HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-21 Correspondence Date: June 10, 2005
To: City Clerk
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From: Anissa Williams, JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner ~
Re: Item for June 21, 2005 City Council meeting: Installation of NO PARKING ANY
TIME signs on the south side of Roberts Road between Westwinds Drive and
Bartelt Road
As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council
of the following action.
Action:
Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10), install NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the south side of
Roberts Road between Westwinds Drive and Bartelt Road.
Comment:
This action is being taken at the request of Iowa City Transit. Parked vehicles on both sides of
the street make it difficult for buses to maneuver down the street.
mgr/Agenda Items/robeds.doc
Date: June 13, 2005
To: City Clerk
From: Anissa Williams, JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner ~/
Re: Item for June 21, 2005 City Council meeting: Install one VALET PARKING ONLY
5 PM - 2 AM TOW AWAY ZONE sign on the 200 block of S. Clinton Street in
front of the Whiteway Building
As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council
of the following action.
Action:
Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A(10), install one VALET PARKING ONLY 5 PM - 2 AM TOW AWAY
ZONE sign on the 200 block of S. Clinton Street.
Comment:
This action has been requested by the owner of the restaurant in the Whiteway Building to allow
valet parking in the downtown business district between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. The sign will be
installed when the business opens. Both the Parking Director and JCCOG Director support this
request. From 8 a.m. to 5p.m. these two on-street parking spaces are an unmetered loading
zone.
rngr/Agendaltems/valet.doc
PETITION
TO: The City Council of Iowa City
FROM: The Residents and Property Owners of "-': ~ ', ....
Court Street between Summit Street and .: ?,
Muscatine Avenue
We are very concerned about the increasingly heavy, fast and careless traffid on
our street which is taking a toll on the safety, peace and quiet of our lovely
neighborhood. Our beautiful street is part of the Longfellow Historic District.
Upwards of 4,000 cars, vans and trucks use this section of Court Street each
day. Drivers "gun" their cars and trucks up and down our street making it unsafe for
our children, for pedestrians crossing the street and for those entering or exiting their
cars parked on the north side of Court Street. Many school children use and cross
this street.
The noise of these vehicles speeding from stop sign to stop sign is a distraction
in our homes. Court Street seems to have become a "bypass" for cars and trucks
wanting to avoid Burlington Street.
We believe that you as our City leaders have an obligation to protect us, our
children, families and friends from these dangers and from the intrusion upon the
peace and quiet of our homes.
We ask that you consider various alternatives for slowing the traffic and for
quieting the street so as to retain the family atmosphere of our historical
neighborhood, including but not limited to the following examples:
1. Close the street to through traffic such as the City did at Lexington
Street, or restrict access to the street;
2. Restrict truck/commercial use;
3. Lower the speed limit to school zone speed limit and enforce the lower
speed limit;
4. Remove the turn lane(s) at Muscatine Avenue;
5. Install quieting devices such as speed bumps, chicanes and turnabouts;
6. Return Court Street to its original brick surface. This would enhance the
beauty of our street in this historic district, and likely would deter
speeders and "bypassers' as well.
We attach to this petition our personal letters of support for the action we are
requesting, as well as letters from neighbors of the Longfellow Historic District.
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COLLEGE OF
W',~,- LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES
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Division of Performing Arts
UNIVERSI'[Y Department of Dance
OF IOWA ~4HalseyHall
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1000
319-335-2228 Fax 319-335-3246
June 3, 2005
City Council Members
Iowa City
Dear Members of the City Council,
I am writing on behalf of myself, my husband David Bullwinkle, our son Noah (3 years), and
our unborn son (due June I 0, 2005), to express our grave concern about the heavy traffic on
Court Street. We live at 1152 E. Court Street, on the section of Court Street west of Muscatine
and East of Summit Street. We have lived at this address for one year, and even over this short
time, we have witnessed something profoundly troubling. Our residential street has become a
thoroughfare for commercial and private vehicles. During the day, beginning at 5 AM until 6
PM, truck after truck, often semis and tractor-trailers, seem to use our street as a shortcut, rather
than take Burlington Street as they should. You can only imagine the noise and disruption this
causes -- enormous vehicles, traveling over the speed limit, carrying tons of freight or hauling
other vehicles in trailers behind. Consider the danger that these trucks pose my young son, and
the other children on our block, who play on the sidewalk in front of our houses. This is not
even to mention the radical increase of overall traffic on our street, vans, trucks, cars and
motorcycles that pass our house every day and through the night, the drivers of which typically
do not observe the 25 MPH speed limit. These drivers risk the safety of all of us, especially our
children, as they "gun" their cars between stop signs, and compromise the serenity of our
beautiful neighborhood, one of the jewels of Iowa City.
Our neighbor, Jim Hayes, has helped the residents of our street dra~ a petition, whicb I have
helped to circulate. The petition makes additional points than the ones I have made above,
emphasizing above all that this increase in traffic causes a hazard to other children in the
neighborhood, many of whom must cross our street to get to LongfEllow School. It also
summarizes the effect this traffic has on or everyday lives - "taking a toll on the safety, peace
and quiet of our lovely neighborhood," which as you know, is part of the Longfellow Historic
District. There is an evident irony here - a designated historic, and strongly residential district,
that has been recognized by the city as such, has now become a commercial and vehicle
Respectfully,
Rebekah J. Ko
Assistant Professor
May 31, 2005
To: Iowa City Council
Planning and Zoning Commission
I write today as a resident of 1133 E. Court St. to ask that you consider traffic calming
measures for East Court St. between Summit St. and Muscatine Ave. As the entrance to the
recently designated Longfellow Historic District, it is vital that the tranquility and safety of the
neighborhood be preserved. We the residents are concerned about the increasing amount of truck
traffic and fast moving vehicles on our street. Particularly during peak periods in the early
morning and late afternoon (3:00 to 5:00), cars use the street as an easy shortcut to City High and
Burlington St., often traveling well in excess oftbe speed limit.
I believe that a few simple measures might change this situation dramatically, as it did on
nearby College Street when traffic calming circles were introduced. A traffic circle at the
intersection of Court and Clark Streets would be both visually appealing, relatively cheap to
install, and would prevent cars from speeding down the incline of Court St. heading east. A
traffic circle to augment the existing stop sign at Court and Oakland St. would prevent cars from
running the stop sign, as some currently do. An installed bike lane would narrow the street and
encourage alternative transportation. Even just eliminating the solid yellow line in the middle of
the road and allowing parking on the south side oftbe street would force cars to slow down. It
seems clear that cars use Court St. west of Muscatine because they believe it will be faster than
using the nearby arterial, Burlington St., which is only one block north. Anything that slows traffic
will probably curtail it as well. I am particularly concerned about rumors that this section of Court
St. will be upgraded to an arterial rather than protected as the gateway to an important downtown
historic district.
Our neighborhood residents petitioned once before to calm traffic on Court Street in
1997. At that time, residents were assured that the l't Avenue extension would reduce traffic on
Court Street after it was completed. Whatever reduction that occurred must have been short lived
- I have noticed no decline in traffic volume or speed since the extension opened. Many cities have
successfully used traffic calming devices, especially traffic circles, to protect historic districts and
neighborhood safety. We believe there is no better location to continue this strategy in Iowa City
than Court Street west of Muscatine. Keeping our downtown neighborhoods safe and pedestrian
friendly will be vital not just to property values in Iowa City, but the quality and desirability of our
east side public schools. The flight of families to the "North Corridor" is aided and abetted by our
lack of action to avoid the traffic, noise, and pollution of close-in neighborhoods.
I thank you for your attention to this matter, and look forward to hearing fi-om you soon.
Sincerely, CD
Jennifer Glass
1133 East Court St. '
Date: June 1, 2005 ~
To: The City Council of Iowa City ~]~/
From: J. Steven and Bonnie L. McInt~K 1118 E. Court Street
Re: Excessive traffic, excessive speed on E. Court Street
We are va/ting to express our concern over the increased traffic and the speed at which
that traffic flows on the stretch of East Court Street between South Summit Street and
Muscatine Avenue. Living on the north side of Court St. and observing this traffic for the
four years we've lived here we have grown increasingly worried that only an accident
will call attention to the problem. We join our neighbors in supporting proactive
measures to correct this problem and prevent accidents.
We are especially aware oftbe excessive amounts oftraffc on this neighborhood street,
which is not intended as an arterial traffic conduit, during the commute times around 7-9
AM and 5-7 PM on weekdays. Our ten-year-old son isn't even allowed to walk the very
short three blocks to school by himself because of the amount and speed of the traffic
during these times. Five families with children have moved to the north side of this
stretch of Court St. in the past four years, which implores us to act. We are also
specifically concerned about commercial trucks that barrel down the street regularly and
often at disturbing speeds.
If we can be of assistance as you explore the possible solutions outlined in our
neighborhood petition, please do not hesitate to contact us at 341-3590.
