Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-25 TranscriptionJanuary 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 1 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session 6:30 PM Council: Lehman, Champion, Kubby, Norton, O'Donnell, Thornberry, Vanderhoef. Staff: Atkins, Helling, Dilkes, Karr, Davidson, Franklin, Klingaman, Ripley, Fowler, Fosse. Tapes: 99-12, all; 99-13, all. Benton Street Reconstruction 99-12 S1 Lehman/I would like to tell council about a conversation I have had xvith a couple of staff folks and this may change what wTe decide to do tonight. I visited ~vith Jeff Davidson Friday afternoon .... Staff has told us that when that street gets replaced, utilities under that street need replacing at the same time because it would be foolish to spend that kind of money and not do that. Jeff indicated to me .... That the utilities under the street are probably sufficient to last for a period of time .... We talked several times about the Mormon Trek widening and we are all aware of the budget constraints that we have in the CIP. Jeff tells me that that street can be resurfaced from Greemvood to Orchard .... Repair temporary sort of thing... and that street can probably function the way it is for probably 5, 6, or 7 years. We have got some decisions to make on Wednesday regarding our CIP .... We also arc going to be receiving a recommendation from P/Z regarding First Avenue and Captain Irish ..... It appears to me, if council is interested in deferring this project in view of the overall benefit to the community, I think we should say so right now. If we are willing to proceed with the project ..... keep this on track for year 2000, then I think any discussion that we have tonight is totally appropriate ..... Champion/I would like to see us not defer it .... I am also not willing to widen that street to three lanes. What I would like to see us do with it is put a nice xvide t~vo lane road in there with rooms for bikes. Lehman/The only thing we are discussing right now is whether or not we are going to defer the project .... In view of the CIP and the constraints there and the Mormon Trek widening project, that this one is one that could wait... 5 -6 years. Norton/I need to know a little bit about the cost of modification and how far you are figuring to go up the hill and/or beyond and also what the cost of Mormon Trek is going to be ..... Lehman/The Mormon Trek job is probably going to be done .... O'Donnell/But we don't know the effect that will have on Benton Street. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 2 Davidson/Rick and I did talk about this .... You have got to push some projects... out in order to stay within the budget constraints that you have given yourself.... It did seem to us that this was one, with respect to the necessity of it immediately that could be pushed back .... The conditions of the utilities, the conditions of the pavement. What we would do if you decided to push this out .... Is we would, as part of this year's asphalt overlay program this summer, we would go in between Michael Street and just pass Greenwood Drive .... We would mill off 3-4 inches of the street surface... new asphalt mat of 3-4 inches... We would try and get the existing curbs to work a little bit better .... We feel that that would give us a good two lane surface, existing width ... for a period of at least 7-8 years .... We are confident you could get a good 7-8 years. It would be a $58,000 project .... Obviously thc rcconstruction project we are talking about would be a several million dollar project .... Champiota/ Davidson/Connie, this is complctely your option .... If you decide to push the project back, a subsequent council would have the opportunity to make another decision on it .... Your first decision is whether or not you want to do the project according to the schedule you set or if you want to push the project out. Lehman/If we want to rnove forward xvith the project, then let the games begin. If we don't want to move forward with the project, I think we should say that. Kubby/It is so hard to say. Wednesday is the day when we are looking at all other capital improvements .... Looking at the big big picture .... Lehman/We have a lot of folks xvho went to a lot of effort to be at this meeting .... If we feel that we are going to defer the project, then it seems to me that w'e have taken a lot of their time and eftbrt for something that we may not do .... Vanderhoef/One of the things... looking at the whole CIP... moving traffic... We had talked about on the east side First Avenue... We would have to route traffic some othcr way while we do major projects. And Benton is a major project .... We will create a huge bottleneck if we do Benton Street prior to doing the south end of Mormon Trek .... I would be willing to delay this .... There arc other places that ~vc can use dollars if they are available .... I would be willing to move this one out. Lehnqan/Other comments. O'Donnell/Ditto. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 3 Lehman/We got two. Thornberry/Three. Kubby/1 think I would rather have the discussion .... Neighborhoods always have to kind of look over their shoulder on the same issue over and over again .... Lehman/So you are not willing to postpone it? Kubby/No. O'Donnell/Emie .... We are scheduling work on Mormon Trek .... I think we are going to pull traffic offBenton Street by doing that ..... I am in favor of delaying it. Norton/ .....That would be starting when? Lehman/i don't know. Davidson/I don't believe that is currently prioritized in your plan. Lehman/Mormon Trek? The south end... is in 2000 or 2001 .... Davidso~V It is in there as a project .... (All talking). Thornberry/ Davidson/On Wednesday we will have a cost estimate for you on that project .... Vanderhoef/I certainly wouldn't be in favor of doing both at the same time .... Norton/ ....It ought to be done first. Lehman/Mormon Trek. Norton/ Lehman/Are you willing to defer it for 5, 6, 7 years? Norton/I was willing to defer it .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 ~YS012599 January 25. 1999 Couucil Work Session Page 4 Davidson/The utilities are old .... it is a stable situation... We hope we could improve the drainage a little bit .... The surface beyond Greemvood .... Ride-ability is not great .... The street itself is in fairly good condition but it does ride rough. Lehman/...That is traffic calming at its best. Norton/I would be willing to defer .... folks... get stuff on the record here tonight .... Life isn't going to change that much. It is going to have to have some treatment of a substantial kind at some time .... Get infom~ation together anyhow .... Lehman/This never came up until Friday .... I think it is a good idea to defer it ..... The problems that will be improved by doing this street are not as significant as the problems that could be corrected by doing other projects in the city. Thornberry/It is going to move people down to Hwy 6 .... With a four lane on Mormon Trek, then taking 6 .... Lehman/I wouldn't want to give anybody the impression that this means this project won't be done because the same discussion and the same controversy may very well come up at whatever time it is .... O'Donnell/They are going to have a lot better information than we have right now with Mom~on Trek being improved. Norton/I don't buy that .... That decision has got to be reached anyhow. Why don't we try to reach it? Kubby/In the CIP with the same configuration... Norton/Seems to me a lot of people have brought a lot of energy to get their wits together .... Let's see if we can come up with some agreement. Lehman/Let's hear from some of the folks then. O'Donnell/ Norton/Might as well get some stuff on the record. It could be changed I agree. Champion/I just think we have an opportunity to make a decision .... Make the right decision now. Ruth Baker/5 15 W. Benton Street and am the neighborhood representative for the Miller Orchard Neighborhood. I want to thank the city council .... Discuss some of our concerns .... Pertaining to lane configurations for Benton Street .... As an This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 5 outgrowth of a meeting with Jeff... December 10, a steering committee was formed .... Bill Buss, Julie Lansing and Rob Wheller and Anna Buss .... These people are homeowners in the neighborhood .... Other members... Theresa Cohn .... Michaelanne Widness .... William Knabe... John Gross... It was decided which people we would have speak... diverse perspective in order to avoid repetition... 1, as a horncowner in this neighborhood, am speaking on behalf of those of us who live there when I ask you to weigh very carefully how widening this street xvould affect us ....The feeling of safety inside our own homes would be jeopardized .... Buffer areas from the street to our front door is already insufficient. The distance from my front step to the street curb is only 36 feet .... Street is 25 feet wide at that point. In his January 21 memo to the city council, ,left stated a three lane street would be 37 feet wide. That means 12 more feet would be added to the width of the street directly in front of my house .... My neighbors .... 1 had someone from the city assessor's office help me measure. From the podium to that back wall is 31 feet .... Envision how close that a home is already to the street .... If vehicles are allowed to travel even closer to our homes, we will feel unsafc sitting in our oxvn living rooms .... A vehicle has hit my neighbor's chain link ti~nce, veered into my front yard and then drove away .... My neighbors at Miller and Hudson can tell you about how frightening it was after the snow storm we had New Year's weekend .... A friend who lives across from Horn Elementary School can show you the Ford emblem recently left behind from a car that careened into her yard and damaged one of her trees .... A very good friend and neighbor... no rational planner would have planned an arterial street with this combination of qualities .... Hill is too steep... houses too close to the road... two schools... 