:51-0600 council@blue.weeg.uiowa. edu Ben Lewis <bdlewis@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> Lights downtown Dear City Council, I want to let you know that the new lights downtown are far too bright for astronomers in Van Allen Hall, but that is not the only problem. I have followed the issue and have read that the City's solution to the problem will be to deflect the light onto the ground. My problem is that I believe the lights are also too bright on the ground also. If there is a way to look into lower-powered bulbs, or possibly a different color (yellow-ish?) it would make the downtown more pleasing at night. I realize safety is an issue, but creating an artifical "day" by installing brights lights is also dangerous because I believe it drives people away from the area at night, making it a more "deserted" place for people to walk and makes it very aesthetically unpleasing. I have always liked the fact that Iowa City does not try to create an "artificial day" outside at night, because people need to be able to see stars and some darkness. Thanks for taking this into consideration. Ben Lewis Iowa City Resident Ben Lewis 319.341.0588 benj amin-lewis@uiowa. edu http://www. lh.net/bdlewis Fri, 9 Oct 1998 08:03:06 OCT I i?78 L. October 8, 1998 4222 Harmony Ln. SE Iowa City, IA 52240-9385 (319) 337-7722 JTGardens@aol.com Mayor Ernie Lehman, During the past few years I have often sensed that you harbored a great deal of contempt for those of us whose political views differed from your own. Even so I was surprised to see it so vehemently expressed in your letter that appeared in the October, 8 Iowa City Press Citizen, (I read with disgust Jeff Cox's letter...). Of course, you and the other five members of the council majority have been democratically elected and you have earned the political right to reward your constituency. But let's call this what it is Mr. Mayor. This is corporate welfare. At least traditional socialists transfer wealth to those who are often unable to survive in a capitalist economy. Usually this means the poor, the disabled, the elderly, women, and their children. Tax policies that give breaks to those individuals or corporations who already have amassed millions of dollars are just a pro-business variant of socialism. Over the past twenty years, the percentage of U.S. and state taxes paid by business and corporations has steadily decreased, while the share paid by working people has steadily increased. Now you are imposing a similar shift in the Iowa City tax structure with your tax break for NCS and your advocacy of a regressive local sales tax increase. I don't think it serves any useful purpose for you to sling terms like disgust at your opponents. Please remember that many of us agree with Jeff Cox and neither we nor our opinions are disgusting. Sincerely, Greg Thompson cc: Connie Champion, Dean Thornberry, Karen Kubby, Dee Norton, Mike O'Donnell, Dee Vanderhoef Barbara M. Buss (319) 351-3309 747 West Benton Street Iowa City, IA 52 e-mail: 72703.2457@compuserve.com October 12, 1998 To the Mayor and City Council of Iowa City: It is my understanding that the City Council, as part of its responsibility for the Benton Street Reconstruction Project, will soon be making a decision as to the lane configuration of West Benton Street. I am writing to ask that this decision be made after a public discussion and to request that this public discussion be added to your agenda for the regular City Council meeting scheduled for November 17, 1998. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this request, and know that your accommodating the Benton Street neighborhoods in this matter will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely yours, Barbara M. Buss Coordinator, Miller-Orchard Neighborhood Association CC~ Stephen Atkins, City Manager Marian Karr, City Clerk Marcia Klingaman, Neighborhood Services Coordinator October 1, 1998 MICHAEL J. CRANE, MD The City Council Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: A few days ago my 20 year old son was drinking at the Fieldhouse in downtown Iowa City. He left the bar, fell at the fountain and required 27 stitches in his face. I'm not a fool and so I presume he had more than "a couple of beers." I'm also sure he was "horsing around." He was in the bar with friends celebrating one of their birthdays. The bar offers 21 pitchers of beer for $21 when someone has a birthday. Now make no mistake. I am aware that my son was breaking the law by drinking at the bar and he is responsible. I spoke to one of the owner's of the bar and, contrary to what he said, I also feel the bar has some liability by allowing a minor to be served on their premises regardless of who serves the minor. He tried to tell me that they had no responsibility. It seems