Thank you for your consideration.
June 1~ 2005
To the Iowa City City Council:
We made our home on the 1100 block of Court Street more than 20 years ago.
We loved the peace and quiet of Court Street, the beautiful individual homes that
surrounded ours. and the family feel of the neighborhood. Since our arrival on Court
Stleet a slow and disturbing change has taken place that affects the look, mood. and
safety of the neighborhood.
We used to enjoy sleeping in a bedrom facing Cort Street. No more. We have
moved to a much quieter back bedroom. We used to enjoy entertaining on our front
porch. No more.
It is now apparent that many of the good people of Iowa City chose Court Street
over Burlington Street as their east-west route of choice. In doing so they have made
a calm neighborhood, safe for children, into a loud thoroughfare, busy with traffic,
often speeding, at virtually any hour of the day. In their hurry to be on their way, drivers
honor the stop sign at Oakland with a brief slowdown or, more alarming, not at all.
In this historic district of Iowa City, the loud and persistant traffic can be a
serious annoyance. For parents of three-year-olds on tricycles this increase in
speeding traffic can be truly terrifying. Many of the residents of this stretch of Court
Street find their peaceful street, turned into a throughway, to be unacceptable. The
City could easily discourage the short cut that drivers headed east on Burlington take
by turning right on red at Summit Street then onto Court so they can take another right
on red onto Muscatine or zoom east through the intersection up Court. By deleting the
right ot~ red option at Burlington and Summit, drivers would be discouraged from
taking that short cut on the Longfellow section of Court Street. Another option would be
simply to close off Court Street at Muscatine. Either way, eastbound traffic could be
channelled to Muscatine on Burlington, not Court.
The stop sign at Oakland and Court could simply be observed by the local
constabulary from the nearby alley. As our home is at this intersection, we know that
many a ticket will be written.
Sincerely,
Ellen Heywood and Paul Ingram
1178 East Court Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
337-6003
- C.R.B, Ce~i~ Residential Brier Sales · Residential
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May 2. 2005
Iowa City Council Members
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
RE: East Court Street Traffic
Dear Council Members:
Many of us who reside on Court Street are extremely concerned about the volume of
traffic that we have incurred the past couple of years. We are requesting that you
give every consideration to a remedy(ies) on that issue as soon as it is feasible
and possible to make some of the alterations we feel are necessary.
In my opinion, the following items deserve the most and immediate attention.
1) Elimination or prevention of truck traffic of any measurable size, including
construction vehicles, backhoes, low-boys, gravel/rock trucks, and other
machinery laden truck vehicles.
2) Reduction and enforcement of the speed limit through this residential area is
very much needed. There is a lot of abuse that goes on in the area in regard
to speed and abuse of the stop sign at the corner of Court and Oakland.
3) It seems that there could be a turn-abouts or speed slowing islands placed on
this street between Summit and Muscatine Streets, which would serve as an aid
in slowing down the traffic, I realize that is a snowplow issue, but I am
sure that they could be sized such that passage for the snowplows could be
accommodated. Quite frankly we have not had much need to snowplow in the
past several years.
Your cooperation in considering these requests is very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Robert C. Crane, ARA, CGA & MSA
President. Crane & Associates, Inc.
Resident at 1154 E. Court Street, Iowa City, Iowa
916 Maiden Lane Iowa City, Iowa 52240 (319) 354-4100 fax (319) 358-2134
Marcus and Joan Nashelsky
1177 E. Court St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
May 8, 2005
The City Council of Iowa City, Iowa
Dear City Council Members,
Our home is on the SE corner of Court St. and Oakland Ave. We enjoy our front porch
(facing Court St.) on cool evenings such as this. In just the last 10 minutes, two vehicles
drove through the stop sign at this intersection without even a tap on the brakes.
Coasting through the stop sign is the rule rather than the exception; speed well in excess
of the posted 25 mph is commonplace.
This driving behavior on Court St. is emblematic ora pervasive and worsening
automotive disrespect of the Longfellow residential neighborhood. Court St. appears to
have become a de facto shortcut for vehicles traveling between Iowa City'S eastside and
central areas, particularly as a connector between Court St. (east of Museatine) and
Summit St. (at the west end of our segment of Court St.). Also, vehicles traveling west
on Muscatine often turn left and proceed west on Court St. rather than continuing on just
one block to Burlington St. (a definite arterial). An alarming number of large and loud
commercial vehicles have designated our short residential street as a shortcut. Noise
pollution is impressive and personal safety is threatened.
Court St. between Muscatine and Summit is a residential area populated by young and
older families who own their own homes (very few rentals), and raise children and
grandchildren. Many other children living north of Court St. must cross our street twice
each day to attend Longfellow Elementary School. There are numerous walkers on Court
and adjacent streets who enjoy the variety of well kept homes and friendly neighborhood
atmosphere.
We are proud of our designated historic district and are willing to invest in improvements
to our historic homes. Yet we and our neighbors are disturbed by this evolving misuse of
a modest residential street by personal and commercial motor vehicles. As Court St.
homeowners, we respectfully ask that our Iowa City government study the traffic patterns
on this segment of Court St., and propose solutions for traffic calming and traffic
reduction. Court St. should not be a high-use roadway.
Sincerely,
Marcus Nashelsky Joan Nashelsky
Earl and Marilyn Rose
1 1 10 E. Court Street
Iowa City, Iowa
May 13, 2005
Iowa City City Council
Dear Friends,
In 1968 we moved to Iowa City and to our home at 1110 East Court Street.
At that time the homes on Court St. and the Longfellow Neighborhood
were decaying with more becoming rental property and more building of
apartments. Within a few years a regeneration process began as older
homes began to be seen as valuable and limited resources. These well built old
homes have become desirable as they are well maintained and regentrified so that the
area is now a residential jewel in Iowa City.
A less desirable development on Court Street in these past thirty years is
the increased traffic and increased speed of that traffic. There are also
many children who cross the street on their way to and from Longfellow
School and are put at at risk by both speeding cars and commercial trucks
that now use Court Street.
Our suggestion to minimize the danger, the speed, and amount of traffic
would be to place traffic lights at the comer of Clark and Court and the
corner of Oakland and Court, Such lights would make the crosswalks
safe for the children, allow traffic in both directions, slow speeding
drivers, perhaps discourage trucks and commercial vehicles from using
Court Street as a thoroughfare and most importantly help maintain this
historical neighborhood as the valuable asset to Iowa City that it is.
Sincerely,
Marilyn and Earl Rose
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~ The Fireplace oJ"rbur Dreams
Johnson Gas Appliance Company. Mendota Hearth Division. 520 E Ave NW. Cedar Rapids, IA 5240S - Phone 319-365-5267. Fax: 319-365-6715- Web: www. mendotaheart h. com
To: The City Council of Iowa City
I strongly encourage you to do something about the traffic on East Court Street.
I see very little regard for the speed limit. Stop signs are ignored, people are on
cell phones, drinking coffee, and being oblivious to the fact that there are many
children, pets and other traffic.
This is a historical residential neighborhood, not a major artery for the city.
Please, take the time to consider our neighborhood suggestions, better yet, take a walk
down our street and see for yourself.
Bill O'Donnell
1155 East Court Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
High Performance Fireplaces
Hayes Lorenzen Lawyers
James E Hayes
Karen A. Lorenzen*
Iulia C. Albul June 6, 2005
City Council
City of Iowa City : '< --~
Dear Members of the Council:
I have lived at 1142 East Court Street since October 1975. For the
three years prior to that, I was a tenant of Dr. Pauline Moore and lived
in the carriage house behind 1142.
I recall a relatively quiet and peaceful street in front of my house until
about 10 or 12 years ago. Over these past number of years, I, along
with my neighbors, have noticed an enormous increase in noisy truck
and other commercial traffic on Court Street from Muscatine to
Summit, as well as greater numbers of passenger vehicle traffic.
Concrete trucks, flatbed trucks, semis, dump trucks, City trucks, milk
trucks, beer trucks...you name it, we get it on a daily basis. In a 14 to
16-hour period of time on weekdays, 450-500 trucks use this section
of street. Large numbers of these trucks and cars speed as they drive
uphill from Muscatine to Summit, and downhill from Summit to
Muscatine.
This historic residential neighborhood is a familj¢ neighborhood. A
number of young couples with little children have moved to this
section of Court Street, and the speeding cars and trucks whizzing by
create a very dangerous situation for these children who are playing in
front of their homes or on their way to school.
The Petition which we have submitted to you proposes some
alternatives which we believe have merit as a way to solve this serious
problem. Something must be done before a serious accident occurs.
