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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-16 CorrespondenceMarch 9, 1999 City Council 410 East Washington Iowa City, Iowa 52242 To the Members of the Iowa City's City Council; I would like to express my objections to the rezoning application for the South Pointe subdivision in southeast Iowa City. We currently live in South Pointe and have been active participants in the objection process. In addition to our "neighborhood" meetings, we have also artended the Planning & Zoning Commission meetings when this issue was on the agenda. I realize our development has multiple problems. Many of these problems are related to the issue of water drainage and the hydric soil in this area. I also realize the new rezoning proposal does not directly affect the existing homes. I am also quite certain this fact was taken under consideration when the rezohing plan was proposed to only include areas that were beyond the 200 foot minimum requirement for formal objection from current property owners! However, the indirect effects of this rezoning proposal are many and will compound the already existing problems and thereby substantially influence the area. Many of these potential problems have already been addressed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, but, in my opinion, not adequately considered. These potential problems include safety of "open space" areas, fire and emergency vehicle access, water drainage back-up along Sycamore, traffic control problems, and overall "curb-side appeal" of the area. (The Commission chair did apologize for comments that the undesirable "garage front" appearance did not necessary mean our subdivision was "unattractive," but that this was not compatible with the overall comprehensive plan.) However, these' potential problems are important factors to be considered in the overall picture. At this time, and in the foreseeable future, this area does not need an "open space" surrounded by homes. We can see for over a mile in almost all directions from our home...we are the city limits and have a corn field in our "back yard." Emergency and fire access will be restricted to "alley" that runs consecutively behind 16 homespunless the emergency vehicles drive across the aforementioned "open space." In addition, garage access to these homes is via the "alley" in the back and, realistically, will result in vehicles parked on Langenberg and (the future) Russell Streets. These "garages" will be, for all practical purposes, storage sheds. In addition to these problems we, as current residents of South Pointe, questioned the "fight" that these future homeowners would have to garbage and recycling. The lots will be privately owned and will have city water and sewage. The homeowner's association is designed for maintenance of the "open space" and the drainage basin, and not, as was implied, for condominium privileges to secure a private garbage and recycling service. Since future homeowners would have no street access except for an "alley," where do they set their garbage? Also, who is responsible to enforce the association's responsibly for snow removal, grass mowing, other services and matters of liability in the "open space" since these homeowners also have a responsibility to maintain the private outside property which directly surrounds their home? Multiple comments regarding "entry level homes" were also frequently used as positive factors throughout the evaluation process. There have been several homes built along Hemingway (the middle street in this development) with similar floor plans except the garage is next to the house instead of in back. These homes are in the same or lower price range as the proposed homes, are attractive, sold rapidly, and most important to the residents of South Pointe, fit into the original overall design of the area. In fact, a final comment, just prior to the Commission's vote, related that price was not to be a factor in the final approval or disapproval process. This comment was made by a city staff member directly to the Commission. The result was that one commissioner changed her vote from "no" to "yes." I want to stress the fact that we have NO objection to "entry level homes" that fit into the overall plan that was for the South Pointe development, but rather the drastic changes that this rezoning plan will incur. We can maintain "entry level homes" without passing this rezoning measure. Last, but not least, I found a comment made by a commissioner on Planning and Zoning board most objectionable. He related that the only risk was being taken by the developer. I will agree, the developer is "taking" the improbable risk that these homes will not sell, but he is NOT the one who will suffer the consequences of this risk if this plan is approved. However, he will be the beneficiary if this plan is approved! Thank you for allowing me to express my frustration at this process. Although I have not been a city council member or a planning and rezoning commissioner, I have served in various capacities throughout my life. I realize your job is not easy and it is impossible to please all of the people all of the time. Nonetheless, I hope you will carefully evaluate the merits of the proposed rezoning plan, compare them to the already approved plan, and find our current plan more