to me that even though the bar may not condone underage drinking, if it occurs on their premises, they too have some culpability. The purpose of this letter, however, isn't to blame the Fieldhouse. Rather it is to bring to your attention again a serious incident of underage drinking which I know is rampant in Iowa City. What concerns me so much in addition to the fact that my son was involved, is that this type of drinking behavior is permitted and encouraged by alcohol providers, to wit, offering 21 pitchers of beer for $21 to celebrate a birthday, "happy hours," etc. Isn't there something the city can do to prohibit and/or discourage this type of "drinking promotion?" And isn't there some way underage drinking can be patrolled better in bars? I can understand the owner of the Fieldhouse's desire to abdicate any responsibility for underage drinking. It seems to me they have little to lose as things stand but much to gain financially. But aren't they somewhat responsible for the patron's that drink on their premises regardless of whom gave them the alcohol? Thank you for your concern. I would appreciated your opinion regarding this problem, what actions you as city council might propose, what special action the police use to patrol bars, and 334 290TM STREET · WEST BRANCH, IOWA · 52358 PHONE: 319-643-7126 · FAX: 319-643 7126 -2- the city attorney's opinion regarding the liability of a bar for underage persons drinking on their premises. Sincerely yours, Michael Crane, MD October 6, 1998 CITY OF I0 WA CITY TO: RE: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council Civil Service Entrance Examination - CENTRAL SERVICES INFORMATION CLERK We, the undersigned members of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Central Services Information Clerk. Theresa Vanatter IOWA CITY CIVIL COMMISSION SERVICE Chair ATTEST: M~'Karr, City Clerk 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET · IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-1826 · (319) 336-5000 · FAX (319) 3~i6-5009 October 20, 1998 Joe Bolkcom, Chairperson Johnson County Board of Supervisors 913 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City, IA 52240 CITY OF I0 WA CITY Dear Joe and Members of the Board: Last summer, an application was submitted to Johnson County requesting a rezoning of 20.4 acres from, A1, Rural to RS-IO, Suburban Residential, for property located approximately one-half mile east of Taft Avenue on American Legion Road. The site is located in the Iowa City/Johnson County Fringe Area B, but outside the City' s growth limits. At its July 16, 1998, meeting, the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission recommended, by a vote of 5-0, that the City Council forward a letter to the Board of Supervisors stating that the requested rezoning from A1 to RS-10 is inconsistent with the Fringe Area B policy, which specifies that agricultural uses are preferred on land that is located outside the City's projected growth area in Fringe Area B. At the applicant' s request, the Planning and Zoning Commission reconsidered the rezoning request on September 17, 1998, and on a vote of 4-2, again recommended that the City Council forward a letter to the Board of Supervisors recommending denial of the requested rezoning. The reasons for this recommendation are the same as those set forth in the July 28, 1998, letter from the Iowa City City Council to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors concerning the Milder rezoning request. The Council continues to agree with the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and therefore respectfully forwards a comment to the Board that the requested rezoning of the 20.4 acre tract from A1 to RS-10 is inconsistent with the mutually agreed upon Fringe Area B policy, and the City Council therefore recommends that the RS-I O rezoning be denied. Sincerely, Ernest W. Lehman Mayor jw/ltr/el-botk.doc 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET · IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-1826 · (319) 356-5000 · FAX (319) 356-5009 October 6, 1998 Joe Bolkcom, Chairperson Johnson County Board of Supervisors 913 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City, IA 52240 CITY OF I0 WA CITY Dear Joe and Members of the Board: Last summer, an application was submitted to Johnson County request' g a rezoning of 20.4 acres from, A1, Rural to RS-10, Suburban Residential, f property located approximately one-half mile east of Taft Avenue on American Le ' n Road. The site is located in the Iowa City/Johnson County Fringe Area B, but o side the City's growth limits. At its July 16, 1'998, meeting, the Iowa City Pla ilng and Zoning Commission recommended, by a vote of 5-0, that the City Counci!