With kindest regards, I am
Very truly yours,
Suite 580 ~
Plaza Centre One P. Hayes
125 S. Dubuque Street
Iowa City, IA 52240-5678 dPH /cag
Phone: 319 887 3688
Fax: 319 887 3687 Enclosures
jhayes@hlplc.corn
klorenzen@hlplc.com
ialbul@hlplc.com
* Also admitted in Florida
523 Grant Street
May 31,2005
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington St.
Iowa City, lA 52240
The Longfellow Neighborhood Association (LNA) supports the request made by petitioners from Court Street that
City Council of Iowa City consider the six alternatives listed in their letter of Petition. The issue of traffic has a
fairly long history with the LNA.
Most recently, the LNA has received complaints that there is excessive traffic noise and speed creating an issue of
reduced safety and reduced quality of life. When a wider pool was asked to contribute their observations it was
found that stop signs on Court Street at Oakland Avenue and on Sheridan Avenue at Oakland Avenue were fre-
quenttly being run--not a rolling stop, but just plain ignored and speeds maintained at a constant rate. It is as if they
don't see it. Pedestrians complain of lack of attention at stop signs.
The City of Iowa City has taken measures to help alleviate this problem. The implementation of basket-weave stop
sign traffic patterns, school pedestrian crossings, additional signage cautioning drivers of upcoming stop sings, and
the "Check your Speed" program. While all of these measures have had an initial impact, it proves the rule that
eventually, increased speeds return. At the same time, it appears there may be a substantial increase in traffic
volume comparing the results of an informal survey conducted recently to a less-recent official study. The informal
study was conducted on an average week-day, with schools and higher education facilities all in session.
The LNA as a whole is aware that there are number of criteria that determine if and when Traffic calming measures
can be implemented. It is our opinion that the criteria should met under the current conditions, and if not, that those
criteria should be re-evaluated to ensure they best meet the needs of all residents, not just those driving through
neighborhoods near to the city center.
It is the understanding of the LNA that the reason the petition is being presented to council is that the LNA has gone
through city staff to solve the issue, but the petitioners have found the results of those efforts to have been unsatis-
factory. In one instance, staff commented that the stop sign may be a false sense of security to pedestrians and they
could be removed if that is the issue. The issue is traffic safety, to be sure, but the LNA as a whole thinks the issue
is being downplayed; that our concerns are being ignored.
The petitioners ask that this issue be reviewed. The LNA supports that request.
Sincerely, ~? : ~
/ , ./ · ~
Tim Weitzel, PreSident ''
Longfellow Neighborhood Association 5 ~
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June 6, 2005
Dear City Council Members:
This letter is to lend our personal support and opinions to our neighborhood's growing concern
about the increasingly heavy -- and often very fast -- traffic on Court Street between Summit and
Muscatine. We are asking that you take some action regarding this problem.
We have lived on Court Street since August of 1992. During our heady 13 years here, we have
seen the volume of traffic increase steadily. Without some action on the part of the City, we cannot
believe it will do anything but continue to increase, far beyond what we believe the street or the
neighborhood was ever meant to accommodate. We have also seen the nature of the traffic
change. When we first moved in, the street was busy around the moming and evening rush hours,
mostly with car traffic. There were generally many quiet hours during the day.
That has all changed over the years. It is becoming rare for the street ever to be quiet. More and
more people seem to be using Court Street as a place to gain time in their travels. It's common to
see people driving 40 mph-plus on this long stretch with no stoplights and few cross streets. We
think this represents a great danger to the school children of the neighborhood. While our own
children are grown, we have many friends and acquaintances who have expressed concern about
their children's safety. We live close to the stop sign on Oakland, and it is a very common sound to
hear brakes screeching for a last minute stop by a speeding eastbound driver. It's also common to
hear drivers headed west peel out from the same stop sign to race as fast as they can up to
Summit. Again, this is very dangerous -- two sets of crosswalks li.e in this path -- aside from being
loud and annoying.
We have also noticed that the nature of the traffic on Court has greatly changed. It used to be a
rare thing to see large commercial trucks or construction vehicles on the street, Now it's a frequent,
commonplace, and very loud sight.
The Longfellow Historic District is one of the most beautiful -- and formerly peaceful -- old
neighborhoods in Iowa City. That's one of the reasons we moved here. The traffic problem on
Court greatly detracts from the quiet, pleasant family atmosphere that was once a part of Court, as
well as the rest of the neighborhood.
We sincerely hope the Council will explore using one of the altematives suggested in the
neighborhood petition. Restricting truck and commemial use would be a great start. We think
speed bumps -- the long, Iow kind that slow traffic without stopping it -- would also help reduce the
problem.
Thank you for your consideration.
O~hn Hanson Denise Hansen
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1164 East Court Street::
Iowa City, IA 52240 :.
30 May 2005
City Council
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear City Council,
We have lived on Court Street since 1986. Court is a lovely, older street with beautiful,
overhanging trees and many charming and well-kept older homes. So special is it, that it
has recently been designated a part of the Longfellow Historic District.
It is the kind of street where neighbors stroll in the evenings, or sit on their porches and
wave to friends and neighbors walking by. We have loved it here, but now we are
writing to you to express concern about a serious problem and to ask for your help.
Our concern is the excessive amount of traffic on Court Street between Summit and
Muscatine. In the last few years, more and more vehicles are using our street to bypass
Burlington, the arterial just one block away. More and more of these vehicles are trucks
of all kinds, large diesel trucks, cement trucks, semis. The noise, the fumes, and the
congestion created by these vehicles are destroying the peace and safety of our lovely
neighborhood.
At certain times of the day, we can hardly find an opening in the Court Street traffic that
allows us to back out of our own driveway! Just exiting from a parked car on the north
side of Court Street can be extremely dangerous maneuver.
Perhaps the most serious problem is the danger to pedestrians, especially to the children
who must cross Court Street on their way to Longfellow School. The traffic on Court
often seems fastest and busiest just when children are heading to or returning from
school. These children and their parents deserve a safe and peaceful neighborhood.
Many, many times, we have sat on our porch and watched vehicle after vehicle speed
down Court Street from Summit, slam on the brakes as they spot the stop sign at Oakland
Street, and then, skidding through a semi-stop, they pull away. Even more frightening
are the many drivers who don't see or simply ignore the stop sign. Our children deserve
better than this!
Our neighborhood, as part of the Longfellow Historical District, deserves better than this!
In our opinion, the number of cars using our "residential street" is excessive; the number
of large trucks, diesels, and semis disturbs and peace and the air quality; the speed of all
vehicles creates safety hazards for children and for everyone who lives on this street. The
traffic problems on Court Street are affecting the quality of our lives.
Many people living on Court feel the same as we do. A group of the residents and
property owners on Court Street between Summit and Muscatine have gathered together
to discuss some ideas that might promote the safety of all.
We are presenting to you with a petition concerning these problems and some possible
solutions. We are asking you to help us and work with us to find au answer to these
problems.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours, ~~
James and Penny McKean
1164 East Court Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
319-338-3976
c~
May, 1, 2005
To The City Council of Iowa City
Dear Council Members:
We are residents of the historical Court Street Area and have lived near the corner of
Court and Oakland since 1982. We wish to express our concern about the increasingly
heavy, fast, and careless traffic on our street. This traffic is impacting on the safety,
peace and quiet of our great neighborhood.
Many cars, vans and trucks use this section of Court Street each day. Some of them gun
their vehicles up and down our street making it dangerous for children and for others
crossing the street. This makes it very dangerous to reach our car since we have only the
north side of the street for parking our car.
The noise of these vehicles speeding from stop sign to stop sign is not only a distraction
but an intrusion upon the peace and quiet of our neighborhood. I have been woken late at
night/early morning with these speeding cars. Frequently drivers do not even stop at the
Court Street and Oakland stop. If the light is green at Court and Muscatine it appears that
they race to try to beat it.
We know that you, as our City leaders, have all the taxpayers to consider but also an
obligation to strongly consider the wishes of the neighborhood resident to maintain the
beauty and peace of our historic neighborhood and to provide safety and protection from
this type of activity.
In the past this issue has been raised. I had understood that changes made to other arterial
street would reduce the burden on our neighborhood. It doesn't appear that those efforts
have succeeded.
We are asking that you consider various alternatives for slowing the traffic and
quieting the street so as to return the family atmosphere of our neighborhood.
Respectfully submitted for your consideration,
John and Peggy Stokes
1175 East Court Street
Iowa City
338-2924
Teresa Mangum and Corey Creekmur
1157 E. Court St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
June 13, 2005
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Council Members,
We would like to add our voices to those of our neighbors on East Court Street who have
written to ask you to approve traffic calming devices between Summit and Muscatine.
Like our neighbors, we're concerned that the traffic and trucks are increasing on Court
Street. The pace of the traffic and the failure of drivers to respect the stop sign at
Oakland and Court threaten the many walkers and bikers in the neighborhood. In fact,
even a friend on Oakland Street repeatedly complains that turning from Oakland lea onto
Court Street between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. is now difficult because so many drivers roll or
dash through the intersection despite the stop sign.