25 mph speed limit... less than V4 of a mile from another and more major artery and V~ mile from a third arterial street .... Iowa City's Comprehensive Plan states that an arterial should define the boundaries of neighborhoods and not direct through traffic into the heart of a residential area. Benton Street should be planned and used in a way that is consistent with its uniqueness .... People in my neighborhood have expressed to me many more concems they wish to have addressed .... Hopefully they will be given an opportunity to speak before the council at some later date... Thank you ... allowing us to speak at your work session tonight .... William Knabe, John Gross and... Loren Reese. William Knabe/I must make this confession to you all. I have been speaking before council for ahnost 26 years. This is the first time I have had a chance to speak at informal meetings .... I am speaking to you as a representative of the Benton Street Steering Committee and a resident of the Weber-Harlocke neighborhood .... Share with you some of our thoughts... Thank Jeff Davidson .... Meeting with us in various neighborhood meetings .... He did a very commendable job This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 6 representing the Planning staff.... Several neighborhood meetings have been held to discuss the street widening issue ..... There is not universal agreement among our neighbors that Benton Street should be two lanes .... Or even three lanes .... There is some consistency in the types of questions that people are raising. There are some key issues that we think have to be addressed .... I want to just go over briefly those ten issues which we feel are things you need to look at very carefully when we were talking about the possibility of reconstructing Benton Street .... Issue of school safety .... T~vo elementary schools located within six blocks of each other .... We think that both of these are going to be involved. Student populations for both of these schools also appear on both sides of the street .... We got to get children across this street. By the year 2001, Horn is projected to be 90-95% capacity and Roosevelt .... Projected to be 45% over capacity .... School safety .... must address that issue. We are also concerned about residential safety .... Some homes... do not conform to the setback requirements .... The existing speed limits in that area, 20 mph in the school zones... and 25 mph on the remainder of the street .... These are exceedingly difficult to maintain .... Need exists for implementation of some form of traffic calming .... Then there are pedestrian and safety issues that we think need to be addressed ....Pertains to the actual neighborhoods that are involved along that street .... Oaknoll .... We have older people who come and walk our streets. We have younger people... bicyclists... Benton Street has bicycle lanes .... When they come up the sidewalk and you see a bicycle coming down at 35 or 40 mph... life or your time has come .... What are we going to do about the bicycles'? .... Jeff .... Bicycles could go to the sidewalks .... Terrain .... Then therc is the Benton hill slope or grade itself.... It presents some special problems... adverse weather .... Benton Hill is extremely dangerous .... The slope or the grade is unlikely to be altered by any future reconstruction. The sidewalk construction on the south side .... costly ....terrain... very difficult to even imagine sidewalks in that area .... The fifth thing we look at is undeveloped land usage .... There is a large tract of undeveloped land, Ruppert property... primary access for that property is limited to Benton Street and Miller Street .... We don't know how it is going to be developed... It is going to be impacting that area .... There is a possible city acquisition of the Braverman property .... Directly across from the south entrance to Roosevelt School .... To be designated as park property .... Also have a very major impact on that particular area of land. The sixth thing ... has to do ~vith comn~ercial development .... Future development of commercial property located on the north side of Hwy 1 .... In addition to the existing property there... existing commercial properties on the north side of Hwy 1 already .... Sometimes the traffic that goes through that area... We think it is very disruptive to the neighborhood streets to access the existing commercial properties .... Debate This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 7 about Iowa City Landscaping about all the traffic that would be generated in the neighborhood. The seventh thing was the high density residential development. Benton Street area has reached over saturation .... With respect to high density apartment house type dwelling. We would like to know what is the plan for this area? .... Is it some plan that we eventually will not have residents up this hill .... We are very concerned about this. The location of resident access to Benton Street has caused additional safety problems .... We have some very interesting drivers .... There are communal relations. Benton Street serves as a primary route for accessing many area neighborhoods .... Also provides access to Weber Harlocke Neighborhood... Wylde Green Neighborhood .... Other neighborhoods beyond Sunset Street. It is a very important road... That whole area... this is a lot of RS-5 type of residential dwellings in this area .... We are concerned the affect it has on other neighborhoods .... I would also point out to you... Benton Street .... Some affect on University Heights... The next point... other area road projects .... Widening Mormon Trek... north- south arterial west of Mormon Trek .... What is the effect with connecting Mormon Trek with the realignment of Dane Road? .... future east-west bypass to be located south of the airport .... Last point... Southwest District growth plans. What is going to be the future character of the Benton Street Area Neighborhood? What about the * westdie development beyond Hwy 2187 .... getting utilities to that area?... What about development of city property on the north side of the airport? .... It is something that is going to affect us .... So what we are hoping to get you to realize tonight are... What we were trying to do... talk you into seizing the opportunity to correct what is wrong with the current situation .... The district plan for this area needs to be completed .... Before widening of Benton Street should be considered .... We have been working with members of the P/Z staff to get our district plan earlier consideration .... We xvould like to be on the docket. Wc have been working with other neighborhood associations... bring planning to fruition... We want it to be said, like our neighbors on the eastside... given the same opportunity to affect change... Asking... We need a plan before we act. Wc stand ready, willing and able to work with city planners on the Southwest District Plan .... Basis for any decision... about future shape of Benton Street .... Once you have that plan... we as neighbors will know... decisions you made because we were involved. Thank you. John Gross/I live on Kirkwood Avenue. I have property on West Benton Street .... Delaying the project gives us the opportunity to complete the Comprehensive Plan ....Makes sense .... If the Comprehensive Plan indicates that the widening is needed .... If it needs turning lane, a three lane... 37 foot wide street seems unnecessary .... If we do need turning lanes, I would suggest that you consider the Kirkwood Avenue solution which was only 31 feet .... Sufficient for turning lanes where they were needed .... I recall your campaign literature which indicated in at This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 8 least one of the top priority items that you were committed to neighborhood preservation .... Love for neighborhoods .... Latlren Reece/Good evening .... 1 am the President of the Roosevelt PTO ..... If you are with Roosevelt, acknowledge yourself. We believe that widening Benton Street ....Just takes a dangerous situation and makes it that much more so. We have ....Identified the main source of danger as the hill .... Poor visibility ....The road itself... We have 300 children at Roosevelt and there are additional 309 at Horn... Our 300 children... age 5 to 12 .... English as a Second Language Program... good percentage of students who are non-native speakers... Enrollment was 288...310 and now we are at 300. So it is a transient population... Of these students, 40% of them walk along Benton... They cross... Many after school activities .... Afraid to be a crossing guard .... I personally live on Melrose Avenue and that middle lane is a recipe for confusion .... It is .just tile wrong street to widen .... Major arterial moments away .... Our school theme this year is Reach for the Stars... create a healthier improved two lane Benton Street... Thank you .... Lehman/I xvant to thank the folks for coming down .... This project is probably not going to take place for some time to come .... When the time comes I am sure there will be ample opportunity for further input .... Thanks again for coming doxvn. [Recess to Special Formal - Executive Session] This represents only a reasouably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 9 Review Zoning Matters 99-12 S1 a. Public hearing on an ordinance conditionally changing the zoning designation of approximately 61.8 acres located south of Whispering Meadows Drive from Medium Density Single-Family Residential (RS-8) to Factory Built Housing Residential (RFBH - 59.25 acres) and Low Density Multi-Family Residential (RM- 12 - 2.55 acres). {REZ98-0011) Franklin/First item is a p.h. on an ordinance conditionally changing the zoning of approximately 61.8 acres .... To RFBH and RM-12. This is the Saddlebrook rezoning... went through three meetings... a lot of discussion at the neighborhood