/~orward a letter to the Board of Supervisors stating that the requested rezoning from p4 to RS-IO is inconsistent with the Fringe Area B policy, which specifies that agricult.uzal uses are preferred on land that is located outside the City's projected growth area,.-'~7 Fringe Area B. At the applicant's request, the Planning and Zoning Commissio.la" reconsidered the rezoning request on September 17, 1998, and on a vote of 4-2,;hgain recommended that the City Council forward a letter to the Board of SuperviSors recommending denial of the requested rezoning. The reasons for this recommend~a'tion are the same as those set forth in the July 28, 1998, letter from the Iowa City/City Council to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors concerning the Milder rezonin~.request. The Council continues to agree ~h the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and therefore respectfully forwa~s a comment to the Board that the requested rezoning of the 20.~ acre tract from A. 1 to RS-10 is inconsistent with the mutually agreed upon Fringe Area B policy, and the C~tyxCouncil therefore recommends that the RS-10 rezoning be denied~ '..,. ptember 17, ~n an auxiliary motion, the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission 22)?~sed an interest in investigating whether situations li~xthe Milder case could be type of situation. T. he Council is supportive of the Commission's su~3gestion, and therefore requests that Cou...nty and City staff review this aspect of the Fringe Area Agreement and/or the way the Agreement is implemented to determine if there can be practical solutions in place should thiS type of case arise in the future. Sincerely, / Ernest W. Lehman Mayor jw/Itr/el-bolk.doc 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET · IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-1826 · (319) 356-5000 · FAX (319) 356-5009 WILLIAM L, MEARDON (Iglg-lggT) WILLIAM F. SUEPPEL ROBERT N. DOWNER JAMES P. HAYES dAMES D. McCARRAOHER MARK T. HAMER THOMAS D. HOBART MARGARET T. LAINSON DOUGLAS D. RUPPERT PAUL J. McANDREW, JR. TIMOTHY J. KRUMM WILLIAM J. SUEPPEL CHARLES A. MEARDON DAWN BARKER ANDERSON KAREN A LORENZEN MEARDON, SUEPPEI, DOWNER & LAWYERS I;E2 SOUTH [.INN STREET IOWA CITY, IOWA 5;:>:::'40 - 1830 HAYES P.L.C. '10-20-98 J 6j TELEPHONE: (3 I 9) 33B-9222 FAX: (3 I 9) 338-7250 October 16, 1998 Ernie Lehman, Mayor City of Iowa City Council Civic Center 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Re: Milder Rezoning/CZ9831 Dear Ernie and Council Members: The purpose of this letter is to briefly set forth some written arguments and points to ponder regarding the above application on behalf of my clients, Jerry and Pauline Milder. As you know, this application requests the rezoning of 20.4 acres from A-l, Rural, to RS, Suburban Residential, for property located approximately one-half mile east of Taft Avenue on American Legion Road. This site is located in the Iowa City/Johnson County Fringe Area B, but outside the City's growth limits. The application was initially recommended for approval by City staff on July 8, 1998. That recommendation was changed to a denial prior to the formal Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting of July 16, 1998 based largely upon concerns raised by Johnson County Zoning staff that the application violated the Fringe Area Agreement because it constitutes a cluster development and because such a development is not specifically specified as an option in Fringe Area B. Ernie Lehman, Mayor City of Iowa City Council October 16, 1998 Page 2 The points I want you to consider on behalf of the Milders' application are as follows: Encouraging cluster development is a specific development standard of the Fringe Area Agreement. Why doesn't this standard apply to Fringe Area B? A specific policy of the Fringe Area Agreement for Fringe Area B states, "Consideration will be given to applications for single- family residential development at a density of RS-10 (one dwelling unit/10 acres)." Why not this application? The Fringe Area Agreement does not specifically deny cluster development in Fringe Area B. The Agreement is silent as to what constitutes a "cluster development" and whether one can exist in Fringe Area B. No farm ground will be taken out of production as a result of the approval of this application. To be consistent with the policy for Fringe Area B, Outlot A can be designated on the plat to "remain agricultural and be used for agricultural purposes only." The construction of the two dwellings on the Milder property which evidently constitute this "cluster development" predate the execution of the Fringe Area Agreement. Based upon the foregoing, on behalf of the Milders, I would respectfully request that their application be approved, and I thank you for your consideration. Respectfully submitted, 6~ugla~D. Ruppei~: DDR/tw