The petition we and our neighbors signed outlines several fairly inexpensive steps that
could significantly improve the situation by discouraging people from using our
neighborhood street as though it were a main thoroughfare. Traffic "roundabouts" would
be a very attractive deterrent and would harmonize with the many gardens of Longfellow~
Speed bumps would provide similar discouragement. Restricting truck and commercial
access would greatly reduce noise. Lowering and/or actively policing the speed limit
might be effective, but probably only temporarily. More drastically, returning the street
to brick surfacing would both deter speedy drivers and add to the character of this historic
neighborhood. We would even happily suffer the inconvenience of closing one end of
the street or creating a barrier somewhere along this section of East Court Street if you
thought that would be the best solution.
We're deeply committed to keeping the in-town neighborhoods alive and to maintaining
the kind of peaceful, beautiful environment that led to Iowa City being featured in last
Sunday's major metropolitan newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution. We and our
neighbors on Court Street are energetic home improvers and gardeners--doing our part to
cultivate our neighborhood's charm for the enjoyment of all Iowa Citians. We hope
those of you able to protect the quality of life in Iowa City will do what you can to keep
this neighborhood the special place it is for generations to come. We're very grateful to
you for considering our proposals, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sily
ncere , :-
Teresa Mangum and Corey Creekmur .
cc: James P. Hayes
From: Mary Blackwood [blackwood13@msn.com]
Tuesday, June 07, 2005 2:09 PM
Sent: council@iowa-city.org
'to:
Subject: support for off-leash dog park loan
Dear City Council:
I read with interest the article and opinion piece in today's Press-Citizen about the off-
leash dog park. I'm in disagreement with much of the opinion piece. Certainly there are
many very valuable and important things that the city should do, and as a ta×paying
citizen ef Iowa, I support using public funds for these things. But the fire department
isn't looking for a loan.
It's looking for funding. The dog park committee is asking for a loan that will be paid
back - probably very quickly. People in this community love their dogs and I believe they
will flock te this park and willingly pay the fees.
As the article stated, this will be a park for people as well as for dogs.
The park will be nice for people who don't have dogs but want to spend time around these
wonderful creatures. At this point in my life, I'm not ready to be a dog owner, but I
love dogs. So that park will be for ME, too. Do you realize how many people in Iowa City
and Coralville might want a dog but can't have one? They can use the park, walk the
paths, sit on benches,
watch the fun and activities, and get involved. Elderly people with dogs
as their only companions can come to the park and meet likeminded people who also have
canine companions. This will be a wonderful way for lonely people to find human as well
as canine friends. It will be a great place for dogs to get socialized with other dogs
and with humans, thus making them safer members of the community. Furthermore, homes are
being built in the peninsula area, and these families will be able to use the park
regardless of whether they bring a dog.
Even though I don't have a dog, I've donated time to this cause because I believe in its
importance. From my attendance at two fundraising eventS, I know there are far more than
"a few hundred" supporters. I hope the op-ed writer takes note that the director of the
animal shelter has been on the committee's board of directors. Yes, she wants support for
the shelter, yet it doesn't preclude her belief in the value of this park. The off-leash
park could be another resource for the animal shelter, where volunteers could take the
dogs to play, and where people could have a chance to interact with the dogs and perhaps
decide to adopt.
This city has so many nonprofit organizations trying to bring arts, culture, sports and
more to the area. People are being asked frequently to donate to these organizations.
The fundraising drive for restoring the Englert Theatre garnered much charitable giving.
It's wonderful that the Englert is back in use, yet we should remember that other projects
probably have had more trouble raising money because so many donors gave to the
"prestige" '
project. Therefore, in my opinion, raising $30,000 in six months is incrediblel
Let's support this project. This loan will not prevent other worthy causes from being
funded. If money is only given to the most dire causes such as the Shelter House, then
why does the city spend money on the lighted signs that welcome visitors to Iowa City?
Those aren't cheap, but they do enhance and beautify the community, even though that money
could have been used to help homeless people. The answer is that we must do all sorts of
things to improve our community, and should not look at the off-leash dog park as
something that prevents another good thing from getting done. The loan will be repaid.
The citizens and the community will benefit from the park.
Please support this park.
Mary Blackwood
325 Koser Avenue
Iowa City, Iowa
319-358-9725
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Tara Dutcher[tdutcher_mt@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 8:53 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Dog Park Citizen Opinion
To Iowa City Council,
We are writing in support of the loan agreement between the City of Iowa City and the Johnson County Dog Park Action Committee
(JCDogPAC). As long time citizens of Iowa City and dog owners, we are fully in support of the development of the dog park. The
JCDogPAC has been hard at work for the last several years on the plans for the development of the park and the committee members
have been meticulous about following proper procedures and keeping the community involved in the effort.
Iowa City is remarkable in its commitment to building and maintaining community and the dog park will be yet another means of
staying committed to that goal. As dog owners, we strive to be considerate of the needs of other community members by not allowing
our dogs to run free in non-designated areas and it is time that we follow the lead of other comparable cities in providing a designated
area to exercise our dogs and gather as a community.
We were very surprised to read in the Press-Citizen that Councilor Regenia B ' " '
mley questmned the group's fund-raising efforts"
because we gave her our votes with the understanding that she is sensitive to the needs of dog owners. We hope this is yet another
case of the Press-Citizen having their information wrong. As former staff members and current board members of various nonprofit
organizations in Iowa City, we can state with confidence that the JCDogPAC is the most organized and committed organization with
which we have ever been involved, particularly in regards to fundraising. An investment in the JCDogPAC is an investment with a
certain and speedy return. There are unfortuantely too many examples of the City providing money again and again to organizations
that have no future hope of sustainability. Here is your chance to break that unfortuante cycle.
Sincerely,
Joseph and Tara Dutcher
The Beggarmen are online!
-Celtic music from the heartland-
6/8/2005
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Jane Flanigan [otis501 l@mchsi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 9:45 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: JCDogPAC
Dear Council Members.
Tonight you will be considering a request from JCDogPAC for a loan for building an off-
leash dog park. We are working hard to raise money, but this is a slow process. The
loan would enable us to open the dog park so much sooner. The sooner it is open, the
more it will generate interest and money. Please vote yes. We need this facility in our
community.
Thanks,
Jane Flanigan
1801 Windsor Ct.
Iowa City, IA 52245
6/7/2005
Marian Karr
From: laurie haag [lauriehaag@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 3:48 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Iowa City Dog Park
Dear Council Members,
I am writing to thank you for your support of the Iowa City Dog Park project initiated by
members of the Johnson County Dog Pac. I hope that you will continue your support of this
project.
As the owner of a rather large and energetic dog rescued from the Iowa City Animal Center,
I look forward to utilizing the off-leash area on a regular, most likely daily, basis.
Currently in order to allow my dog to run free legally, I have to drive to the dog park in
Cedar Rapids, where I pay the annual fee to utilize the facility, as do many Iowa City
residents.
The experience is fun and rewarding for both the dogs and the people. During peaks hours
there are often at least several dozen dogs at the park, usually accompanied by more than
one human companion. Dog fights are rare, and there are special fenced off areas of the
park for small dogs, dogs being trained, and dogs who can't socialize with other dogs for
some reason. The human users seem to be very respectful and appreciative of the space,
and many take the opportunity to walk the perimeter of the park for their own exercise and
the opportunity to visit with other users. I must say that it is rare that I interact so
freely with complete strangers in any other context, and it can be very rewarding to get
to know my neighbors.
In Iowa City, I frequently walk my dog in Hickory Hill Park, near where I live. As I'm
sure you are aware, this park is utilized by many dog owners, some of whom take advantage
of the space as a default off-leash area. I recognize that not everyone loves dogs the
way that I do and so I respect that the park is used by those people as well, though it
means that my dog isn't able to get the quality of exercise that he requires. You may
also be aware that someone has reportedly sprayed off-leash dogs with pepper spray in the
park in recent months. So I look very forward to the time when a local off-leash area is
available to us. Each time that I drive out of town to Cedar Rapids, past the skate park
that was provided as an alternative, legal recreational space for the skateboarding
community, as I travel over 30 miles just to have a safe and legal off-leash walk with my
dog, I think about how many more Iowa City citizens will benefit from and utilize the dog
park. You aren't just building a park for dogs, you are building it for tax-paying Iowa
City humans, adults and children who share their world with canine companions.
So I will continue to support the fundraising efforts of Johnson County DogPac by
attending events such as Paws in the Park and the Dog Paddle at the City Park Pool, and
by making financial donations, until the park is built and the expenses are paid. And I
thank you for the support that you have given to this project.
Laurie Haag
305 Windsor Drive
Iowa City, Iowa 52245
Discover Yahoo!
Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing and more. Check it out!
http://discover.yahoo.com/stayintouch.html
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Brian Harvey [sredni@mchsi.com]
Sent: Monday, June 0(~, 2005 9:04 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Cc: board@jcdogpac.org
Subject: Johnson County Dog Park
June 6, 2005
Iowa City Council
Dear Council Members:
I am writing to urge you to support the request being made by the Johnson County Dog Park Action Committee
for a loan to complete the proposed off-leash dog park to be located in the Peninsula Development Area.
Following my retirement last July, I became an almost daily user of the Cedar Rapids off-leash park and have
consequently become convinced of the value of such a park to the community.
The Cedar Rapids park has definitely provided a solution to problems created by dog owners who allow their
pets to run off-leash in parks and areas where they disturb other people. The Hickory Hill complaints about
dogs will decrease dramatically.
My older sheepdog Harry's behavior has improved remarkably since he has had the opportunity to socialize
with other dogs unhampered by the leash. My younger sheepdog Otis has enjoyed a happy puppy-hood making
friends with other dogs, adults and children without developing the common aggressive dog traits of defending
property and owner from others. Better behaved dogs make for a happier community.
The Cedar Rapids park has enabled people from uncommon backgrounds who would not normally become
acquainted to form friendships through their common interests in their pets. As a result the Cedar Rapids park is
successfully self-policed. Users who fail to abide by park policies, neglect to clean-up after their dogs, or fail to
have control of their dogs are quickly reported or dealt with by other means such as positive or negative peer
pressure, whichever gets results the best.
I have heard comments from many users that Cedar Rapids has the best park anywhere and I am confident Iowa
City's park can be just as good. I am also confident that the park can pay for itself once the Iowa City
community becomes aware of its potential. I will certainly work hard and devote my time to insure its success.
Thank you for considering the loan request by JC DogPAC and taking the time to read this email.
Sincerely,
Brian Harvey
318 Ferson Avenue
Iowa City, IA 52246
6/6/2005
Marian Karr
From: Melissa Jacobsen [rxpajacobsen@hotmaiLcom]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 11:11 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: dog park-Thank you
I would like to extend a thank you to the Iowa City Council for giving approval to Steve
Atkins (City Manager) to develop an agreement with JC DogPAC to provide a loan of $70,000
so that the dog park can open this year.
I fully support the JC DogPAC and look forward to enjoying it. Iowa City is well-known for
its beautiful parks, outdoor recreation, and progressive community. I firmly believe that
opening the dog park with add to the quality of life for all Iowa City residents and
improve the attractiveness of this already wonderful community. Thank you again for your
progressive planning and support and I look forward to opening day.
Ryan Jacobsen
Iowa City resident
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Kathleen Janz [kathleen-janz@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 2:00 PM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Cc: steve-atkins@iowa-city.org; terry-trueblood@iowa-city.org
Subject: Dog Park is Good for Our Community's Health
Dear Council Members,
Thank you for your tentative approval for a loan to complete the dog park. I think this is an important and
appropriate strategy for improving community health and, specifically physical activity levels, in Iowa City. As
someone who studies the relationship of physical activity to health, I am keenly aware that walking is a critical
determinant to reducing rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Colleagues from other universities
have shown that dog owners (who walk their dogs) walk more than peers.
Finally, I have supported the use of city tax dollars for the skate park, soccer complex, and aquatics center even
though I never use these facilities. ! plan to use the dog park and expect to see many of my neighbors there,
too. Again, I am grateful for your support on this issue.
Respectfully,
Kathy Janz
Kothleen F. Janz, Professor
Department of Health and 5port Studies
Department of Epidemiology
130 FH, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319 335-9345 Fox: 319 335-6669
kathleen-janz~uiowa.edu http://www.uiowa,edu/~hss/
6/8/2005
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Lilli, Kathleen [kathleen-lilli@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 12:12 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Press Citizen's editorial against the City loaning The Johnson County Dog Park Action Committee
To all City Council Members:
In regard to the Press Citizenll]$B!Gl~(Bs editorial against the City loaning The Johnson County Dog Park Action
Committee $70,000 for a Dog Park, I just want to make the following comments.
D$B!IC,(B Dogs have now become part of the nuclear family. Note the number of rlSB!HI ](Bdoggy daycaresl ,$B!lr],
(B, clothes, toys, and even dog bakeries that have been successful due to how society views these animals and
their importance.
· this is a loan, not a grant
· the park will be a benefit to the entire community: fewer off-leash dogs in other parks; more socialized,
exercised dogs (equals more happier, friendly, healthier dogs!); more opportunities for citizens to gather
and enjoy recreation with each other; another venue to encourage responsible dog ownership, spay/neuter,
adoption
· The park will add value to the City and will bring money into the City, as people come to the City to
enjoy the park and, hopefully, dog sporting/obedience/show events at the park.
Respectfully,
Kathy Lilli
6/13/2005
Message Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Cherie Marvel [cherie-marvel@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 10:39 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org; opinion @press-citizen .com
Subject: in FAVOR of the dog park
Dear Council and Press-Citizen:
As a multiple dog owner, home owner, tax payer, voter and news reader, I strongly and fully support the loan to
JCDogPAC for a city dog park.
There is a strong need for one place (just one) in Iowa City that people like me can take our dogs to run off-leash so that
our dogs can be healthy and less prone to ornery behavior. This service would greatly enhance the city's appeal,
generate revenue (I do believe this is true once the loan is paid back), attract people to Iowa City to live (i.e., shop and
buy homes), and, contrary to the opinion of the Press-Citizen, increase the rate of animal adoptions for those people who
currently want a dog but don't feel they have enough space for a dog to run.
To the Council, please vote in favor of the loan and continuing support of the dog park.
To the Press-Citizen, please grant this important issue even-handed reporting.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Cherie Marvel
6/7/2005
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Spiritbikr@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 7:54 AM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Subject: I support the off-leash dog park
Thanks so much for passing the park. I am happy to see that such a progressive city as ours has caught on to this
fantastic and very much needed park. Iowa Citians have had to drive over 25 miles to go to the park in Cedar Rapids. I
was surprised to learn this considering Iowa City is so much more attractive and progressive than the City of Five
Smells.
Thanks again, BJ Matson, Turk the aussie and Annie the Nova Scotia Duck
Tolling Retriever
6/8/2005
Marian Karr
From: Muehling, Valerie L [valerie-larsen-muehling@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 1:44 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org; opinion@press-citizen.org
Subject: dog park
Although the person who wrote their opinion about the loan of $70K in order to help build
a dog park brought up some interesting points they also left out many other important
points. I feel this story was written only from one vantage point and with out all of the
facts. I believe the addition of a dog park would be a great addition to our community!
1. There is a fee to be able to use the dog park so it has the ability to both generate
money to repay the loan and as most others are run by volunteers any extra money the park
raises along with fund raisers, once the money is paid back the are often donated to dog
shelters etc.
2. Dog parks help to:
a) socialize dogs so their are less problems with them around other dogs and people
b) gives dogs an outlet to exercise, play, dig and run which helps to keep them
entertained and engaged which leads to less boredom at home thus ..... less barking,
digging, and other "disruptive" behaviors neighbors can complain about.
c) Gives a place for dogs to do b) so that school yards and parks are not used for
these purposes--meaning less dog poop that is left behind by irresponsible owners, and
chance encounters by those people who are afraid of dogs .... Some owners with very
friendly dogs get impatient with people who don't like their friendly dogs running up to
them. I understand feeling slightly insulted when someone doesn't like your friendly
harmless dog. Still allowing even your friendly dog to touch people who have not invited
it is one reason leash laws get so firmly established. Everyone understands that even if
its cute it is not appropriate for even a youngster to run around kissing everyone in
sight. The same is true for dogs. Hey I wish everyone were dog tolerant. They aren't and
they have the power to affect me. In promoting a dog park it helps to keep it in mind.
Taking these feelings into account means that either the use area should be designed to
reduce or prevent such unwanted interactions, or dog owners must be educated not to allow
them to occur. A very common complaint by non-doggie park users is being approached by an
off leash dog. This can ruin the day of the other park visitor who either does not know
the dog's intentions or is just plain frightened of dogs. These complaints threaten the
policy, yet the circumstances do not have to happen. I have gotten many grateful smiles by
signaling my dog to "down" whenever I see other people on the trail. She does so at any
distance, and that is what "under control" means.
d) Is another means of community recreation such as tennis, golf, football etc...
e) promote responsible dog ownership through education and community
3. Our tax money is used for a variety of purposes and many dog owners do not have
children, play sports, etc otc and yet our dollars are spent to build parks, athletic
venues such as ball parks, tennis courts, football fields, zoos, rain forest, otc etc.
I believe that the addition of a dog park would be a great addition to our beautiful
community.