level... History... in 1994 the Sycamore Farms Project... annexed and zoned. This 62 acres is a part of that total 420 and it is the RS-8 property .... West of the area that is developed as Saddlebrook. In '95 the area was requested for rezoning (refers to map) .... This was requested for RFBH concurrent with the Greenview applicant .... The zoning was rejected by P/Z Commission and the council .... In 1997 we completed the South District Plan .... In '98 we got this most recent request to fezone the propeay again to RFBH. We have worked with the developer since it came out of P/Z Commission .... On October 1 recommended denial of this rezoning and at that point the developer had not committed to a CZA. After that vote by the P/Z Commission the developer came in to talk to us about whether to take this on to city council- CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 99-12 SIDE 2 Franklin/Are they going to let it drop at P/Z? Are they going to take it on to the city council'? At that point Jim Miller and I had an extensive conversation and I told him that I felt that this would not go fomTard successfully unless we could come to an agreement on a conditional zoning agreement with some of the issues that have been raised during the P/Z Commission discussion .... Issues peaain to this development being configured in such a xvay that it was compatible with the South District Plan. We have worked through a CZA... highlight some of the issues of the agreement ..... The distinction is it is signed ..... Vanderhoef/It has not been changed at all? Franklin/No. We got the signatures on it today. One of the first features that I will highlight in this CZA is the fact that with this manufactured housing development we have interconnected streets (refers to map) .... Ground breaking in tern~s of manufactured housing. Historically manufactured housing has been developed in a vcry contained insular way ....One entrance into the manufactured home park ....Same entrance and exit ....It creates... these little islands of development that don't have any connection to the rest of the neighborhood .... Points.. stressing that there bc this interconnectedness between the development to the cast... as well as the development to the noah .... What this plan does .... a concept that is included in the CZA .... To connect the streets here between... the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 10 existing development in Saddlebrook and the new area .... Collector street that would go from the east-west park~vay south along the conservation easement (refers to map) .... Connect up with the Whispering Meadows Neighborhood and the Grantwood Neighborhood ..... It is going to be a little bit different... public streets through here as well as interior private streets. It ~vill still be a land lease situation .... But it will all be interconnected and create a neighborhood ..... Collector streets public... trail system .... Will continue to be required... As well as have trails in this area connect to the east... as well as to thc ~vest to our Sycamore Greenway Drainage Project .... Vanderhoef/Open space down in the southwest comer .... Does that open space connection... Is there a continuous on up? .... Is that open space area in there? Franklin/No (refers to map). This is a conceptual plan .... The CZA says that the trail system will be provided. It ~vill not be specified until we plat it ..... The provision is made for it. (Refer to map) .... Exactly what happens with this ground... we don't know yet .... It could be through acquisition for the South Sycamore .... Vanderhoe~ Franklin/P/Z denied approval of this whole project .... At the time of P/Z, the CZA before you was not resolved .... P/Z didn't have one. Lehman/This was not before them when they denied the project? Franklin/That is correct .... Norton/This big of change can come directly to us without going back to them? Franklin/After we discuss this, ifa majority of the council feels that you would entertain approval of this, the next step is to have a consultation with P/Z Commission .... Then you can decide... what you want to do. The next concept I want to highlight in the CZA is the one that has to do with impact of garages and vehicular parking spaces and we had a lot of discussion about this. This again was a principle that comes out of the South District Plan and the Comprehensive Plan principles for building neighborhoods... tt2¢ing to create streetscapes along neighborhoods which are not garage dominated. The first point... 100% of the garages would have to be setback 20 feet or more from the front of the building. What is in the CZA is a compromise .... Which says that at least 70% of the dwellings located along any block have to meet the garage setback parameters .... Is that if you have a garage in which the ~vidth is 50% of the total width of the structure, it shall be developed with the garage setback at least 15 feet from the front plane of the residential component of the structure .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 11 That is because you are trying to get the dominance of that garage back from the front of the building .... If the garage is less than 50% of the width, then it may be flush with the front of the house .... There are three categories: the flush, the sticking back if it greater than 50% and then the ability to have some sticking out. Norton/ Franklin/Three car garages have to come from an alley .... We agreed to that because there are some models... some situations on comers... that ~vas the only way you are going to be able to do it .... Noxv as often as possible, I am sure that they will try to have this be on an alley or a side street. Norton/If you were to apply this rule, would it change ~vhat you have there now? Franklin/I think probably tomorrow night Jim .... could answer that. I know that not all of the units on what exists now have garages .... Not every single unit is going to have a garage because it is an option. Thornberry/ Franklin/A carport is not considered a garage. Vanderhoef/What do we have to say about length of a driveway? Franklin/We have not addressed that in the CZA. Lehn~an/The xvidth I think is addressed but not the length. Vandcrhoef/If there is no garage and all the cars for that unit have to park on the street .... Franklin/They may park in a driveway without parking on a street... a driveway but no garage. Vanderhoef/... no driveway... Franklin/Conceivably but unlikely .... That is not something that we address .... You may ~vant to raise that tomorrow night. We did not address that in the CZA. Norton/Are you concerned here .... dominates not so much by structures but by cars. Are you trying to control both here? .... Franklin/We are considering faces of the structures mainly .... We have not addressed that issue... of people just parking. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25~ 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 12 Vanderhoef/ .... offstreet parking for resident owners. Champion/ Vanderhoef/ .... We are trying to get a neighborhood look. I want space off of the street for the cars. Franklin/I think maybe the applicant can address that issue tomorrow night during the p.h. The other features of the CZA. I got alleys should be provided on all lots that front on city collector streets .... We are talking about right along here (refers to map). There is a provision that says except as explicitly waived by the city .... One of the issues... this side of the collector street .... Not knowing what is going to happen back here (refers to map). We wanted to leave it open so at the platting stage we could make a determination as to how to deal with this side of the street .... Vanderhoef/...Then xve are looking at driveways on a collector. Franklin/That is why we had the provision in there that it has to be provided but we could waive it .... if we wish to .... One of the details we will have to work out at the platting stage. The gross density will be no greater than RS-8 .... Talking about a different housing type here but the same density .... One of the other issues .... issue of diversity of housing... To have a RM-12 type of development down here (refers to map) .... This is a conceptual detail of how it could look .... Units are not to exceed 16 dwelling units .... These are concepts. Norton/2.5 acres out of the whole thing? Kubby/ .... concerned about the Comp Plan being more mixed .... Franklin/We need to put it in the context of the whole also. One of the points in the South District Plans is that you have that mix .... Option for some different kind of housing types .... (Refers to map) .... So if you look at the xvhole area .... I think you need to look at that whole as you are looking at that diversity also .... Kubby/Issue of the great percentage of the RFBH in terms of number of landowners who have zoned that way and the number of acres are predominantly south of Hwy 6 .... This is just adding more to that. Franklin/I would have to say... the fact that it is manufactured housing becomes irrelevant as long as it is interconnected .... This project is different from other This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 13 manufactured housing parks that we have seen. RFBH is s.f. detached housing and if we can get it designed such that it is interconnected, that we are providing the connections both for pedestrians and motor vehicles and we have the design features in there that we feel are the principles that are going to build neighborhood .... Kubby/So why not go 100% xvith these garage things? .... Franklin/Because we don't do that with other rezonings. Kubby/You are asking us to do something that ~ve wouldn't ordinarily do and so they need to reach that higher standard and have agreed to many things .... Franklin/I would say that until we have done that more broadly that it does not seem equitable. Nortotal Franklin/She is talking about the garages. Ideally what we need to do is move to an ordinance amendment in our Subdivision Regulations that incorporates that into our Code .... Trying to balance out a number of interests .... Put in something that seems to be reasonable and workable and allow some of these different units to be placed on these lots, too. Kubby/As long... monitored so that it meets those percentages. Franklin/It has got to be, yeah. Norton/ .... 