acceptable. Sincerely, 1539 Langenberg Iowa City, Iowa Dwayne & Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret 319-337-9998 Fax 319-351-6846 215 Brown Street Iowa City, Iowa 52245 March 2, 1999 MAR 0 8 1999 CITY IIANAGEi 'S OFFICE Mayor Ernest Lehman City Council Iowa City, Iowa Dear Mayor Lehman and members of the City Council, Thank you for installing a street light on the alley back of Brown Street by the shelter for the homeless opposite our driveway. Thank you also for planning to install sidewalks on east Dubuque Street so drunken fraternity members and others will be safer from cars and able to walk home via Dubuque Street instead of through our property. We want to bring two other issues to your attention. First the apartment building at 720 North Dubuque consistently has the dumpster parked in the alley, providing an unsightly hazard for cars to negotiate past the dumpster and the frequent illegally parked cars. This is difficult in snow and ice. The dumpster sitting illegally in the alley is below the apartment's living quarter windows. Trash often is spilling into the alley, particularly since the managers- owners do not have it dumped often enough in comparison to the amount of garbage. We have requested city officials for over four months to have the dumpster moved to park in the back of the apartment building. The housing inspectors have not forced a solution to this illegal use of an alley. The manager of apartment buildings we owned until March 1, fielded our requests to the city officials in charge of apartments about this dumpster and nothing has changed. The dumpster is a danger to the health of building residents with rats attracted to the garbage and to vehicles. We are told that this building, owned by Coach Patton, is to be acquired for transitional housing and since it was being sold nothing can be done about the dumpster. We would like the dumpster moved now. There is a a homeless men's shelter in a former fraternity, across the alley from our property and the apartment building mentioned above. We have found the homeless an improvement over fraternity members, also our neighbors. We are bringing to your attention that the historic district in the northeast side of Iowa City has a large transient population in group homes. We suggest that it would be best for everyone in all Iowa City neighborhoods to have transitional housing rather than clustering these shelters in only one or two neighborhoods. In most residential neighborhoods, traditionally one often knows the neighbors and feels reasonably secure for children, for young women and the elderly. Under the developing circumstances of Iowa City's growth industry of caring for the indigent, the homeless, transients hopping off trains passing through, and those released from state institutions including prisons, you have no idea of who is living next to your home. Iowa City provides benefits far more condudve to the homeless than nearby ciries and those offering such services in other states. Our suggestion is to spread out the fadlilies so that the resale tax base doesn't erode in any given neighborhood. While we have had two burglars, we can not complain about our homeless neighbors. Our burglars fled when the alarms went off. The homeless and other disadvantaged people are not necessarily burglars but prior to the great shift in the surrounding neighborhood to providing housing for people in various kinds of trouble and poverty, we did not have burglars or liquor bottles on our grounds. For example, our neighbor John Fitzpatrick has had the unique experience of finding many bottles of liquor hidden behind his air-conditioning units as the homeless walk up or down the alley to their fraternity building. John put the bottles in his garbage. The homeless fought back by removing his air-conditioning fuses so John had to rewire the units inside his residence. We pick up the liquor bottles stashed in our planters or on the alley as we see them. Mr. Fitzpatrick and the others fronting on Linn street are upset about the lack of parking. Each homeless person may have several social workers all of whom have cars. Often the homeless men are picked up by contractors for day labor and this creates more traffic. Will there be even more cars and traffic choking the neighborhood with the building at 720 North Dubuque converted to apartments for the homeless? While we have adequate parking on our grounds which we created a decade ago, our neighbors remain upset over the change in parking when the homeless shelter replaced fraternity members. Rather than having the historic district of the Northeast side become a less desirable place for families and others to live, and possibly less safe in general, we suggest that homeless shelters and other transient facilities be spread throughout Iowa City rather than concentrated if this is possible so all neighborhoods are treated equally. Thank you for your attention to our concerns. Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret Dwayne M. Bourret Johnson County IOWA ~ Jonathan Jordahl, Chair Charles P. Duffy Michael E. Lehman Sally Slutsman Carol Thompson February 25, 1999 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MP.R 0 1 1999 CITY MAHAGF. R'S OFfiCE Mayor Lehman and Council Members City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52440 Re: Expansion of the Johnson County/Iowa City Senior Center facilities Dear Mayor Lehman and Members of the Council: The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is supportive of the Senior Center Commission's request of 7,700 sq. ft of space in the proposed Iowa Avenue Parking Ramp. It appears this would be an opportune time to alleviate the ever-expanding needs of the Senior Center. As documented by Terri Miller, Chair of the Senior Center Commission, the programs in the present facility have seen a great deal of expansion in the past few years. We understand the present building cannot be expanded to meet these growing needs. The proposed parking ramp presents an excellent opportunity f or the Center to expand the space available for programming. 'l'he Senior Dining Program has certainly t~lt the need for additional space. Tentative plans for changes in space allocation presented by Mr. Jay Honohan of the Senior Center Commission, at our meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd indicated how space might be allocated to help meet the needs of Senior Dining as well as other programs in the center. The Board of Supervisors supports the Senior Center Commission's request for the full 7,700 sq. ft. Sincerely, Jonat~ ChaiC~jfj 913 SOUTH DUBUQUE ST. SUITE #201 IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-4207 TEL: (319) 356-6000 FAX: (319) 354-4213 03-16-99 2d(4) The Arc of Johnson County 'T h ~ 1700FirstAvenueS. Suite 16 ° IowaCity, lA 52240 APe (319) 351-5017 · FAX (319) 351-6837 --_ _ ~ Providing services to persons with menta~ retardation and developmental disabilities, F~bruary 19, 1999 Councilor Karen Kubby and the rest of the Iowa City City Council 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Dear Karen, At their February 18 meeting, The Arc of Johnson County Self-Advocacy Group created the attached petition. The group is very concerned about public transit. Any cuts to public transit, particularly at night, would greatly affect the many Iowa Citians that do not drive. The group hopes that you will share our concerns with the rest of the Council. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Rod Sullivan, Executive Director, Are of Johnson County, on behalf of the 23 signers of the enclosed petition 6&fd, C,- Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: r&kkuzniar [gabyl 1 @earthlink.net] Saturday, March 06, 1999 1:43 PM council@blue.weeg.uiowa .edu Transit Route Changes We would like to comment on proposed Iowa City transit service west of Mormon Trek. We have lived in our home almost 10 years and one of the reasons we bought a home west of Mormon Trek was that there WAS NOT transit service. We do not like the idea of having almost empty city busses go past our home seven times a day. We do not feel that there would be enough riders to justify transit service at all. We would also be interested in seeing a copy of the memo outlining the results of the survey about proposed changes. We never received any survey, and would have indicated opposition to such service. As taxpayers, we do not see how such service can be warranted when the Iowa City Transit System is already losing money. Ron & Kathy Kuzniar 1363 Santa Fe Dr Iowa City, IA 52246 Ron and Kathy also at rkuzniar@usgs.gov Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: betty [betty@meachamtravel.com] Friday, March 05, 1999 3:57 AM Council@iowa-city.org Transit Route Changes Hello. My name is Betty Alfaro and I received notice of transit route changes in the mail. Some of these changes would affect the area of Rohret Road past Hw-y 218. This area is growing daily. We need bus service. Especially something that would help our high school students out. There is no school bus provided and we have no city bus as an alternative. I have a son in 9th grade. From my house to the school, my odometer measures 3.5 miles. The school says we live within 3 miles and absolutely will not provide service to this area. That is a long way to walk especially in bitter cold, snow, rain, etc. I want to support this action of a West High Tripper. This would be a wonderful relief. Please let me know how I can help or when you will meet to discuss this issue so that I can attend. Thank you, Betty Alfaro 38 Durango Place Iowa City, IA 52246 319/338-5545 home 319/351-1360 work March 3, 1999 Mayor Ernie Leh~nan and City Co,:ncil City of Iowa City Civic Center 41(i East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 5224(} Southgate DEVELOPMENT 755 Mormon Trek BIrd, P.O. Box 1907 Iowa City, IA 52244-1907 PH: (319) 337-4195 FAX: (319) 337-9823 2d(8) Dear Mayor Lehman, I recently investigated the..ptions for additional free standing signage in the Kmart/Pepperwood ,area. Due m the vacancy created by Best Buy's relocation as well as the competitive nature of the retail market, the request fi~r signage by my retail tenants (including Kmart and Econotbods) has increased significantly. Based upon the Zoning Code interpretalion Panel's review of the ordinance governing signage in the CC2 zon '~, we are currently at the maximum allocated signage for the parcel with just 2 free standing signs. Based uiyon the tracts significant size (20+ acres), ~nultiple frontage (4), extensive Highway 6 frontage (750+feet) at. G overall developed square ti~otage (220,000+ s.f) the al Iowed signage is proving to be inadequate. We hercin request