Valerie L Muehling
Marian Karr
From: Jeanne Nelson [jeannenelson@mchsi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 2:39 PM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Subject: support dog park
I strongly support Iowa City having an offleash dog park. They are so valued in other
communities.
Jeanne Nelson
Marian Karr
From: T. Akim Nilausen [nilausen@engineering.uiowa.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 8:17 AM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Subject: Re: JCdogPAC Loan
City Council Members,
Thank you for your willingness to support the JCDogPAC's plan to establish and off
leash dog park in Iowa City. It means a lot to the local dog owners that the city is
behind this effort. I also want te encourage you to continue te work with the JCDegPAC to
finalize the lean and let the construction get underway.
Thank you,
T. Akim Nilausen
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Christa Pooch [christapooch@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 8:28 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Dog Park Loan
Dear City Council,
I want to say thank you for allowing a loan agreement to be developed for a dog park loan. The dog
park will really add to Iowa City's park system.
As a University of Iowa student, I don't have a fenced-in yard, or a yard at all. My dog, IVlacy, loves to
run-- much faster thanlcan keep up with! I have frequently taken her to the dog park in West Des
Moines (20 minutes from my hometown), and she absolutely loves it! Every time I've been to this dog
park, there are many many dogs and friendly owners visiting. I am really thrilled to see the same thing
in Iowa City, and I hope to see you continue supporting the park as wonderfully as you are!
Thank you,
Christa Pooch
1208 Mormon Trek Blvd.
Iowa City, IA 52246
6/8/2005
Marian Karr
From: Isjr19@netzero. net
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 9:26 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: dog park loan
As a long time Johnson County resident and Iowa City business owner I support the plans to
develop a dog park and urge the city to loan the necessary funds to hasten this happening.
Lisa Schleisman 5048 Morse Rd, Iowa City
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: Csweeney412@cs.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 11:19 AM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Subject: dog park loan
To whom it may concern:
I wanted to thank you on behalf of myself and my dog Chachi for agreeing to develop a plan to loan DogPAC money so
that they can open a dog park this year. As a grad student at the University, I would be extremely appreciative to have a
place closer than Cedar Rapids where Chachi can run without having to slow his pace down for me, and where he has an
opportunity to comfortably socialize with other dogs. I hope that you will join me in supporting the dog park and the loan
which would allow the park to be opened this year.
Colleen Sweeney
6/7/2005
Marian Karr
From: Elizabeth Ackley [elizabeth-ackley@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 3:39 PM
To: cou ncil@iowa-city.org
Subject: parking rates
I find it interesting that Ms. Champion claimed the parking is fair. Although typical
rates such as meters and ramps are reasonable (especially compared to the university's
fees), they become outrageous when you get a parking ticket daily for parking at the
meters. Now, I~m sure you are thinking there are the ramps. However, the ramps continue
to fill up from 9:30 am to late afternoon everyday. It is unrealistic to think that one
who is shopping/eating downtown will be there less than an hour, which is what the meters
are limited to. It becomes impossible to even go eat downtown if you live far away. I
agree with the gentleman from Waukee. I only go downtown when I have class. Your meter
maids are worse than downtown Des Moines.
Liz Ackley
elizabeth-ackley@uiowa.edu
Marian Karr ~
From: Donald Baxter [donald.baxter@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 12:59 PM
To- council@iowa-city.org
Subject: "Curbing Parking" (Editorial from June 2005 Governing Magazine)
A good message for all the Iowa City councillors who think that Iowa City's downtown
problems could be solved making making sure that everyone who wants one has a cheap place
to park ..... It's really time to reexamine zoning laws mandating required parking spaces.
"Ironically, the central city districts that have thrived in recent years aren't the ones
that have provided the most parking; they are the ones that have provided the least."
Governing Magazine/June 2005
ASSESSMENTS
CURBING PARKING
Local zoning laws mandate parking spaces as if empty lots were a virtue.
By Alan Ehrenhalt
Here's a question for you: How many parking spaces should a convent be legally required to
provide?
If you immediately answered "zero," that's probably because you have some common sense.
Parking at a convent shouldn't be a zoning question. The Mother Superior should be able to
do whatever she wants.
When there's a problem, the nuns will tell her.
In fact, however, that's not the way it works in most American cities. Convents usually
have to have a minimum amount of parking to stay within the law. So do at least 265 other
kinds of enterprises, including golf courses, zoos, sex shops, slaughterhouses, maternity
hospitals and taxi stands. Ail of them are on a list compiled by Donald Shoup, an
economics professor at UCLA, in a new book that is undoubtedly the most comprehensive
study of parking ever undertaken in this country.
Shoup tells us, among other things, that the most common requirement for convents is one
space for every 10 nuns in residence. That may seem a little arbitrary, but some of the
others are worse. Taxi stands, for example. I've never met anybody who drove to a taxi
stand, parked, and then hailed a cab. The average cabbie doesn't need parking either--he
uses one vehicle, and it's on the road during business hours. And yet most cities not only
require parking spaces at cab stands but also require a fixed number: one space for each
employee on the largest shift, plus one for each taxi. Some zoning laws demand extra
spaces for "visitors"--whoever they might be.
Where do rules like this come from? In general, they come from a document called "Parking
Generation," which was first published decades ago by the Institute of Transportation
Engineers and has been updated periodically since then. As Shoup puts it, local zoning
officials who consult Parking Generation "act like frightened supplicants bowing before a
powerful totem. ITE's stamp of authority relieves planners from the obligation to think
for themselves because simple answers are right there in the book."
Unfortunately for convents, taxi stands and countless other enterprises, the answers in
the ITE book make very little sense. They tend to be based on a percentage of maximum
occupancy--that is, the largest number of cars ever likely to use a facility at a given
moment. The manual recommends enough spaces to ensure that virtually every driver will be
able to find one virtually all the time. And then cities go ahead and require those spaces
as a matter of law.
Think how odd that is. If I were building a hotel, and I knew that I could fill 200 rooms
on the busiest day of the year, but only 50 on an average day, I wouldn't build 200 and
leave three-quarters of them empty most nights. I wouldn't open a restaurant so big I
couldn't fill it up except on Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve. Neither would you.
You'd just accept it as a fact of life that once in a while, somebody will have to be
turned away.
1
It's only when it comes to parking lots that planners and local governments insist on
invoking a concept as foolish as maximum capacity. And that's for a rather simple reason:
When it comes to parking, nobody worries about losing money. Parking, after all, is free.
Or, rather, they think it's free. Of course, it isn't. That's the idea that Shoup sets
forth in abundant detail in his book, which he calls, appropriately, "The High Cost of
Free Parking." If I were to tell you a 733-page book about parking is a great read, you
probably wouldn't believe me. The fact is, however, that Mr. Shoup's opus not only is
lucid and convincing but also witty, erudite and highly enjoyable. It quotes Albert
Einstein and Robert Frost, Lewis Carroll and Graham Greene. It is filled with quirky
little details about the way ordinary people go about their lives.
Most of all, however, it is filled with animosity toward free parking. Shoup hates free
parking--especially the off-street parking that developers and businesses are required to
provide in order to operate. He says it degrades urban life in ways that hardly anybody
bothers to think about. "Because we never see the money we spend on parking," he says, "it
always seems someone else is paying for it...
but by prescribing massive overdoses of parking, planners are poisoning the city."
How, exactly? Well, for one thing, parking lots eat up a huge amount of land that could
be used for more productive purposes. Many shopping malls devote 60 percent of their
surface land to parking spaces and only 40 percent to the buildings. For the most part,
that's not because developers insisted on all that parking. It's because zoning law forced
them to create it. Either way, the result is oceans of asphalt and an ugly landscape as
far as the eye can see.
Ail the land that's paved over and reserved for cars is land that can't be used for
housing--affordable or any other kind. Because parking requirements have taken so much
land out of development, they force up the cost of building on whatever land remains.
Rents are higher than they would otherwise need to be. What's more, the parking
requirements written into zoning law make smaller, moderately priced apartments difficult
to produce anywhere.
Some cities in Southern California require residential developers to provide as many as
3.25 spaces per apartment. That often leaves as practical only two kinds of projects: a
massive, sprawling condo complex that meets the requirement by paving over additional
acres of land, or a boutique development that makes money by selling or renting luxury
units at luxury prices. A densely built project filled with compact two- and three-bedroom
apartments just doesn't cost out.
Meanwhile, in the central business districts of older cities, the amount of parking keeps
increasing and the number of buildings keeps declining. Buffalo and Albuquerque devote
more central-city land to parking lots than to all other uses combined. For anyone who
wants to come downtown, a member of the Buffalo City Council lamented a couple of years
ago, "there will be lots of places to park. There just won't be a whole lot to do here."
That's one of the simple ironies of this whole depressing subject.
But there's an even bigger irony: The central city districts that have done really well in
recent years aren't the ones that have provided the most parking; they're the ones that
have provided the least.