1 go back... diverse mix of housing .... Thornberry/This is RS-8 .... It is not going to be very dense .... These are houses... and they are affordable and that is what we need. Franklin/They are entry level houses. Kubby/ .... This levcl of housing... necds to be spread out throughout the coronaunity and not bc concentrated south ofHwy 6 .... Thornberry/I agree but when you start putting these manufactured housing, for example .... entry level .... Norton/You got to have reasonable terrain to work with .... Concerned ~vith the variety .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 14 Franklin/That is going to be market driven. Norton/ Franklin/One of the reasons... On existing Saddlebrook Project there is a covenant that those can only be double and triple lots... This will allow single, double, triple and the potential for two story units and there are two story manufactured housing units .... To say this is affordable .... it is a hard term to use well. Thornberry/ Franklin/The whole issue of diversity in housing is something that I think...is going to continue to evolve. We have no strict definition of what that is .... It is going to be decision making as you go on that one .... Kubby/ Franklin/You should continue the p.h. until you feel comfortable with the CZA and I think it xvould behoove you to continue the p.h. until you have had your consultation with P/Z. If you feel this project is not going to go, you need to say that as soon as you have some sense of a majority on that .... Thornberry/But you said P/Z didn't get that information. Franklin/The commitment was not there from the developer at that point in time .... Although the issues were all talked around. Norton/What is the from of our action tomorrow night after the p.h? Franklin/Continue the p.h. Lehman/If we as a council feel that it does not have merit, we will close the hearing and vote it down .... Or... continue the hearing and set up a meeting with P/Z .... b. Consider an ordinance designating 2 South Linn Street as an Iowa City Historic Landmark. (First consideration) Franklin/First consideration... designating the Harmon Building as a Iowa City Historic Landmark. c. Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation of approximately 0.2 acres located at 703 Benton Court from Medium Density Single-Family Residential (RS-8) to High Density Multi-Family Residential (RM-44). (REZ98-0016) (First consideration) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 15 Franklin/To consider an ordinance changing the zoning of .2 acres at 703 Benton Court from RS-8 to RM44. Lehman/If you are going to talk about it, I am leaving. Franklin/i would imagine there will be some discussion. [Lehman left 8:40 PM to 9:10 PM] Norton/I guess I don't understand here. We are coming with one single lot to rezone. Franklin/That is right. Norton/That just strikes me as unreasonable... to zone that thing by itself, that one little lot. Franklin/If you do not believe that the appropriate zoning boundaries should be at the back lot line and that the RM-44 zone should be extended west, then yes, you should vote no. Norton/ Franklin/I think that certainly gives the signal to people .... It is not a requirement that you then fezone the remainder of that property .... Oaknoll may be able to put up on those properties without going to RM-44. However, I think you need to recognize that question is likely to be asked again in the future. Norton/Well, then, why don't they ask it? (All talking). Franklin/You don't have to anticipate their request. It is just is that as you are looking at the land use in this area, the question is is it appropriate to extend that RM-44 zoning to the west to the back lot line? Norton/Back lot line doesn't strike me as being compelling evidence. A street is kind of helpful too sometimes .... Champion/The real problem we are having is that nobody objects to the parking lot .... I say we say to staff .... Find some ordinance and let them have their parking lot. Norton/ Franklin/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 16 O'Donnell/ Franklin/I think there is no reason to discuss this in terms of a temporary use because it is not a temporary use .... It is not temporary ..... These were the things we most recently chewed on as possibilities. One was the RM-44 zone with a tighter covenant by Oaknoll... contract zoning and it is not legal. You cannot base your zoning decision on them putting a very restrictive covenant on their property. The next option was to rezone the west half of Benton Court along the back lot line .... as a transient zone... RM-20 or to RM12 and then allow parking in one multi- family zone to occur in another multi-family zone .... Ordinance amendment .... Affected anywhere you have those two multi-family zones abutting each other .... (Refers to map). The red zones are all the areas xvhere two multi-family zones abut each other ....Biggest impact would be in the College Hill area and along Dodge Street .... That is if you allow this to occur between any two multi-family zones. If you take this down to only between RM-44 and RM-20 .... Rezone the west side of West Benton Court to RM-20 as a transition, you then allow parking for uses in an RM-44 zone in an RM-20 zone, there are only two places in town noxv where those two zones abut each other .... Impact of that now at this point in time .... (refers to map) .... Using RM-44 and using land in RM-20 for parking, you effectively rezone that RM-20 to RM44 .... We rejected that as an option .... The last option ... Is to amend the RS-8 zone to allow continuous care facilities for the elderly as special exceptions, using the building setbacks and the lot size regulations of religious institutions. Those require at least 40,000 square feet for religious institution. The building must be set back two feet for every one foot of height of the building. You would rezone Oaknoll to RS-8 .... Board of Adjustment action to expand the parking lot on 703 Benton Court and Oaknoll would become non-conforming. Kubby/ .... What negative ramifications for a neighborhood or positive ones might this? Franklin/You received a letter recently about the impact of public high schools have in neighborhoods. We have been working with some special exception work on the Evangelical Church on Foster Road .... Getting quite large and requires a lot of parking. The whole questions of institutions within residential areas, currently within the Zoning Ordinance where we allow institutions, public schools without any kind of zoning regulations, churches with some regulation, contemplated something far different from what these institutions are today .... Churches have evolved to the point where they are community centers .... Continuous care facilities for the elderly. We have mixes... independent living, assisted living, rehab, nursing care, all in one complex .... A lot of service providers come in to provide this care .... So those were the things we xvrestled with, none of which seemed to us to be ideal or even close to ideal in terms of dealing with this This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page particular situation. The parking lot is not a temporary use but it is not always going to be there .... Kubby/In terms of third option for RS-8, why not have that be a higher zone? Why RS- 87 .... If we wanted to explore that further- Franklin/Last time you closed the p.h. I supposed I should have jumped up and said don't but I didn't think of it ..... What you could do is you could say we want to hold this open so that at least Oaknoll has the option of coming back and asking you to vote on the RM-44 .... You could table the item indefinitely, refer back to P/Z what you thought was a possible solution .... If that is what you are inclined to do. Norto~V .... I would like to find some way to defer .... I fail to see why, we are talking about diversity of housing in other areas .... Here you got too much multiple in some ways .... I find it very difficult to see that kind of zoning... Suppose I am in a RS-8 zone, can I buy a lot and then use that lot for parking? Franklin/No, you have to have a principle use on that lot .... Nortow' What is the parking lot across from Lincoln School on Teeters Court? Franklin/I don't know. Norton/The neighbors park there. Audience/It belongs to a fratemity house. Champion/The fraternity can have it because it is a RM~44 zone? Franklin/Presumably the fraternity house is in compliance or is nonconforming and they have the parking lot for their use. They must let people park there. Norton/It is very analogous to Benton Court .... Franklin/ .... You would be saying that in RS-8 you could have parking lots? I think you want to think seriously about that. Kubby/Do we want to go through all of these contortions... because of one specific? .... only option... for this one case? .... Dilkes/I think that is what zoning is, a set of fundamental rules that applies to property based on conditions of the property .