an amendment to the code to increase the allowed signage to more fairly serve the tenants of the area. Due to the competitive nature of the mark,,t, we would respectfully request irnmediate attention to our request. Sincerely, Harry R oil Vice President Cc: Planning and Zoning Commission City Commission Iowa City, IA 2353 Cae Drive Iowa City, IA 52246 7 March 1999 Dear Commissioners: I am writing you this letter because I think that you are all grossly overlooking a most important point in city development. While it should have been obviously to me earlier, it wasn't. Now that it is, I am sharing it so that you will do something before it is too late with regard to parking. To start at the beginning, I went uptown to get a single prescription at OSCO Drags. I parked on Clinton where commercial vehicles can park and was there less than 8 minutes before getting a ticket. I did not pull into the parking ramp because the time required is a minimum of about 15 minutes. With the efficiency of the meter maids, there is no excuse in having short-term parking on Clinton or within a block or two. Later I had a special need to get into my office in the Engineering Building of the University (now Sieman's Center) where I only needed to drop off some'material that needed urgently to be copied, So instead of stopping in my assigned University lot where the way was paid, I decided to stop in the ramp next to the Old Capitol Mall because of the shortness of the activity and because I had another appointment within a hafthour. So I wanted some place close that I could park briefly, achieve my business and get out. As I went into that parking lot, there was no one parking there for several levels because it said, no parking between 6AM and 10AM. The absolute waste was appalling! I may be wrong but I suspect that some of my tax dollars are paying for that empty structure every morning. The urgency of the moment drove me to park there at that time so my students could get the copy of material they needed that day. It would not have been unreasonable to delay those materials if I could ignore serious obligations to students in spite of themselves. To mention that I am angry that the City of Iowa City does not have any short term down-town parking has convinced me that the City does not care for my business downtown. I can and will pull my prescription business out of OSCOs because there is no way I can simply get a prescription fithat is the only business I have at the moment. I have already decided that I do not have emergency business with the University for my students if every time I do costs me $5 because there is no where in the Mall (out of several hundred parking spaces) I can park in the morning except at the top of the structure. Although I have a bit of trouble now walking 4 blocks in the winter weather these days, there are clearly other places I can go to get what I need without putting up with the fact that the Council has never considered (or given an indication that they care about) short term parking to get things fxom downtown. One can say that I can take the bus. Clearly the cost per trip would only be $1, rather than $5. But the minimum time commitment would be well in excess of an hour. Would you ride a bus for an hour to get a prescription when you could get your prescription filled in less that 15 minutes including travel time. Even if you would, I won't. You can readily see my concern. If people can not go downtown for a brief visit, they will not try to continue to do it nor consider a longer visit with a more monetary point. While I have tried to support my friends downtown, I will not continue under these circumstances. If this letter does not deserve some response, I will resend it via some newspaper. James Buck February 25, 1999 TO: RE: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council Civil Service Entrance Examination - BUILDING INSPECTOR We, the undersigned members of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Building Inspector. Terry Goerdt IOWA CITY CIVIL 2~y, Chair SERVICE ATTEST: 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET * IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-1826 * 1319} 356-5000 · FAX 1319) ;156-5009 February 24, 1999 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council Civil Service Entrance Examination - MASS TRANSIT OPERATOR We, the undersigned members of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Mass Transit Operator. John Kauffinan IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ATTEST: M/ 'ar~arr, City Clerk 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET '* IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-1826 · (319) 356-5000 * FAX (319) 356-5009 28 S Linn Street Iowa City IA 52240 (319) 356-5224 Fax (319)356-5226 March 1, 1999 To: From: Dear Members of the Council: Iowa City City Council 1999 You are invited to attend a Town Meeting on Wednesday, March 24, from 2:00-4:00 P.M. in the Senior Center Assembly Room, 28 L Linn St., Iowa City. The purpose of the Town Meeting is to give 3ohnson County citizens, especially those 55 years of age and older, an opportunity to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions about the operation of the Center. The Town Meeting is sponsored by the Council of Elders, a grassroots advisory body at the Iowa City/3ohnson County Senior Center.