Portland, Oregon, instead of expanding its downtown parking capacity, has spent the past
30 years restricting it. There was less parking per capita in downtown Portland in the
1990s than there was in the 1970s.
And Portland, as any visitor notices at once, has one of the most successful downtowns in
America.
Los Angeles and San Francisco both opened new concert halls in the 1990s. Los Angeles
included a six-level garage for 2,188 cars, built at a cost of $110 million. San
Francisco, on the other hand, put in no garage--for a total cost of nothing. After each
concert in L.A., the patrons head straight for their cars, leaving the area around the
building deserted. After concerts in San Francisco, people spill out onto the local
streets, spending money in local bars, restaurants and bookstores. Some of them have to
walk several blocks to their cars parked along the curb, but every block they walk adds
extra life to the neighborhood.
How smart do cities have to be to learn the lessons of all this?
Smarter than most of them have been so far, apparently. But as cynical as Shoup can
sometimes sound, he has a few modest proposals for dealing with the disasters of parking
policy.
First, he suggests, instead of making developers build off-street parking, allow them to
pay a fee in lieu of each space provided. If you make the fee less than the cost of
building the space, most of them will accept that deal. Some 25 American cities are
actually doing this. Most of them are small towns in California, or wealthy suburbs in the
east, but there are some surprises. Orlando, Florida, allows subsidies in lieu of parking.
2
So does Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The developers get to spend more money on the actual
project. And the fees go for public improvement in the area.
Then, since the amount of parking will be reduced, allow commuters to take the value of a
free parking space in the office lot and trade it in for cash. They can use it on public
transportation, and if they don't spend it all, they can keep what's left over. Different
versions of this experiment have been tried in Denver, Dallas, Salt Lake City and San
Jose.
Ultimately, though, as Shoup himself concedes, there's a more basic
answer: Local governments have to rethink the whole idea of parking.
Even here, there's something to report. Minneapolis and Chicago are now exempting the
first 4,000 square feet of retail space in a new development from any parking requirements
at all. That's a tiny step, but it's a step.
The asphalt jungle we have created will not disappear anytime soon.
As Shoup says, "automobile dependency resembles addiction to smoking, and free parking is
like free cigarettes...it will take decades for cities to recover from the damage." That's
a sobering thought. On the other hand, as the Chinese would probably understand, sometimes
even a journey of a thousand miles has to start with a single parking space. Ironically,
the central city districts that have thrived in recent years aren't the ones that have
provided the most parking; they are the ones that have provided the least.
Copyright 2005, Congressional Quarterly, Inc. Reproduction in any form without the written
permission of the publisher is prohibited.
Governing, City & State and Governing.com are registered trademarks of Congressional
Quarterly, Inc.
http://governing.com
Donald Baxter
316 Ridgeview Avenue
University Heights, Iowa 52246
319/337-0494
413/294-1280 (e-fax)
homepage: http://www.mindspring.com/~onanov
Marian Karr
From: Jane, Barbara J Slaymaker, Curtin [jslaybcur@juno.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 9:50 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Thank you to Connie and Regina
Dear Connie and Regina
Thank you for having the courage of your convictions and voting against the rezoning for
Walmart. I am very disappointed that the other council members sided with a corporation
that is not healthy for our society.
Barbara Curtin
Iowa City Council
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
To the Council:
I am looking for an unbiased examination of the circumstances surrounding a bill I
received from the City. The bill is for snow removal from my property at 2065 Little
Creek Lane. My original complaint upon receiving the bill was a response indicating that
a city vendor was paid $142.50 for the removal. My portion of this bill was halved as I
share a zero-lot line house with an adjoining address.
The crux of my issue with this is adequate and full notice. In the original response to my
letter of February 25, 2005, I was told that the snow was removed from Mormon trek
Boulevard. I was also, at the time, given a map showing that the sidewalk behind my
house was the section which was cleared for the amount noted above. In your analysis of
the fairness of this notice, I would appreciate you examining the relationship between the
two properties charged and the intuitive connection to the sidewalk which was left
uncared for by me.
I wrote back to Ms. Tallman at the city offices and indicated that there was no notice that
area in question was a sidewalk I had no idea this area of walkway was my responsibility.
I believe if a person is being asked to perform some service like this, one ought to be told
of the total whereabouts of the area in question. In Ms. Tallman's response, she indicates
that the notice is clear. I disagree, but would like this group's opinion on the clarity of
the notice.
I think a telling piece of information in Ms. Tallman's rather angry response is that she
indicates I was given a similar notice in 1994 (my second year of property ownership)
and I remember getting the notice and shoveling my walk in front of the house, but I
never did think nor was I ever caused to think that the sidewalk along Mormon Trek was
a home owners responsibility. My main thrust here is that if there is an expectation that
property owners will somehow magically know a sidewalk which is not otherwise
associated with their home is their responsibility, I think the city can give full and
adequate description of what territory is theirs to maintain.
Why can't a simple map, in cases where it is not inherently clear or in cases where
logically one would not connect the outward portion, accompany the request to clean it?
I don't think it is an unreasonable part of any notice procedure. If Ms. Tallman is
offended because someone has questioned her reasonableness of approach, perhaps there
is a reason for the defensiveness? I have lived in this house for over twelve years and
have never seen any home owner shovel and part of Mormon Trek on any stretch
between Fitness Club and Benton Avenue.
I asked Ms. Tallman a reasonable question that being there 12 years one would think
there must be some evidence. She need not get so defensive as to say, "I will not argue
the case with you...I saw the snow, I left the notice, I returned and saw it was not
removed, I sent the work order...I will not approve any amendment..." A wonderful
approach to take in a city services agent!
All I am asking for the Council to review is the following:
1. Is it reasonable after 12 years of never shoveling any part of the walk on Mormon
Trek, that I could assume that is where the "violation" occurred in January of
2005?
2. Is it too much to expect that the city services staff take into account that not
everyone will connect two sidewalks that are so far removed from each other?
I am asking if the notice was reasonable for the area and the history involved. I think it is
important to get into perspective the location of the walkway which was ticketed, the
notice that was given (in relation to the 12 previous years of snow days in Iowa City) and
what would a normal property owner assume upon receipt of this notice.
Thank you for you time.
Calvin R. Symons
Johnson County GIS Online Page 1 of 1
Johnson County GIS Online
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2033 ~"~ Cerlt~
February 25, 2005
City of Iowa City
Payment Processing Center
To Whom It May Concern:
This is an erroneous bill. After receiving notice in the mail that my sidewalk had to be
cleared, I removed the snow the following Saturday morning. No one or no agency
removed any snow from my property this year. There were other properties in my
neighborhood that had snow remaining on their sidewalks and this snow was not
removed until the warm weather melted the snow. As far as I can tell, they were never
shoveled by your vendor or by the individuals in the home.
Calvin R. Symons
2065 Little Creek Lane
Iowa City, IA
CITY OF IOWA CITY
28 February 2005
Mr, Calvin Symons
2065 Little Creek Lane
Iowa City, Iowa 52246
Dear Mr. Symons:
Your letter to our Payment Processing Center was forwarded to me for a reply. The snow that
was removed was snow that had accumulated on Mormon Trek Boulevard. I responded to a
complaint on 13 January, left a notice, and returned 18 January. The snow was not cleared from
Mormon Trek Boulevard on 18 January so I sent a work order to Quality Care to clear the
sidewalk. Their bill for snow and ice removal on 19 Januarywas $142.50, which was split
between 2057 and 2065 Little Creek Lane.
Enclosed is a map of your property showing the frontage on both Mormon Trek Boulevard and
Little Creek Lane. Please clear snow from the public sidewalk along Mormon Trek Boulevard as
well as Little Creek Lane within 24 hours of a snowfall of 1" or more, as well as within 24 hours of
an ice storm.
Respectfully,
Development Regulations Specialist
julie-tallman@iowa-city.org
319/356-5132 319/341-4020 fax
C: Robin Marshall
Julie Tallman To: "'calvin.symons@actorg'" <calvin.symons@actorg>
<Julie-Tallman@iowa-c cc:
ity. org> Subject: RE:
03/14/2005 01:54 PM
I think the notice is clear - it states that "Snow or ice accumulations
which have remained on any public sidewalk in the city for a period of 24
hours may be removed by the City without notice to the owner, tenant, or
person in charge of the property abutting such sidewalk". Key words are
"public sidewalk" and "person in charge of the property abutting such
sidewalk".
I see that we cited you for failure to remove snow in 1994, and hired
Quality Care to remove the snow when there was no response to our notice. I
don't know if it was the Mormon Trek sidewalk or the Little Creek Lane
sidewalk. However, I do have a record of four complaints for weed
violations along the Mormon Trek frontage: in 8/93, 5/94, 7/03 and 9/03. So
I am a bit confused over how you could be unaware of your responsibility for
the frontage along Mormon Trek.