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 18 Kubby/Have there been other problems for this kind of housing in terms of the Zoning Code? Franklin/It would have to be existing housing for the elderly. The new projects there is enough land to work it all out .... They buy more land to start .... What they needed to get that lower density .... Vanderhoef/We have continuing need for elderly housing and as we progress... our ordinances do need changing to meet the demands or the changes that we are seeing within our population. This whole idea of giving the parking in the RM-44, I have been looking at this as impact to neighborhoods .... Excluding the thought of the ownership of the other property. But when I look at impact on traffic generated to this area and traffic generated by elderly housing is very much less than any other RM-44s that I can think of .... We have been seeing and even accommodating lesser parking in some of our new development for elderly housing because they don't all drive .... Mucl~ fewer trips .... CHANGE TAPE TO 99-13 SIDE 1 Vanderboef/ .... Once a day it turns over and that is it. Thornberry/Do you know how many parking spaces there are per unit for Oaknoll? Franklin/No, I don't .... They receive a special exception or a variance some years back and the operation has evolved such that that probably is not valid anymore .... I think they probably need more. Norton/It is overbuilt on the property they have .... Thornberry/Kind of like the Senior Center where they need more parking space... But xve are not going to give it to Oaknoll? Norton/I can't find a way to do it. Thornberry/I kno~v it is a zoning issue .... Now Oaknoll also needs more parking .... O'Donnell/The lot size is 50 X 150? Franklin/The lot size is 76 X 115. O'Donnell/What are you going to do on it besides park on it? .... Franklin/You could build .... A duplex, 8 elderly housing units or 8 multiple units depending on whether you were willing to put the parking underneath the building ]'his represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 19 or not .... The density would allow you to put that many on there... This is the trip generation you would get for those uses. Thornberry/ Franklin/You can make reasonable use of that property under RS-8 .... Vanderhoef/ Franklin/So, what do you want to do? Norton/We are just the same as P/Z was, hung up ..... Franklin/ Thornberry/I think with the line m the alley behind .... Not a big problem. Kubby/The reality is Ernie is not going to be able to vote on this and it looks like it is 3-3 which means it fails .... Defer indefinitely or table indefinitely directing staff to explore that last option a little more. O'Donncll/I haven't heard 3-3 .... Karin, is this setting a precedent for other areas in town? Franklin/We have had other circumstances where people have developed land and they have grown... don't have enough land for the parking in their business and so they want to put their parking on an adjacent piece of property that is zoned dift~rently and we have told them no, they can't. It happens .... O'Donncll/Because we are rezoning one lot doesn't mean we are going to do the block .... This is permanent parking. It is well needed housing ..... Norton/ Franklin/I don't think you are tacitly putting RM-44 on those other two .... Norton/They already own two of those other three lots. Franklin/Yes but they still have to go through the process of going through that rezoning. Kubby/...you are setting that stage .... I am talking about a history of experience .... O'Donnell/But you are also trying to predict the future and I don't think you can do that. Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City councilmeeting of January 25,1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 20 (All talking). Norton/...the density just doesn't stop in that area... It ~vill go out to George Street .... Vanderhoef/... if we deferred, where does that leave the parking lot while we are doing that? Franklin/It will just stay there .... When we have something pending .... We will just put it on hold in terms of enforcement. Kubby/...could give it another year temporary because we had it on the ~vork plan. Norton/I want them to have parking but I don't want to set this bad precedent. Champion/1 think we all want them to have parking. Kubby/But there are consequences for us doing it under the current rules. Champion/I think you have to worry about the implications of it .... future of Ioxva City .... You could have parking lots all over town. Thornberry/ .... let them have additional parking and do it on a case by case basis .... Do the 44 for the one block .... Franklin/What was that solution Dean? To zone it to RM-447 Kubby/I guess we xvill find out tomorrow, where people have decided to be. Norton/We have until tomorrow to hear from our constituency .... (All talking). Norton/But we can defer tomorrow night if necessary .... Kubby/ d. Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation of 21.26 acres located on the east side of Naples Avenue form Intensive Commercial (CI-I) to Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone-Intensive Commercial (OSA-CI-1). (First consideration). Franklin/The next item is consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation... Naples Avenue from CI-1 to OSA-CI-1. This was approval subject to the establishment to native plant species on the slopes in A & B and the removal of Area C from the plan. First consideration. Thisrepresents only a reasonably accuratetranscription oftheIowa City councilmeeting of January 25,1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 21 Thornberry/Why did Pam vote no? Kubby/She didn't think that one area should be disturbed. Franklin/She didn't want B to be allowed to be graded .... Area B has not been graded at all. There is some siltation in there .... But it has not been graded. Champion/ Norton/She was interested in keeping B out it, too .... Franklin/ e. Consider a resolution approving a final plat of Boyd's Fashionable Acres, an 11.51 acre, 16-Lot residential subdivision located on the south side of Rochester Avenue, east of Post road, and west of Mr. Vernon Road. (SUB98-0030) Franklin/Resolution approving the final plat of Boyd's Fashionable Acres. This is a six lot subdivision on the south side of Rochester Avenue .... Legal papers .... Dilkes/Are very close. Franklin/ Norton/Flow is the sanitation sewer situation? .... I know there was a water charge .... Franklin/No, that is not xvithin a district. We don't do sanitary sewer tap-on fees everywhere. It is ~vhere we have... put in a trunk line and defined a sewer district. Kubby/There was some notice in the staff report about the critical slopes. That none of the critical slopes are to be directly affected. What does that mean? Does that mean indirectly affected? .... Franklin/No .... Kubby/Thank you. Norton/And the stormwater costs are all theirs? Franklin/Yes. Lehman/Thank you, Karin. This represents only a reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City councilmeeting of January 25,1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 22 Review Agenda Items 99-13 S1 (No discussion) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 23 Tower Court Parking Permit System 99-13 S1 Lehman/Is anyone from staff going to talk to us about this? Jeff? (All talking). Lehman/We were asked in the Consent Calendar a couple of meetings ago to approve a prohibition of parking on Tower Coua. We deferred that and apparently looked into the possibility of permit parking .... We are discussing whether or not we think that is a good idea. Davidson/Joe and I will be happy to answer any questions about the proposal. We did meet with Doug Ripley, Marcia Klingaman and Pat Hamcy... Have a proposal for you... If you want to implement it, we believe it will work .... This is a relatively low density area. ChiefWinklehake has asked me to make sure that everybody is aware that his folks aren't going to be out there enforcing this constantly .... As Joe and I have pointed out... If you decide to implement a program like this, if it gets much farther than Tower Court, xve are not going to be able to do it with existing staff .... Anything beyond that we would be talking some extra staff'. Lehman/If we were to implement this sort of thing in Tower Court, they may be requesting the same sort of thing in numerous other areas. It might be a monster that wc really probably can't get a handle on. I guess my personal opinion is it is not a good idea. Kubby/We were talking about it on the Noahside .... Lehman/I realize that. Champion/What advantage does this have over not allowing any parking at all? Davidson/It was that it allows residents of a neighborhood to park on the street during the day. The proposed prohibition between 8:00 and 5:00 there would be no parking on either side of Tower Court. Lehman/ Davidson/Monday through Friday .... Lehn~an/What is our course of action here'? Davidson/You could ask us to implement the residential permit system. If you don't do that probably you would want to reconsider the item that was on your Consent Calendar before that was done at the majority request of the neighborhood. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 24 Norton/What was the express vote between the neighbors between no parking and leaving it the way it is? Ripley/I believe it was 15-12 .... 32 surveys sent out and 27 returned. Norton/So there is considerable sentiment to leave it the xvay it is. Davidsony' There was 12 people that wanted it left the way it was. Lehman/First issue, are we interested in looking at this permit proposal? Kubby/I don't think so. Lchnnan/I think I hear... four no-s. We are not interested in that. Davidson/Okay. Would you like to put the previous item back on your Consent Calendar? Lehman/I think that would be the appropriate thing to do. Now I have had... individual here who promised me he only wanted 30 seconds .... Give us your name .... Kevin Sharkness/I live at 1116 Tower Court. I am a renter. There are four of us that live there and we have four cars. We live at the mouth of Tower Court .... We never have a problem finding a spot further down on Tower Court .... There is no parking problem on Tower Court. There is always a spot .... I would love to park on my property but there is not enough space. kehman/Do you have a garage? Sharkness/We have a garage... one car garage .... We always have two on the street .... Always have two in the driveway. Lehman/And you would like to see us leave it the way it is? Sharkness/Correct .... I don't even see what the issue is. Lehman/That was pretty straight forward. Norton/ Kubby/Brings up the whole .... One person has an issue .... Get a different impression .... Lehman/If there is someone who ~vould like to speak to prohibiting the parking. This represents only a reasonably accurate lranscription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 25 Ripley/Correction, it was 15-9. Lehman/15 in favor of prohibiting it and 9 .... Don Banker/My wife is here, Jan, and some of the neighbors. I guess I have a little bit of difference of opinion as to no parking problem... when I find what I consider storage vehicles .... Many people on this street.. residents... park their individual car and leave it for a longer period of time than 48 hours .... Becomes a problem when snowplow conditions occur .... There was a car at the end of the street that was parked there for two weeks, plowed in... ticketed... then eventually moved .... When I get up in the morning and I see people pull in at the back of my driveway... sensitive to this problem .... Get out of their car... pull out their bicycle and wheel offsomeplace and come back at 5:00 or 5:30 .... Our street is becoming a parking lot and not a residential area .... Lehman/You did very well. I think we need to act on this... go back on the Consent Calendar. Davidson/You want it on the Consent Calendar knowing that if it is on the Consent Calendar, you can't discuss it unless you pull it off.... Kubby/We can just pull it out. Thornberry/I have heard that same scenario at University Heights .... Lehman/Jeff .... Davidson/Do you want it on the Consent Calendar? Lehman/Yes, put it on the Consent Calendar .... Champion/It is a public street .... Norton/It is a pretty narrow street. Lehman/Thcrc is prohibition on one side of the street right now.... What was in the Consent Calendar the last time was prohibition between 8:00 and 5:00 PM .... Put it back on the Consent Calendar .... Davidson/We xvill do that. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 26 Iowa City-Coralville Extraterritorial Review Agreement 99-13 S1 Davidson/We can discuss this .... Having discussed it at the recent Joint Government meeting. Lehn~a~v' Seems the last arrangement that wc had was that Coralville will review all projects to the west of- Davidson/Actually Coralville won't revie~v any projects. Everything will be reviewed by Ioxva City between the river and Dubuque Street. You have agreed to impose urban standards for sidewalks, streets and storm sewers. Lehman/Is that xvhat we want to do? Kubby/Wait a minute. Davidson/The one thing that I don't think was discussed very well .... Coralville would likc you to also make surc the corridor for Oakdale Blvd .... is preserved and that is not part of that existing agreement, that xve have to preserve it west of Dubuque Street. So if you xvant to take that out we can take it out and fonvard it to Coralville or we can leavc it in .... (Refers to map). Dubuque Street is right there .... The yellow alignment is the one that ties in with what we approved west of Dubuque Street .... This is the one we would attempt to preserve. Chan~pion/ Norton/...I am trying to read between the lines here .... If Oakdale extends across W66 over to the river and across the river and over to Prairie du Chien and then hooks up with Scott .... Then you got East-West Parkway and pretty soon you got the old belt line and is that what we want to work towards? Thornberry/ .... | said that is the belt line around Iowa City. Davidson/That thing you just so very eloquently just described, this is the last part of it .... Norton/Do we want to ring ourselves this way? Kubby/The other thing .... We see this at the last minute and so maybe we don't want to put it in or to say we don't want to put it in right now because xve haven't had time to think about it .... And that we have never heard anything about this .... Davidson/ Kubby/To be able to discuss it with them at that meeting. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25~ 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 27 Lehman/I think I hear us forgetting Oakdale Blvd., taking it out of the agreement and going ahead with the- Davidson/ Lehman/We will address that separately. Kubby/On the second page of the agreement... page 184, #4 on page 2 where there... joint revie~v. I thought one of our main goals in this whole agreement was to avoid any joint review. Davidson/The one that we had before, this is in there because there is an area- This was Iowa City's request. There is an area that is considered to be in the Coralville sewer service area .... But that will access streets in Iowa City. Kubby/I just thought in re-doing the agreement, we were trying to get away from any joint review. That maybe we didn't talk about this and therefore it was left the way it was in the old agreement. Davidson/(Refers to map). This area right here, this is the Iowa City exclusive review, this is the joint review and this is exclusively Coralville .... The intent right now would be for Coralville to provide the municipal services for it. Traffic will exit to the south onto Melrose Avenue. Since it is going to impact Iowa City streets .... let's at least have the right to review it in Iowa City. Kubby/So tomorrow night we need to amend this. Davidson/Right. take out Oakdale. Norton/I am confused .... Davidson/(Refers to map). I can't answer why it is acceptable here because it was approved some time ago. I think the problem we had in doing it in Area A .... is a proposed subdivision in the county would have to go through both city councils .... Norton/...as ttsual, it is all us .... (All talking). Lehman/In all fairness, that is what we asked for. (All talking). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25~ 1999 WS012599 .Ianuary 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 28 Davidson/In Area B we have changed nothing from the previous agreement. [,chn~an/If we take the Oakdale... out of this one ..... Davidson/This baby right here is yours (refers to map). Lehman/All right. Kubby/What number item is this? Davidso~/ 18. Kubby/So that is a substantial enough change that we can't just have staff give us a new resolution? We really do need to amend it? .... Dilkes/I think you amend on the floor. (All talking). Thisrepresents onlya reasonably accuratetranscription ofthelowa City council meeting of January 25.1999 XVS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 29 Trail Between Foster Road and Water Plant Site 99-13 S1 Davidson/This has just been brought to your attention. On February 9 you xvill have on your Consent Calendar ..... Discussed it at the CIP meeting .... make sure everybody was clear on it. There is a provision in there to construct a combination Public Works vehicle access road and also a segment of the Iowa River Corridor Trail from Foster Road (refers to map) ..... around and underneath the interstate .... And onto the Water Plant site. Chuck and I wanted to make sure everyone xvas clear that this is not just a bike trail .... It is very important for Public Works vehicles to have access bet~veen the two sites .... And especially for this area in here (refers to map) ..... The Iowa River Corridor Trail is this large sidewalk... left side of the road... signage... Chuck seems to feel pretty good about his negotiations v¢ith the property owner .... Lehn~an/There are real problems with elevations with that trail going along the river. Davidso~/ That is correct. Norton/Have the River and Natural Areas people seem this? Davidson/Yes .... Kubby/ Davidson/Some of the grading for that access road is becausc of borrow areas that are needed for Foster Road (refers to map) ..... to get that dirt for filling the Foster Road Project. Lehman/Is it going to be an asphalt trail? Davidson/Yes. Lehman/ Davidson/Built to our trail standards ..... Thornberry/Access road I can live with .... (All talking). Davidson/Okay, so we can leave it in the plans and specs? Lehman/Does anybody have a problem with leaving that in the specs? Kubby/Not at all. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 30 Norton/ Davidson/This is really a pretty critical link to the Iowa River Corridor Trail .... It is also an important link for the access road. Lehnmn/ Vanderhoef/ Kubby/We need something for the trucks to get to the wells to do maintenance .... Lehman/An access road that is available to bikes. Norton/ .... What are they accessing from where? Davidson/(Refers to map) .... Chuck said it is very important to have the access for the raw and finished water mains .... That is very important and the ability to not have to go out onto Dubuque Street and over the interstate and in .... Norton/I don't know .... I can certainly see a way to access all the wells without going up that route. Davidson/To construct this is slightly less than 3% of the total project costs. Vanderhoef/... We have got to be able to get to those water mains .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/We have the easement anyway .... Lehman/ .... There is access if you want to come down Dubuque Street and back up Foster Road .... If this in fact is part of a link in the trail and you already have the access, it is probably far less expensive to go ahead and make it a multi-use trail. Davidson/The cottory has just recently gotten a grant from ECCOG to de-do the trail between the Butler Bridge and West Overlook Road. This is the last link between Napoleon Park and the Coralville Dam. Thornberry/ Lehman/Are we comfortable leaving it in? (All talking). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 XVS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 31 kehman/It completes the trail system, and at the same time can be used as an access road ..... Okay. (All talking). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 32 UI Pedestrian Bridge Over Hwy 6 99-13 S1 Lehman/Let's do the pedestrian bridge. Fosse/ With me tonight is Dick Gibson and Hugh Berry with the Facility Service group over at the University and also Eric Henderson from Shive Hattery .... We are here to discuss the pedestrian bridge .... For the sake of getting $527.000 of federal money for this project, ~ve are the sponsors for the project and what that means is from the DOT's perspective, we are the contracting authority .... Setting p.h., holding p.h., approving plans and specs. The DOT will actually take the bids .... 