I am unable to answer how other property owners cleared the snow from Mormon
Trek. I only know they did. I did have to issue a notice of violation to
the health club but they took care of their sidewalks after receiving the
notice.
I don't recall other snowy sidewalks along Little Creek Lane.
If you want to argue this case, you may argue it with City Council. If you
don't pay the bill for removing snow, the charges will be assessed against
your property and there will be discussion at City Council, during which
time you may make an appeal. I will not argue the case with you. I saw the
snow; I left the notice; I returned and saw that it was not removed; I sent
the work order to Quality Care. I will not approve any amendment to these
charges.
..... Original Message ..... 0
From: calvin.symons@act.org [mailto:calvin.symons@act.org]
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 11:30 AM
TO: j ulie- tallman@iowa- city. org ?~ - ~.~ ~
Subject:
March 12, 2005
.~ ..
Dear Ms. Tallman:
I appreciate the information provided in your recent letter. Before I can
decide what further action to take, I would like to solicit the following
information. My major concern with this process is the lack of information
contained in the city's notice letter. In order for people to comply with
these notices it would be helpful to know what it is that is expected. Why
would your notice not contain what is expected.
First, I would like to know what part of the original notice letter
indicated where the property needed to be cleared? I have lived at this
address for nearly twelve years and during none of those previous seasons
of snow was I ever told that the sidewalk on Mormon Trek was my
responsibility to clear. Could you provide me with where the city notifies
home owners of this responsibility? I do not see anything listed in the
letter which would indicate all the surfaces which I needed to clear. I
think it is important to tell people what the expectation is when a letter
like that is sent. Also could it be that in no previous year, when snow
fell, in even heavier amounts, that I would not be notified as to this
"requirement?" It just seems very odd that in no previous season if that
was my responsibility, I would not be notified.
Second, I jog along that stretch of Mormon Trek and I did not see how the
walk was different from any other stretch of the sidewalk from where
Farmers Insurance is all the way north to Benton. I have jogged this way
and in many past seasons as well as this one, the sidewalks have not been
cleared of snow and ice, and yet I never was aware of or witnessed any
other property owners out shoveling or clearing these adjacent sidewalks to
Mormon Trek. Can you please explain how these walks are cleared if it is
not by the home owners (and I acknowledge I am not there observing 24 hours
out of the day.)
Third, please explain to me why there were other sidewalks on Little Creek
Lane that were not cleared of snow and ice until the melting occurred, if
you truly "inspected" my property? The walks I am referring to were not
more than two houses down from mine and yet no effort was made to clear
these walks, and if you truly inspected my property, I would expect all the
house owners would be treated equally and that you should have hired
Quality Care to clear these sidewalks which were much more in front of
their homes that the walk along Mormon Trek. This was never done until the
snow melted.
Finally, if you could provide me with the proof that the walk was cleared
of snow or ice in a before and after situation so I can at least see the
evidence that the work which was claimed to be done was truly undertaken
and completed. With the above information, I can decide how I would like
to proceed in arguing this case fairly and with the City, as I am sure you
can tell I think the notice was lacking as to what is really expected in
your original note to me.
Thank you for your time and energy to provide this information.
Sincerely,
Calvin R. Symons
2065 Little Creek Lane
Marian Karr ~
From: mark.evans@act, org
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 12:25 PM
To: andy-rocca@iowa-city.org; council@iowa-city.org
Cc: rbig nellic@iowacity.gan nett.com; m mcwiIliams@press-citizen.com
Subject: Hair Cutting Directive Over the top
Dear Mr Rocca.
I am absolutely astounded by the article in todays newspaper regarding the hair cutting
practice by our cities firemen.
The initial letter to the Press-Citizen complaining of the practice was an unwarranted
matter of personal oipinion by a resident of Cedar Rapids. To think that it has resulted
in such a PR mess and a slap on the hand from you to your, no I am sorry the City and
People of Iowa City's firemen is something I cannot sit back and not say something about.
You of all people, unless you are just a figure head with a fancy title, should be aware
of the difficult job our rescue service personnel go through everyday of their career. A
simple act of cutting each others hair to me, would help bolster an atmosphere of comfort
and support amongst the firemen. This would help ensure their sense of value to both each
other and the community they serve.
From a management perspective, your action barring hair cutting, is a poor one and a bad
decision. Why? You have created an image for yourself as a spoiler of fun and it is
worrying to think what damage your act will have on the moral within the service. As a tax
payer, hence the payor of your salary and the salary of your firemen, I demand simply you
retract your directive on hair dressing at the stations and allow firemen to trim or not
to trim as they wish.
As long as they are ready, willing and able to provide the service they are trained to
do, dont ask, dont tell!
Sincerely,
Mark Evans
Iowa City resident.
Page 1 of 1
Marian Karr
From: MikeT [miket@mchsi.com]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 9:32 PM
To: online@press-citizen.com
Cc: andy-rocca@lowa-City.org; mmcwilliams@press-citizen.com; council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Firefighters ordered to put away scissors
What a load of crap. Did Chief Rocca check with his fire fighters before rendering his decision to nix the barbershop?
If so, fine.
But if not, then Rocca is apparently more concerned with upholding department 'image' in the minds of a very few
misguided and ignorant folks, than he is concerned about the morale of his fire fighters.
There was absolutely no harm done in the makeshift barbershop and I would contend it contributed to bringing the men
closer together as a cohesive unit, establishing esprit de corps.
I say bad move Rocca.
What a shame it is that firefighting skills and response to the mission isn't enough to convey good image to the
community, but that a few trivial and ignorant complaints about a couple of haircuts is somehow deemed more valuable.
Your decision stinks Rocca.
Mike Thayer
Coralville, IA.
6/13/2005
Iowa City, Iowa 52240-5960
June 13, 2005
Iowa City City Councilors
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, - ~
Iowa 52240
Dear Members of the Council:
I am sending this letter to each of you with the request that you as a
City Council place the subject of the plan for an expanded Shelter House
on your agenda with the goal of providing support and help to this much
needed project.
I feel that it is a proper function of a city council tO support and give encourage-
ment projects like this, that advance the well-being of persons who by differ-
ent ways end up being homeless, such as loss of jobs, escaping from violence,
or through personal problems that can be dealt with given a place to live while
recovering from those problems. Shelter House, in connection with the STAR
program of aiding persons to re-enter a more stable life situation has the aim
of this kind of stabilizing human lives, and far from "encouraging persons to
become more dependent", actually provides a way to reach more stability
in their lives.
Given that as the purpose of Shelter House, it would seem to be a very
legitimate and helpful part for the Council to be proactive in terms of improv-
ing life for both those needing shelter and those who already have our own
shelter.
A couple of Sundays ago, I was struck by the sermon of Pastor Tim Malek,
speaking on Matthew 9, shows how Jesus gives examples of how individuals
and societies can help each other to a more stable life. Commenting on all the
letters and discussions among people on the matter of the Shelter House needs,
he said, "I find it absolutely astonishing that by all outward appearances in
Iowa City, it seems easier to build a dog park than a homeless shelter." The
meaning, of course, is that as a society we seem more merciful to animals
than we are for humans.
Please consider discussing this matter of suPporting the Shelter House plans
as a City Council. I thank you for taking this under your consideration.
IowaValley P.O. Box 1241
n u,t~t'a":'-' Iowa City, IA.
52241-1241
for Human,ty® 319.337.8949
"the excitement is building" www.ivh fh. o rg
June 16, 2005
To: Iowa City City Council Members
Steve Akins
Re: Old Navy Work Day
Dear Council Members and City Manager Atkins:
As you may have seen in the June 15, 2005, Press Citizen more than 130 Old Navy store
representatives converged on Iowa City to help Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity build a
home and clean up areas of southeast Iowa City. They mulched trees and painted shelters
in Wetherby, Mercer, and Fairmeadows Parks, picked up litter on 2 miles of public
walking paths, painted fences at the HACAP transitional housing units on Broadway, did
yardwork for the Neighborhood Center on Broadway, moved a donated swing/playset,
weeded the prairie and flower beds at Grant Wood School, mulched and cleaned at Safety
Village and sided a Habitat home on Aster Ave. Whew! But they were thrilled to do it
and said they will be back in August to work again!
I want to thank Terry Trueblood and Terry Robinson and their staff for helping organize
the park work. They were very cooperative and supportive of all phases of the project.
Terry Robinson went above and beyond and is to be commended for his organizing skills.
Ross Wilburn filled in for the Mayor to greet the crew. Thank you Ross for your
willingness to welcome the visitors. More than one commented that it was nice to be
welcomed by someone in an official capacity.
Much good can come from cooperation, pooling of resources and sweat. We appreciate
the City's willingness to work with us. We look forward to making life better for all folks
and your on-going sj~port,//of work helps immensely. Thank you.
Pea _: ·
Mark Patton '_~
Executive Director