28E agreement with the University for the transfer of the money .... It is important that you all be informed of the project .... This project as well as the Riverside Arts Campus stoma sewer project... our two staffs have worked very closely .... Tttn~ it ovcr to Dick .... Richard Gibson/l appreciate the opportunity to be here tonight .... 1 understand that you will have to have a p.h. on this project .... Have the opportunity to run through the concept with you at this stage .... We have not taken this beyond the concept level .... I want to find out what the public reaction is to it .... Show this to you tonight. If I appear to get your blessing, we will proceed with the detail development of the plans and then you will see it again at the p.h .... There are a lot of constraints on this project .... (Refers to concept plan). This is a plan view of the project .... This is the new parking ramp we are building in connection to the Health Science Campus .... International Center .... We have been quite fixed in terms of what we can deal with... constrained to get down through this narrow isle... There are a number of issues... vertically and horizontally in terms of utilities and so forth... Have to get across the street...provide vertical clcarancc for the highway .... Railroad ....22 feet clearance .... We had to fit in-between the railroad property .... We came up with this solution .... How we resolve the issue here at the north end of the site. The most obvious solution .... Height .... ADA complying project. We also want to make it work for bicycles .... Certain floor to ceiling height .... We sorted through this... We decided the bcst thing to do was ~,o to a ramp solution .... Ramp that starts here. There is also a stair that accomplishes the same objective ..... very large in terms of the length of the bridge .... Not intrusive on the landscape .... 1 am going to move on and share with you the elevation views of this .... This is the east end of the parking structure... cooling towers .... West end of Westlawn... utilities underground. You go down the slope, Hxvy 6 .... We have the railroad section right at this point .... We have to provide 24 feet of clearance over the top ofthc railroad .... It is a level bridge under this design... conceptual... What will happen to the railing system and the light system .... The structural design of the bridge is not yet resolved. We want to get through this conceptual review that i will be discussing xvith you tonight... At the north end our problem is to clear the railroad tracks .... We were able to work out with the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 33 Crandic Raih'oad the opportunity to drop this right between the railroad and Ferson Avenue Extcnded .... Looking at it from the north and looking south, what you see is the bridge at this location and here is the stair .... Two lifts on the stair but it may have to be three .... Kubby/It looks really long. Gibson/It is quite long .... It is the function of the height .... We are trying to be ADA compliant with this as well to accommodate bicycles on it .... Seems to work in with the landscaping. One thing else .... This is a fence... extend from the end of the ramp to approximately the line up with Ferson Avenue .... We haven't reachcd a unanimous decision that this is the appropriate solution for the fencing problem .... Looking at it fi'om the south we get a different perspective .... CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 99-13 SIDE 2 Gibson/This is the stair. Lehma~V Is ttaat pre-stressed concrete bridge? Gibson/The design of the bridge hasn't been xvorked out yet .... Pre-cast solution .... Another issue that is not resolved. Our design intent on this is to make the silhouette of the bridge as thin as possible ..... Our concern in keeping the bridge horizontal .... We still have budget problems to deal with .... This is a solution .... Single rib down underneath a pre-cast deck of the bridge .... Kubby/Has there been any consultation with... Planning .... We don't have design review anymore... probably ask for comments from the Design Review Committee .... Now that we don't have it, it goes to the Planning Department. Gibson/We sort of believe in the one contact notion. We have been dealing with Rick and with Jcff .... We will be moving to design issues next .... Assuming this concept is acceptable as far as procedure is concerned. We have reviewed this with some of the neighbors ..... We will be extending the opportunity for them to come in and have it explained to them .... Kubby/...Arc you open to changing the concept based on that input? .... Gibson/We are always open to this. I havc to say ~ve have been through .... The physical constraints are extremely controlling in terms of what we are able to do .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 ~VS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 34 Thornberry/ .... If the neighbors said... You would have that to show them what it would look like? Gibson/Yes. Champion/ Gibson/The bridge (refers to map) to here is 231 feet. This ramp is .... 180 feet to where it intcrsects with the bridge .... Norton/ Gibson/You come off the ramp, you come down, down... you can get back out this way (refers to map) .... We will be looking at putting the sidewalk in along the south side of the International Center .... The city is working on a stom~ sewer .... Bicycle trail down through this ravine .... Vanderhoel7 If you lowered the north end of the bridge that you cotrid shorten this ramp by 20 feet'? Gibson/You need... 12 feet of ramp for every foot of length .... Lehman/My understanding .... You are folks have really kind of worked this through... staff ....Pretty well satisfied with this proposal and the process... very very good .... Kubby/ Lchman/I think what Dick is asking, if this is conceptually okay. you want to proceed with this? Gibson/We have some time considerations... Kubby/It is difficult .... I have not heard anything directly or on paper from the neighbors .... I don't feel capable at this n~oment of saying yeah, I like the design. Gibson/...We have received no negative impact so far .... This is not an isolated issue .... Lehman/Just for the record it was indicated that September 22 is kind of the date... Some time constraints on this project. Gibson/ .... We are under some time pressures to do this .... Kubby/That means you want to meet with the neighbors promptly. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 35 Gibson/We have .... Anytime they are able to do that... There will be a p.h .... (All talking). Norton/Who do you see as the primary users? Who are you serx;ing here? Gibson/ .... It has become an opportunity for bicycles to cross .... Routes up through this ravinc... provide a significant alternative to going up Riverside Drive and trying to cross down here .... We discovered... International Center... Arts Department... connect to the east side of river. This is going to become a very significant facility .... Far more than we expected. This is going to change the dynamics of this campus .... Greatly enhanced .... Lehman/I don't hear any screams or hollers. Thank you, sir. This represeuts only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 36 Council Agenda/Council Time 99-13 S2 1. Karr/(Agenda Item 20- ) A real quick announcement. We are going to request that you defer Item #20-By-laws of the Public Art Advisory Committee ..... to February 9. Vanderhoef/ .... a couple of things I would like to get feedback from the rest of you. I have two of them... As we were setting this up, we set the limit minimum of $100,000 per year. There was conversation about they had the choices of spending it all in one year or saving some lbr future projects .... I noticcd in tbcir minutes that they did not have this and they were questioning this .... We need to acknowledge that this is a possibility. Kubby/I noticed that... At the last formal meeting xve rccon~nned that they could bank money .... Vanderhoef/But it is not in here .... Franklin/I don't know that is something you would put in bylaws. Vanderhoef/Where do you put it so that it is real obvious'? Thornberry/ Franklin/That is a very peculiar thing to put in the by-laws. Dilkes/It is not a procedural type of thing. It is a substantive budgeting kind of thing. Atkins/Traditionally... Public Art.. that project is assigned to Karin and her budget .... If she wished to carry-over... Probably seek the approval of the Arts Advisory group... routinely... we would accommodate that because we do carry projects over. Franklin/It is important thing that you all said that .... I am glad that you brought it up so that we could clarify that .... Thornberry/ Norton/ Vanderhoef/... I have one more thing .... And we need to have something that provides for maintenance of our arts objects. It is not being said any place .... When we start talking about accepting gifts... additional budget other than your $100,000 is not there .... Like to see the committee address how they are saving or allowing For maintenance in their budget. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 37 Franklia/So far the committee has one procedure put together, the acquisition procedures. The next item we are working on is maintenance .... in the contract for Weatherdance there is a provision the artist has to provide us with a maintcnance schedule .... Issue of how the maintenance is going to be paid for has uot been totally resolved ....I am sure they would like to have a discussion with council .... What they would desire .... They will be back to you ..... Thornberry/...part of the arts budget. Franklin/We will have that discussion .... One of their goals... acquire objects which arc low maintenance .... Lehnmn/They need to discuss the maintenance .... (All talking). Franklin/They will be back to you with a maintenance policy. Norton/ Dilkes/I think... resolution that set out that $100,000 limit. We should take a look at that resolution and see what it says. That might be the place to put the carryover from year to year kind of thing .... Franklin/At some point we will have this written down .... 2. Kubby/(Agenda Item # 3e( 1)- ) The cost for the downtown streetscape .... Vandcrhoef/I haveu't read it yet. Kubby/We had requested that the cost for the second phase go down ..... i thought that that translated into money. Vanderhoef/We had that conversation. Kubby/...reducing the frequency of the light poles .... But that is incorporated into this anloul]t .... (All talking). Kubby/We are setting the p.h. so we should just be aware of that number. Norton/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 38 LchmarF Fewer poles but the level of lights wouldn't be significantly different. 3. Norton/(Agenda Item ~47- ) I had a question about $4.7 GO bond. Is that just to consolidate other things'? Arkins/Strictly a refunding. Norton.,/ We have two things for downtown... waterworks .... Atkins/One is the refurbishing and fixing up and the other is the $200,000 xvaterline. Norton/ Arkins/Most of that... Willow Creek is the biggest one. This authorizes us to pay for what we have already done. Norton/... interconnection of the two plants. Atkins/That is done... finished. Norton/Did that come in a lot under estimate? Atkins/$5 million. Lehman/The S7 million is the Willow Creek Sewer and River Street. Norton/I just think somebody should explain what is happening. Vanderhoef/ 4. Champion/ .... 1 was just going to say is i don't know what your rules for commissioners on conm-~issions are but when I was reading through the minutes about people missing a lot of meetings .... General rule .... Off the commission? 1 think it is up to us. Arkins/I thought it was substantially separate bylaws govern each board and commission ..... Norton/ .... I think ....council ought to set some guidelines .... Kubby/We have to look into it... One of the characteristics xve look at ..... Norton/I think it matters what the absence is about .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 39 Lehman/Unexcused. Norton/I think we ought to put in on the hopper to discuss someplace .... Champion/I don't want to make this a big complicated thing ..... Vanderhoef/1 think it varies a whole lot for the various commission. Karr/Maybe the Rules Commission... take a look at that. Lchman/We can do that. Norton/ 5. Norto~f Are we doing anything vis-a-vis deer situation? Kubby/Could we get an update? Arkins/Not much happened. We did speak with Ed Harkin, USDA. He has contacted his boss .... We told him... he should be back in touch with us sometime in thc latter part of this week .... Kubby/Would you say something tomorrow night? Arkins/i would be happy to. Champion/ Norton/I certainly hope we are beginning to think about alternatives .... Atkins/We have a number of private contractors ..... Vanderhoef/Would it be appropriate to have a nmmo on what is available? Arkins/I will certainly brief you on it. O'Donnell/...hear from USDA. \."anderhoef/If we get a message from them they cannot do it, I don't want to be starting at the first step ..... Atkins/I hear you. 6. Norton/What is this thing... lawsuits... water? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 .lanuary 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 40 Atkins/Let me give you what I know. That came in today's mail ..... I had not heard of this Mississippi River Revival. As I understand it .... They had a press conference today in Des Moines ..... I think the group .... Have a bone to pick with the DNR .... All of the planning .... things we have in the mill right now are intended to bring us into compliance .... They seem to be speaking that the DNR should be doing something. To the best of my knowledge we have fully complied with what the DNR has asked us to do .... Federal regulations... we have never heard from the EPA about this .... Eleanor certainly hasn't had a chance to read all of the citations that arc in there. Norton/At the nnoment we simply don't know what to say about this. Atkins/I don't know rcally what to say about this other then we are spending lots of money trying to comply xvith all of those regulations the DNR says we have to do and we lhlly intend to do it. Chan~pion/ Thornberry/Anybody can sue anybody for anything at anytime. Champion/ Atkins/I am not so sure there is a lawsuit pending .... We will contact these folks... also indicate to them here is what we have done and here is what the DNR says to us .... We are playing by the rules that were imposed upon us. Dilkes/My office is in the process of getting all of the background information so that we can respond .... It would be our retention to do that. Atkins/It did come as a surprise .... Kubby/EA has met with Chuck and other folks about these specific issues. Atkins/Some time ago .... 7. O'Donnell/I got a call on Davis Street and we have parking on one side .... And during these snow days that means all the cars can permanently park on the other side. One side gets cleaned and the other side of the street doesn't ever get cleaned because there are cars there .... I am wondering if we shouldn't go alternate parking? .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 41 Atkins/What I would tell the folks on David is to call us. We will go down and tag the cars .... In 48 hours they have to move out so we can clear that street... We put signs up .... They just need to call us. Lehman/Neighbors are not going to like altemate parking .... O'Donnell/I am talking snow emergencies. Arkins/Then xve have to do that ahnost city wide .... I think we have a reasonably successful system. You call, we will stick some signs on the snow bank and street, you got to move .... We will clear the street. Chan~pion/It really works well .... Atkins/We w'ill do that virtually anyway .... 8. Lehman/I have one item .... County Board of Supervisors... talked about whenever we have a disagreement or possibility of doing something in the Fringe Area that is in violation of the Fringe Area Agreement, that we would have a committee that would meet with the Board of Supervisors .... There is a rezoning or... the Milder case .... There is some efibrt on the part of the county to resolve that issue. It comes before the County Board of Supervisors on Thursday .... They are xvilling to postpone a decision on Milders under after Thursday if we are willing to have out comn~ittee meet with them fairly promptly ..... I got a note fi'om Karin Franklin regarding the Milder issue .... seems to me if we agreed to meet and tried to resolve differences .... We should meet with them .... With Karin's help... We can come to some conclusion .... Acceptable to both the city and the county. I guess I need your concun'ence on that .... I would like to serve on that committee. We should have two other people. O'Donnell/I would like to. Vanderhoef/I was called to meet tomorrow .... They were trying to get everything set up for tomorrow.... It was indicated to me that it would be city staff and county and city officials .... The original call from MMS, Glen Micser .... He indicated that hc was working on getting everyone together .... Norton/Seems like a meeting like ought to come through the council .... I want to know about it. Vanderhoef/That is why I am bringing it up .... Lehman/Wc decided .... Time to have the first meeting .... We agreed to do this .... May not be a big deal... shows good faith on part of council and supervisors .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25. 1999 Council Work Session Page 42 Kubby/I wasn't sure I understood that it was a committee. I thought we were doing it like we were doing it with P/Z .... Lehman/Well, we asked to meet one time .... Kubby/What you are asking for is a committee versus a whole body. Lehman/ .... We did talk about a committee .... Thornberry/Can the committee make a decision as to the Fringe Area Agreement? Lehman/No, they recommend to council. Chanapion/ Norton/ Lehman/There is a specific item that they want to act on .... Vanderhoe~ I think a committee is fine and bring the recommendation back to us. Thornberry/ Kubby/I just thought it was going to work like when we have a disagreement with P/Z... whole city council and whole P/Z .... I would prefer it that way .... As long as when these issues come up it is different people .... In pairs being on the committee .... I am not volunteering. Norto~ ... Does council have any preliminary feelings about this? Lehman/The city staff originally recon~mended that we not object to letting them do what they want to do and then P/Z said no... This is really breaking the Fringe Agreement .... It technically is a violation of the Fringe Agreement. Champion/ Lehman/They bui It without permission .... Any standards. They did all kinds of things they weren't suppose to .... Now they are trying to get out of the thing scot-free... Norton/Appoint your committee .... Lehman/All right... I will call Jonathan tomorrow.... Find a time we can get together .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25, 1999 WS012599 January 25, 1999 Council Work Session Page 43 9. Norton/We got Saddlebrook decision... Benton Court .... And Tower Court... Those are the three heavies to sleep on'? KatT/Tower Court isn't on your agenda tomorrow night .... Norton/I can sleep a little longer. 10. O'Donnell/We have it scheduled for 7:30 AM to meet ~vith the PCRB? Lehman/It is just us to discuss PCRB issues. O'Donnell/February 11 is their meeting .... Vanderhoef/We were going to schedule the other meeting immediately following that. Lehman/We have a special meeting at 9:30 on Friday following that .... Adjourned: 10:25 PM This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 25. 1999 ~VS012599