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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-08-14 Transcription August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 1 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 1 Council: Lehman, Champion, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Kanner, Pfab arrived 6:32 PM, Wilbum arrived 6:32 PM Staff: Atkins, Karr, Holecek, Franklin, Schmadeke, Schoon, Boothroy Tapes: 00-81 Both Sides Lehman/We have an addition to the Consent Calendar. Marian Karr/James would you like to come up here please? And identify yourself and your establishment. James Adrian/Sure, my name is James Adrian from Atlas World Grill, a restaurant to soon be opening, we're opening early September. And I'd like to request that consideration of our liquor license to be added to tomorrow's agenda. Karr/Everything is. Lehman/I assume all the paperwork is in order, taken care of. Karr/Yes it is, everything is fine. Lehman/We just added it. Adrian/Thank you very much. Lehman/Wasn't that difficult? Adrian/Thank you. Lehman/You bet. Vanderhoef/I wish everything was. PLANNING & ZONING Lehman/OK your up. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 2 Franklin/OK the first two items are setting public hearings for September 12. A. CONSIDER A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 12 ON AN ORDINANCE CONDITIONALLY AMENDING THE APPROVED SENSITIVE AREAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR LOT 52 OF WALDEN HILLS, A 4.89 ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF SHANNON DRIVE, SOUTH OF WILLOW CREEK. Franklin/The first on an amended approved sensitive areas development plan for Lot 52 in Walden Hills. This will change this particular lot from 32 townhouses to 19 single family residences. B. CONSIDER A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 12 ON AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 13 S. LINN STREET AS AN IOWA CITY HISTORIC LANDMARK. Franklin/Item B is to set a public hearing on September 12 on an ordinance designating 13 S. Linn Street as an Iowa City Historic Landmark, at the request of the property owner. Champion/This is, I didn't have time to drive by that the other day, what building is that? Franklin/It's right on the alley, it's the old mortuary, that used to be the Donohue Lensing. O'Donnell/Sign. Champion/Right the sign thing (can't hear). Vanderhoef/Is it appropriate to ask my question now? Lehman/We're going to, well, under agenda. Franklin/Only if I can answer it Dee. Vanderhoef/OK I'll wait until it's an item but just don't go away. C. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REZONING 20.78 ACRES FROM INTERIM DEVELOPMENT MULTI-FAMILY (ID-RM) TO PUBLIC (P) FOR PROPERTY LOCATED WEST OF GILBERT STREET SOUTH OF NAPOLEON LANE. (REZ00- 0017) (FIRST CONSIDERATION) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 3 Franklin/Item C is first consideration on the public works facility site. D. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REZONING 35.15 ACRES FROM PLANNED DEVELOPMENT HOUSING OVERLAY (OPDH-1 ) TO SENSITIVE AREAS OVERLAY (OSA-1) AND APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY SENSITIVE AREAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR WALNUT RIDGE, PART 8-10, A 23-LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON KENNEDY PARKWAY. (REZ00- 0013/SUB00-0010) FIRST CONSIDERATION) Franklin/Item D first consideration on the Walnut Ridge expansion. E. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO CONDITIONALLY REZONE 30.32 ACRES FROM COUNTY SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL TO LOW DENSITY SINGLE- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS-5) AND 39.05 ACRES FROM COUNTY SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL (RS) TO INTERIM DEVELOPMENT RESIDENTIAL (ID-RS) FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD AND TAFT AVENUE. (REZ00-0012) (SECOND CONSIDERATION) Franklin/Item E, second consideration on the rezoning of the property recently annexed near Windsor Ridge. F. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 54 ACRES FROM PUBLIC/ INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL (P/CI) TO SENSITIVE AREAS OVERLAY - PUBLIC (OSA-P) AND FOR APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY SENSITIVE AREAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE NORTH PART OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY, WEST OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE. (REZ99-0001) (PASS AND ADOPT) Franklin/Item F is pass and adopt on the north airport commercial park and the Super Value deal is done. Lehman/Good. Franklin/We can do this finally. Champion/Ready. G. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY PLAT OF AIRPORT NORTH DEVELOPMENT, A 57.1 ACRE, 17-LOT COMMERCIAL SUBDIVISION WITH THREE OUTLOTS LOCATED IN THE NORTH PART OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY, WEST OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE. (SUB99-0001 ) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 4 Franklin/And then Item G is the plat for that commercial subdivision. H. CONSIDER A LETTER TO THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECOMMENDING DENIAL OF A REZONING OF 125.43 ACRES LOCATED WITHIN FRINGE AREA C EAST OF DANE ROAD AND WEST OF SOUTH OF THE LAKERIDGE MOBILE HOME PARK FROM COUNTY A1 RURAL AND RS SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL TO COUNTY RMH MANUFACTURED HOUSING RESIDENTIAL. (CZ0027) Franklin/Item H we have another letter requesting deferral to your next council meeting. Just to let you know we've continued to have conversations with Mr. Wolfe and his team, his attomey and his engineers. And what we're working out fight now is looking at what would be required if it was to develop in the city versus what is required if it's developed in the county to see how far apart we are, we're not that far apart. And so we need to talk about some of the financial issues that Mr. Wolfe has to deal with if he becomes part of the city which has got to do with his sewer and water systems that needs to be installed. Lehman/This is to be deferred to the 12th of September. Franklin/Yes it is. Lehman/OK. I. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FINAL PLAT OF GALWAY HILLS SUBDIVISION, PART SIX, A 4.82 ACRE, 13-LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED SOUTH OF MELROSE AVENUE AT THE END OF KEARNEY LANE. (SUB99-0020) Franklin/Then Item I is Galway Hills subdivision, and this is an old one, it was approved by the commission in October, the overhead is just to refresh you on where this is, it's just south of Melrose Avenue. The issue had to do with when the tap on fees were paid, typically, well as we do with all other projects the tap on fees are required to be paid with the development as opposed to when the building permits are issued, the developer did not wish to do that, he wanted to have them paid when the building permits were issued and so we went back and forth on that. My understanding is that he's finally agreed and we are expecting the legal papers. Holecek/They are on my desk I just have to review them. Franklin/OK, we'll be ready tomorrow. Lehman/OK. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 5 Franklin/And that one will be done then, and I'm done. Lehman/We have a question for you. Franklin/OK. AGENDA ITEMS Vanderhoef/On the agenda item the signage for the Yacht Club and. Lehman/Well are you familiar with this? Franklin/It's not me. Lehman/Oh it's not you right. Franklin/But David Schoon is on the Design Review Committee and he happens to be here. Lehman/All right. Vanderhoef/But I think my question is what is for you actually, it isn't about the sign per say it is about the fact that Historic Preservation it has recommended that that be nominated for a historic site. Franklin/A landmark. Vanderhoef/And should that review about the signage have anything to do with a historic building or how do we handle something like that? Franklin/That's a good question but I still can't answer it. Champion/It's not a permanent addition. Lelunan/No it's doesn't change. Franklin/No it doesn't, I don't, I'd have to go back and look at what the landmark requirements are, we haven't, we don't, we haven't done that many review of landmarks. This is for an Iowa City historic landmark and what I would have to do Dee is go back and see whether the review, what is entailed in Historic Preservation Commission' s review of any changes to a historic landmark. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 6 Because usually it is modifications that require a permit and are observable from a public right of way which this would be, even though it's not permanent. Vanderhoef/Well I would presume that they, the signage would be reviewed as is it or isn't it appropriate on a historic building. Franklin/Let me check it and I'll tell you tomorrow night. Vanderhoef/I would just hate to approve this signage right now and six months from now say no it doesn't meet the rules. Franklin/Right. Vanderhoef/Because I like what they've put there but I'm not sure it fits (can't hear). Lehman/Well Karin can we know this tomorrow night? Franklin/Yea. Lehman/OK thank you. Other agenda items. Item #Ta & b. AREA OF THE CITY TO BE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA, AND THAT THE REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, REDEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT OR A COMBINATION THEREOF, OF SUCH AREA IS NECESSARY IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY OR WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, DESIGNATING SUCH AREA AS APPROPRIATE FOR AN URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT; AND ADOPTING THE SYCAMORE AND FIRST AVENUE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN THEREFORE. Atkins/We have one for you Ernie, David, would you go to the microphone for you. David Schoon/Tomorrow evening, you'll have on your agenda the public hearing on the Sycamore and First Avenue Urban Renewal Plan and then the resolution approving the plan. Since you set the public hearing we've had discussions, we've been working on the developer's agreement with our attorney and we caught an error in the Urban Renewal Plan in terms of in the section proposed among indebtedness and in that section in essence it says how much do you anticipate in using in TIF revenues? We interpreted it as specifically as issuing bonds and it's broader than that, it's in terms of any TIF revenues you plan to use and we plan to use TIF revenues for rebate. So instead of only for just public infrastructure improvements we have to list that it's for these private site improvements and financial incentives to qualifying businesses. And then we had to change the amount of the proposed indebtedness or loans or outstanding This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 7 obligations we're going to have in the plan. And we've increased that from the one to the $3.5 million dollars, the $1 million we had included in there for any public infrastructure improvements that we haven't foreseen fight now but may participate in maybe some streetscape improvements in the area. The additional amount is try to provide us with a flexibility for the Sycamore Mall project in terms ofTIF rebate and any other projects in the area. So we did some calculations based on some projected increase in the values in the project area and came up with the $2.5 million dollars to give us some cushion hopefully in terms of establishing an amount required by state code, state code requires us to set out this amount. Champion/That would be the maximum amount, you could always go under that but not over that. Schoon/Correct, correct. Champion/OK. Lehman/And this is over 20 years? Schoord Well you can rescind the plan at any point but typically an area can be designated an Economic Development area for no more than 20 years and so that's why that wording is in the plan. Lehman/But, and this doesn't necessarily indicate that we will be going 20 years. Schoon/Correct. Lehman/I guess I need to have something explained to me because I'm not as clear on this as I'd like to be. It says through the action of Urban Renewal Plan the City of Iowa City proposes to potentially incur a debt indebtedness for public infrastructure improvements private, are we going to be incurring indebtedness for private site improvements? Schoon/Well it's. Lehman/Explain, I don't understand quite how this works. Schoon/We will in essence be, we're going to be entering into agreements with developers and we're going to be having obligations that if they meet these criteria annually we're going to be obligated to make payment to them it's. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 8 Lehman/Is the formula for our payment or pardon me let me restate that. Isn't the formula for calculating our payments based on the increased revenues for property taxes? Schoon/Correct. Vanderhoef/But we receive. Lehman/And if we did not receive any increase revenue from property taxes do we still have the same obligation? Schoon/No we only have an obligation if they had value to the site. Lehman/Right. Schoon/And it generates additional property taxes. Lehman/I guess the word obligation. Sarah Holecek/Ernie perhaps I can explain it. Lehman/Would you do that please? Holecek/I can try, because it is an obligation as far as counting and numbers and for purposes of your maximum obligations that the city can incur, if we have the obligation not withstanding fact that the money's paid into us and we rebate it it's still held on your side of the balance sheet showing that you have to owe something. So it has to be rolled into these figures and taken consideration in the plan. Lehman/OK, but if the increased property tax revenue was not sufficient to meet the obligation, do we have an obligation that we would then have to make out of the general fund? Schoon/No, no, the agreement will specifically say. Lehman/So the city is at no risk. O'Donnell/No. Champion/Not. O'Donnell/Then it's (can't hear) increase. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 9 Champion/Could be some. Holecek/Well at the risk of tempting to be clairvoyant sure you're taking some risk but we're attempting to minimize it. Lehman/The risk is minimal. Holecek/The risk is minimized through the agreements and through the process that you don't rebate anything unless it's paid in. Lehman/All right that's fine, I understand, that's fine. Vanderhoef/But the rebate so we have a TIF district and we keep the tax dollars on the increased value into a separate account to be reused there. And if the businesses don't come up to the standards and make requests for rebate money's then what do we do with the TIF dollars that we have set aside? Holecek/Well we have. Schoon/You can either, I mean you can either then disperse them into the other funds of the other, the city' s taxing entity or the other tax jurisdictions. Or if in the meantime we've incurred indebtedness to do some streetscape projects you could use those funds to pay off those bonds for those street improvements. Lehman/But they would be unencumbered, the excess funds. Schoon/Correct. Vanderhoef/And the excess funds would be subject then to just split with the county and the school? Lehman/Sure. Holecek/If it wasn't use with TIF for the rebate or other wise. Vanderhoef/(can't hear). OK one more question then. We can not use those funds for any street things beyond that line, so we couldn't make a nexus case that we could upgrade Lower Muscatine another couple of blocks because it would be useful and. Schoon/No the TIF funds can only be used within the Urban Renewal Area. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 10 Vanderhoef/Used in the district. Lehman/But the excess bunch can go anywhere. Atkins/But David that part of, that part of the plan, Lower Muscatine that portion that' s in the district could be improved. Schoon/Correct. Vanderhoef/What' s in the district. Schoon/Yes, but only those improvements. (All talking). Vanderhoef/OK I guess what I'm, I assume this but I keep looking at that additional section of Lower Muscatine that is not in the district but certainly carries a fair amount of traffic to the mall. Would it be appropriate to include some of that in the district? Champion/(can't hear) to do that. Vanderhoef/Yea, I'm serious. Atkins/Yea, I'm not so sure, it's somewhat of a balloon on a string if you would run it down there, that's why and secondly Dee before we get into that project I'd like a few minutes with you to remind you the history of that project. You know we did try that a number of years ago and. Vanderhoef/That I know. Atkins/Council Members walked around with their heads under their arms for a few days after the hearing, it didn't go well. Vanderhoef/Ernie's the only one. Lehman/No I wasn't on the Council. Atkins/No that even precedes Emie. Kanner/What project was that Steve? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 11 Atkins/That was the Kirkwood Avenue / Lower Muscatine project Steve, it's been 8 or 9 years ago easy, yea. And then the Kirkwood, they were split out. Pfab/In general, or in simple terms what went wrong? Atkins/What went wrong? The neighborhood was overwhelmingly opposed to it. Lehman/OK. Schoon/So then you're meeting tomorrow night before you approve the resolution adopting the plan you'll need to make a motion from the floor to make these amendments. Lehman/OK that' s, what item is that on the agenda? Schoon/7 or 9. O'Donnell/7. Lehman/7. Karr/David, excuse me, couldn't we tomorrow night just have you read it into the record and then we adopt the resolution as amended? Schoon/Sure. Karr/Just to save them by motion doing it, because the resolution will be amended then by (can't hear). Schoon/Sure. Lehman/Right. Champion/But if we. Schoon/Just tell me what I need to do tomorrow. (All talking). Karr/That' s all right, you'll do fine. Lehman/She' 11 tell me too. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 12 Champion/I move to include that the (can't hear) if we do it as a motion we don't have to read it all (can't hear). Karr/That' s correct. Champion/I think we should move to put it in. Lehman/Why don't we just make it part of the motion that we read. Champion/Right, good idea. Lehman/That's what she suggested. Champion/Yea but we don't have to read this. Lehman/We don't have to read anything other than the resolution. Good, keep it simple. Champion/Right, right. Schoon/So we'll just then. Karr/We'll have a motion to adopt the resolution as amended noting this on the record. Schoon/OK good. Vanderhoef/And can we, we' 11 have to do that prior. Lehman/There will be no amendment, the resolution will be amended when we receive it tomorrow. Champion/Right. Vanderhoef/When will the public hearing, because we're having a public hearing before that? Karr/We'll note that at the time of the public hearing. Lehman/Yea, we' 11 read the resolution as amended. OK. Kanner/Can you speak to the financial guidelines in the memo that you wrote, maybe just summarize that again. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 13 Schoon/In general we looked at this again in terms of how we reviewed establishing a central business district urban revitalization plan and granting property tax exemption for the downtown and found it that the goals here are slightly different than the goals that the economic development financial assistance guidelines focus on. They typically focus on job creation and quality of jobs and as outlined in the plan the most significant goal that is identified is the revitalization of commercial activity in providing that commercial activity to citizens in this area of the community and to the community as a whole. So what we thought that's one issue, the second issue with the type of projects involved as in the downtown having multi-tenants in a facility the leasing of that space can take periods of time. The leasing of that space can change fairly regularly in terms of who occupies it that we felt as we did in the downtown district that we would look at the financial assistance guidelines when we're establishing the district and we have done that in terms of providing fairly general comments in terms of how designating this area fits within those financial assistance guidelines. Given the council's goals identified in the plan, if the council so adopts, that we'd recommend adopting the plan based on it's goal of creating that commercial revitalization in that area in terms of that retail activity. So that' s a general summary of what we prepared in terms of the financial assistance guidelines. Kanner/So your saying you're staff recommends the council consider the financial assistance guidelines by making it's decision whether or not to approve the urban renewal plan. Are you saying we should take those into account when voting on this tomorrow? That appears to be what it says but your. Schoon/Yes. Kanner/But it seems like you're saying something different now. Schoond Well that' s not what I was attempting to say what you just read is that you should, we recommend that you consider the guidelines when adopting the plan for the area versus trying to use them in review them individual projects. Kanner/So let me ask you then what kind of studies on some of these quality of jobs be created that you've looked into like higher wage breaks. How many higher wage jobs will it create? How many full time long term non-seasonal positions? Schoon/As we say in the plan, again this will vary from project to project though this area was predominantly retail and in a retail sector of the market tends to pay in the lower range of wages in the community, they tend to be seasonal or more likely to be seasonal part time jobs without benefits and we do say that in the. We don't have numbers on that because we don't know the details of the particular project. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 14 Kanner/So it appears that it doesn't, the project probably won't meet this part of the guidelines at least from what you're saying initially. Schoon/Yes, that you need to balance goals that you're trying to achieve and if, it's important to revitalize a commercial retail activity in the community then commercial retail will always pay in the lower end of the wage structure, always so that means you would never provide assistance for projects that are retail. So in using just that guideline and if you wait, if you judge it on that then you would not provide assistance for the project but if you feel you have other goals that you'd like to achieve that are as great in terms of providing that commercial retail activity in this area of the community then you'd want to consider granting the property tax rebate to projects in this area. Kanner/Could rebates be given for based on the amount of wage that' s paid to someone if they meet certain guidelines then we would give them a rebate on the property tax? Is that a possibility to be written in the agreement? Schoon/It becomes difficult in terms of again how a project is structured, there's going to be one property owner owning this building and then leasing spaces to individual tenants and then it starts to becomes more difficult in terms of breaking down the project into individual spaces. And again you could do that, again we're talking about the retail segment of the economy which in general pays jobs towards the lower end of the wage structure. So you will consistently have a problem in terms of dealing with that. Kanner/But let' s say we did something creative like the developers offered group health insurance for businesses that come into their place and so they put some of their money into that and then we would give them a rebate because they're offering this lower rate for health insurance to a certain percentage of the people. We could do something creative like that right? Schoon/We could look at something. Lehman/Well. Schoon/To see if the developer is. Holecek/I don't know if that. Lehman/The problem that I see in this thing is that, my understanding is that the incentive will be offered to the developer which would enable him to develop the center in an attractive fashion to attract businesses and the assistance probably This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 15 would enable him to offer those businesses a lower rent. If we tie something onto what the next person in which case would be the person that leases the property pays them the way of wages or in benefits. How do we, if the person that leases the property doesn't meet those standards, how do we come back to the original person who got the benefit, built it and rented at a reduced rate? Kanner/Well I'm saying that there would be incentives for the developer to write these things into leases to offer these incentives so the benefits go to the workers there instead of into the pockets of the developers who eventually will get their money back if they ever sell it down the line. Lehman/Well you also have the possibility of chain operations that are national that are take, that their benefits are set by their corporate headquarters. I think this thing gets, this type of thing as I think you try to point out, for retail development is so impossible to try to follow guidelines, specific guidelines, I see is something that if we tried to do that the developer would just plain say. Champion/No thanks. Lehman/No way. Kanner/Well then I think it might be a good thing to do then. Champion/I think it's a good thing. Lehman/Pardon. Kanner/It might be a good thing to do. Lehman/It might be a good thing to move forward with it but this discussion probably should occur at the public hearing. Kanner/Well I'm trying to explore what's possible and what we can suggest as a council and vote on it. Lehman/OK thank you David. Any other agenda items? O'Donnell/Just a quick one. Lehman/Yes. ITEM NO. 12. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DESIGN OF EXTERIOR SIGNAGE AT 13 SOUTH LINN STREET. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 16 O'Dom~ell/Number 12, this new Yacht Club sign, it says 8 feet up minimum grade, you picked that up today. Lehman/Yea the picture shows 8 foot above the sidewalk minimum. O'Donnell/Is that an error? It's certainly going to be more than 8 feet off the sidewalk isn't it or am I reading this wrong? Pfab/It's right, it's about this high for the stop sign. O'Donnell/It says 8 feet minimum grade. Pfab/Oh grade or height? O'Donnell/8 feet minimum off grade which means it's 8 feet above the sidewalk. Lehman/If you look at the picture it's considerably more than 8 feet. O'Donnell/That's what I think too Ernie. Pfab/That's a minimum. Atkins/I'm assuming that' s what the code requires. Pfab/It says minimum. Atkins/It can't go any lower it can go higher. Vanderhoef/It can go higher it can't go lower than that. Pfab/Higher. Atkins/No higher than 12 feet. (All talking) Kanner/There are signs on the ped. mall that are about 8 feet off the ground. Champion/Sure. O'Donnell/If you look at this, it's 12 foot off maximum grade so this is going to be about 8 feet high (can't hear). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 17 Lehman/Well. O'Donnell/(can't hear). Lehman/That's low enough that sticks out from a building like that that someone walking down the street could easily run up and hit it. Champion/Right so I wouldn't think you would just put it 8 feet off the sidewalk. Lehman/I don't either but if the max. is 12 and the sign is 4 feet the bottom can not be higher than 8 feet. Can we check that? Atkins/Yes. Lehman/All right. O'Donnell/I have (can't hear) it seems like the sign would be knocked off at night. Lehman/Well it saves from knocking someone else off. Champion/Right. Kmmer/Yea I've got a few questions. Lehman/Yes. ITEM NO. 3f(14) LETTER FROM MICHAEL VALDE (IDNR) CONCERNING SOUTH PLANT VIOLATIONS. Kanner/The first one is to do with the letter from the Iowa DNR regarding Iowa City violations of affluent from the waste water and I wonder if Chuck or if Dave, Dave's not here. Atkins/Dave's not here, what is it you need to know. Kanner/Well I just have some general questions about that. Atkins/Sure Chuck or I can help you out, in fact Chuck why don't you come over here. Kanner/Either way. We have a violation that we're being fined $9,594 for. Atkins/We have an alleged violation for. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 18 Kanner/OK. Those were posed violation and fined by the DNR. Atkins/Right. Kanner/And so we're protesting it. Atkins/Yes. Kanner/And what is the main violation, is it ammonia, is that the main culprit? Chuck Schmadeke/Ammonia was one and I think maybe suspended solids was the other, I can't recall exactly but I think those were the two. Kanner/And I was wondering do you have any pictures of the vandalism that took place that caused this that we're proposing causes. Schmadeke/Not that I'm aware of. Kanner/No one took any of the (can't hear). Schmadeke/Not that I'm aware of. Kanner/That' s crush rod from railroad ties that were thrown in there. Schmadeke/Right. Kanner/Can you give me an idea of like how much was thrown in there? Schmadeke/Oh it was about 4 wheelbarrow loads. Kanner/So someone dug into the railroad lines? Schmadeke/Or just took the ballast off the side of the rails. Kanner/And just dumped it in there and do we have any leads with the police on this vandalism? Schmadeke/It was several months afterwards that we discovered it. Pfab/How come the railroad detectives didn't catch them if it was taking stuff off?. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 19 Lehman/It wouldn't have been enough for them to miss I wouldn't think, 4 wheelbarrows, that wouldn't be detectable from their position would it? Kanner/Chuck so we have violations in November and December and then March and April and how come we didn't have them in January and February? Schmadeke/The loadings must have been less than of those previous months or the weather was more suitable for treatment, it could be a variety of reasons I'm not sure. Kanner/Are we going to be? I assume they're going to, DNR will ask that question and we're just going to say. Pfab/The water was frozen. Kanner/Or will we have some sort oF Schmadeke/No Dave will be there to answer that and more specifically than I can yes. Kanner/Can I get an answer to that? Schmadeke/Sure I can have Dave give you a call and (can't hear). Kanner/And how are the commtmication between environmental advocates who initiated the suit and yourself and Dave (can't hear) are we having communication? Schmadeke/Dave is meeting with them within the next couple of weeks about some issues so I think yes I think he is communicating back and forth with them. And I don't to my knowledge they never filed a suit against the city. Kanner/Wasn't it against the? How was this initiated by E, maybe I'm using the wrong terminology to. Schmadeke/They put out a. Kanner/To bring about the consent decree. Schmadeke/They put out a paper listing several communities that they felt were violating effluent limits which Iowa City as one and filed a complaint with the DNR I believe. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 20 Kanner/OK and then the DNR responded and came to Iowa City and we worked out this agreement. And do you know how we compared to the other cities that were, that signed consent decrees? Schmadeke/No I don't know how (can't hear). Kanner/I was wondering if we could find that out, if they're having problems like we are. That's it for right now, thanks. Karr/Mr. Mayor just to note that that item will be added to the consent calendar, it was inadvertently missed, the consent calendar will be amended to accept that part of correspondence. Lehman/OK. Kanner/Wait wasn't it. Karr/It was in your information packet but it was a letter so it should be accepted as part of the consent calendar, so we'll amend that to include that letter along with the late letter you received from Auditor Tom Slockett. Vanderhoef/Chuck, how have we done with the new paint on the streets? I see we're getting ready to go back out again. Schmadeke/Epoxy paint and then the other newer kind, we've tried some of that out here in front of the civic center and we've have good success with it and the epoxy paint we put down two years ago and we're having success with that also. Vanderhoef/So are we continuing with that, with this bid that we're (can't hear)? Schmadeke/On our arterial and collector streets right. Vanderhoef/Good thanks. Lehman/Other agenda items. Item # 3d(10) RESOLUTION ACCEPTING WORK FOR RIVERSIDE DRIVE/ARTS CAMPUS STORM SEWER PROJECT PHASE 1. Kanner/Yea. Chuck on the Riverside Sewer, the final cost was 20 percent over the bid price, is that common that fluctuation to go up to maybe 20 percent over the bid? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 21 Schmadeke/Not generally, we had some water main work that we wanted to do over there and the contractor was in the area working right alongside the water main and so we contracted with them to do that work and added it to this contract. Lehman/But basically add on work. Schmadeke/Right. Kanner/So then the bid came in about, the final cost for original bid was about the same as. Schmadeke/And then the water main work that' s right. Item # 3d(11) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO FILE AN APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (CLG) GRANT TO OBTAIN FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREPARING A NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION FOR THE PROPOSED LONGFELLOW HISTORIC DISTRICT. Kanner/And, oh on the Resolution and the consent calendar grant application for Longfellow Historic District to prepare for National register nomination. The printed agenda says $10,000 and our council resolution says $4,400, I assume our council resolution is correct. This is number d(11). Atkins/Gee I'll have to check that out. Kanner/I assume $4,400. Atkins/It sounds low Steve that's why I wanted to check for it, it doesn't sound. We have always traditionally got $7-10,000 in these grants. We do this virtually ever year. Kanner/Every year OK. Atkins/I'll check that for you, it's $4,400 in the resolution, I missed it. Kanner/That's what I thought it said, I might have misread it. Atkins/OK. Item #3f(10) KAREN S CHUETTE AND MARY KNUDSON-DION - WEST BENTON STREET. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 22 Kanner/And there was a question in the consent calendar about safety concerns for crossing West Benton. Are there plans to talk about folks there about (can't hear)? Atkins/The West Benton project, I'm going to have to look at a couple Council Members for history on this. Remember we had proposed at one time to widen that street, big time public hearing we had. One of the thoughts at the time was the construction of an overpass from the park to the school property. As I understand this petition of sorts, it appears that that interest is resurrected as we begin to do, because we have that planned you know we secured, we'll begin putting a park in there. I need to do a little more research and bring it back to you, the bottom line is I'm sure you know what the expense is for an overpass and exactly how we put something together engineer it whatever we haven't done any more work on that but given the nature of this petition where we have so many involved we do owe them an answer of some kind and I just don't have that for you yet. But I do, I have to bring that to you. Lelunan/Steve wouldn't, I would assume that in the, I don't where we are in the, I know the land has been purchased for that park. Atkins/We own the land. Lehman/Are we presently designing a park? Atkins/Yea. Letunan/I mean I would assume that when we get this design work back there will be some sort of. Atkins/You'll ultimately have to approve it because we have to bid it. Lehman/I'm sure there will be some sort of provision made for access of park. Atkins/Yea, but I think this is a traffic safety concern Ernie, the access to the park I don't know a big. I think and I don't know this this is me speaking, I think the schools would perceive this could eventually become a very attractive nuisance because in affect you've expanded the playgrotmd virtually right across the street from the school and you could see those kids out the door and heading across the street to the city's park very easily, again I that's, that would be my notion to what that's all about. Champion/Boy that is a problem. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 23 Atkins/Yea it is, I mean it's sitting there inviting them to come. Lehman/Well it's a much bigger problem than most places because that hill, or that park is halfway down a hill. Atkins/Yes. Lehman/And even if you had crosswalks and guards and whatever else you've got cars pop up over that hill that's a terribly dangerous place for a park relative to the school. Atkins/And I'd be more concerned about after 3:30, not the 8-3:30 1 mean the kids, I think you'll be in control of the schools, it's going to be that late afternoon and evening traffic pedestrian and vehicular, it will be a problem. Pfab/What is it, the speed limit in a school zone area would be? Letunan/20. Champion/20. Pfab/But that's up till 5:00 or 6:00. Atkins/Yea usually it's 8-5 Irvin that's correct, and then it's a question of enforcement. Champion/That's not going to help if some kid runs across the street. Vanderhoef/No and part of that conversation was that at the time we were exploring doing a rebuild on the Benton Street in that whole old section in there and the conversation was about widening that street as we rebuilt it and then that made it even more difficult for people to get across because of the distance. Lehman/Although the widening did include an overpass. Atkins/No we did not. Vanderhoef/No, we talked about it. Atkins/It was discussed Ernie. Vanderhoef/It was discussed but it was not. Atkins/It did not have one in the project. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 24 Lehman/Some of the plans though did show possibilities of (can't hear). Atkins/Yes. Vanderhoef/It was discussed but. Atkins/It was clear that the Council's position was going to be we're not going to go that way. Lehman/But I don't know how we can respond to this until we get a little more information on the park and how it's going to be configured other than to let them know. Kanner/We're looking into. Lehman/It will be part of the consideration of the park. Kanner/But I would also propose that we put it on the joint meeting agenda or maybe the solution, the partial solution is a crossing guard and that's something that we want to talk about with the schools that may be. Is there any crossing guard there now I guess? Lehman/Yea but see Steven we're, I agree with you but we're so premature on this there is a crossing guard at the foot of the hill which is also I think going to be the entrance of the park. And that crossing guard is there in the morning and also after school which may address the problem the parents are talking about. There's nothing that's going to address the kids crossing in the middle of that hill. Atkins/Ernie I do believe there's merit though to talking with the schools directly about this, whether it's on the joint meeting or something, I think these are circumstances where the neighborhood as many of you know, Dee from your Parks and Rec. days, push, push, push to get a park, get a park, and now we've finally got that together and. Lehman/Well can we? Vanderhoef/The rest of it as I recall was getting that trail in that connected up some adjacent property there so that there would be the possibility of children crossing up on the flat land and then going back and getting on the trail to get to that park rather than having to cross right in the most dangerous area of the street. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 25 Atkins/Well the bottom line is folks come over the hill and the kids are crossing at the bottom of the street and you'll, and that' s just. Lehman/Can we put that on the agenda for the joint meeting and also let Terry and his folks know they should be communicating with the school (can't hear). Atkins/I'll ask the commission, yea I'm sure the Parks and Recreation Commission would (can't hear). Vanderhoef/The rest of it that I would like to double check on because we've found out that we weren't going to have to get into those pipes underneath Benton Street that was part of that upgrade was to replace some sewer and water pipes and so forth and we did an overlay. Atkins/Right. Vanderhoef/So about what year are we talking about when this comes up again? Atkins/If I recall the overlay was best guess was. Vanderhoef/3 years (can't hear). Atkins/Yea it was about 3 years ago the project was but I think we said 7-10 on an overlay that sounds about fight. Vanderhoef/OK so that sort of figures into this whole puzzle when things might happen. Atkins/I just, I want to communicate with the folks that wrote, they need to know that we're working on this matter because again a number of them signed that petition. Pfab/Are we discussing that at the present time there's a concern of cars coming over that hill and not being able to stop because of children? Atkins/Sure. Pfab/Is there any type of signage that can be put on the top of the hill that would address that directly? Atkins/I'm sure we'll put a playground sign there Irvin that's very common. Pfab/Well I mean even now, is there something that can be done? In other words, steep hill, children at play, something like this. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 26 O'Donnell/You've got school zone. Pfab/School zone. Atkins/Yea there' s a school zone it's already there. Pfab/But in school zone, but school zone doesn't go from Saturday and Sunday. Atkins/Yep. Pfab/See so in other words, how steep is that? Does that have? Lehman/Will that, does that qualify for the little truck on the hill? Atkins/The truck. Champion/That would help. Pfab/The mountains. (All talking). Pfab/No, no, I'm serious, it might, and then you could also put children at play, it's something, I mean if there' s a way to stop an accident I think we ought to look at it whatever it takes. Atkins/Let me find out what the signage options are, I can get that for you that' s easy enough to get OK. Kanner/Ernie one last thing. Requests when we get our building permits which I. Atkins/The monthly summary thing. Kanner/Yes I like those. Atkins/Good. Kanner/One request I would have is that at the end put the listing what' s the improvements in taxable property and nontaxable property, you've got a subtotal. Atkins/I think we could do that. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 27 Kanner/We put in public improvement, we put everything, so we had, I looked back and I saw we had about $200,000. Atkins/You can bundle them up but I think I see your point. Kanner/Yea so it's easier if you could put that there and then I can see what taxes we'll be getting on these improvements. Atkins/Now also keep in mind the building permit value is often not. Lehman/Not accurate. Atkins/Not yea. Kanner/Yea but you give us a rough. Atkins/But you want an estimate within this monthly report it appears to be X dollars in taxable property and X so as long it comes up (can't hear). Yea I think we can do that, that's easy enough OK. Lehman/OK North Dubuque Street entrance. N. DUBUQUE STREET ENTRANCE Atkins/Emie you all may recall it was a couple years ago I think we began talking about how to improve our entry ways and one time I think we talked about a committee, we actually set aside I think it may proceed a number of members of council, we had an annual appropriations set aside, we never really spent it. Vanderhoef/$50,000. Atkins/Yea it wasn't a lot of money, and then we became aware of interest in the part of Project Green, you as a council adopted recently as a goal. I had some interest from a number of folks and Chuck had been doing some very preliminary work. What we'd like to show you tonight since we're about to begin putting together capital projects, that's why there's really nothing in your packet. If this is the project you're interested in, Project Green is very strongly committed to doing the landscaping component. I'd like to incorporate this is in our upcoming capital plan, now who goes first over there is up to the two of you. OK. Steve Ford/I'm Steve Ford with Shoemaker and Holland Engineers landscape architect. I've been waiting to come up here and show you folks exactly what we've been up to and anxious to hear what, even though I know Project Green has been doing, I This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 28 think there' s a nice marriage of a nice corridor development and a nice gateway entrance into Iowa City. And I just briefly this would be nice if this was right side up, that's what we're having trouble with. That's better. Let me start with the overall project limits so you know exactly where we're all, I know this is very small but down here at the bottom at this edge and of the map we have 1-80 on ramp from the west brings you in and then we have Foster Road at the other end. Atkins/Steve, do you want to push the podium back so I think (can't hear). (All talking) Atkins/Or scoot down so they can see a little better. Good, thanks. Ford/OK is that better? Now what I'll be showing you is the area in lighter green, our project starts here and ends all the way to Foster Road. The area that Project Green will be looking at is on the right of way adjacent to the project site. What our charge was to make simple significant improvements to what' s there, right now what we have is a, essentially a drainage swall, separating two slabs of pavement in and out of town and what we've tried to do is add curb and gutter. Initially this is the hardscaped items going on, curb and gutter throughout the entire course of the median itself. We will be adding a significant amount of earth and fill and I don't want to use the word berming so much because that's such a broad range but what we want to do is raise this area up and no longer have draining into it, there will be intakes along the curb and gutter sections along this roadway. And the shaping of the berm, the shaping of the median is very important and will show up within the contract document sets that we're working on so it will be subtly rolling but it will be anywhere between 3 to 5 feet of fill and berm that's currently going in there. Lehman/There will be a storm water pipe under it? Ford/There will be a storm water pipe added and it will all be piped south. Lehman/OK. Ford/All enclosed. Vanderhoef/So what else would be buried by another 4 or 5 feet? Ford/Well at this point, there, the two other things that are happening the existing highway lighting is there, now we'll be sitting in a drainage area that has to be brought up so they'll be removed, placed on new pedestals. With the lighting, the street lighting will not be changed, it will just be brought up to the new grades. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 29 The other things there, the utilities that might be going in there are yard hydrants, watering hydrants for the entire section so as we add plant material city staff can easily go out there and maintain this material. And we've been working closely with staff and the forestry department to make sure what we're doing in here makes sense and very easily maintained. And as you might imagine within this corridor we have a lot of salt load. (END OF 00-81 SIDE 1) Ford/Way so that's maybe the difference you might see between some of the plant material selections that Project Green's come up with from what we're doing is we've come up with as hardy a material as we can in this area. But the similarities would be that they're spaced, they're grouping in mass in an informal way as best as they can be for the site constraints that we have giving it more of an informal look and our natural look blending both sides of the fight of way. In addition to what's going on with the median, and I might add there is a (can't hear) cross over this area down here is a small island by itself very narrow, has a hard surface top concrete top and then there' s a cross over. And that cross over has been there for years and it appears that that was there for allowing this residence access drive in, the DOT doesn't know why it's there, we thought it might have been for snow trucks, their snow trucks going down and turning around and coming back up. We're in the process of letting that residence know what's going on because we're actually closing that off, we're having that a continuous median all the way down through there so there' s a nice continuous look all the way through. This area right here has been blown up to this area as far as a little more detail of what you can cease, there's over storing and under storing trees, as we move up noah as we have more room, there's 40 to 45 feet of green space available on the north end and it obviously tapers as you go south. We have more chance to put more plant material in and be a little more loose, and as we move down further south we have to just because of the geometry have to be a little more tight. In addition to what's going on in the median and I want to, I do want to touch on lighting because that's an important issue but before we go there, on either side of the roadway north and south we are renovating the shelter on the west side going in, that' s mostly granular and not in very good shape and on the east side there is an ACC asphalt surface that' s deteriorating and shows a lot of wear so within this scheme of what we're trying to do we're adding, replacing older asphalt with newer material. So the whole look is going to be a very clean and nice line all the way through and the idea is that the plant material will carry, is more the architectural feature that carries this roadway in in an informal way. The lighting depends heavily on the plants themselves so the additional lighting that improves this area is all cam lights and floods that there are small floods, low voltage, or low intensity floods. And three different areas where we can add some stone groupings of rock, one layer high, very very This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 30 minimal as this grade rolls and the small flood lights will be allowed to wash the surface and add interest. The lighting, the can lighting that we're suggesting are within the grouping of trees every other tree and the grouping of three will have, will there'll be cam lights shining up into canopy bracketing. So what you'll see as the trees mature is not the light fixtures, not any light poles standards, you'll see light case illuminating from the foliage above so there will be a nice dramatic hue as you drive through there and it will be very pleasing for drivers they won't have to see the lights for the cobra lights their way up above doing the job they need to do for safety and what the driver will only see is the light cast. This is just a couple quick little cross sections and I've added some photos that you might take a look at later but that's the existing condition of the median as it is right now. And it does need a little help and the wider up here on the northern section you can see that we've, this is the existing grade and this is proposed grade, essentially what we're doing is shaping at a 3 to 1 slope off the back of curve, generally as this starts and then there has to be innovative shaping that happens all the way through the corridor and make it look as natural as we can make it. So there, there has to be some on site supervision as this as the ground shaping has been created but that's essentially the direction this is going. Lehman/How would this match up with the intersection of Foster Road which I think is that's on the CIP for what 02? Atkins/Yea it's the odd years, I don't think it's in the plan for the next 4-5 years, it was, that' s a big ticket item. Lehman/I know it's a big ticket item, but when the Peninsula project gets underway which won't be next year and we've got Foster Road done I would think that intersection. Vanderhoef/I think the intersection is separate from the road. Lehman/Yes, oh yes it is. Atkins/I'll go look it up. Lehman/The only thing I'm thinking I would hate to see us do really really impressive sort of entrance way that doesn't mesh up with what we have to do with that intersection of Foster Road. Ford/Essentially what, right down here you mean? Letunan/Right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 31 Ford/What we've done to stay a significant distance away and made no improvements, see where the green area ends, we're not doing anything beyond. Lehman/Oh OK. Ford/Because we're, we know that this is coming up and ifthere's a left tum lane or if there are other things that we don't know about where geometry changes significantly we don't want to go too far down. Plus it's restricted anyway, just maintaining a green space or something that in there was very difficult with speeds around the corner so we just simply stayed out of that area as much as we can. And you can see up here where we stayed out of the area as far as plant material go as much as we can. Obviously this is a IDOT right of way all the way down to Foster and they have a certain area of 600 feet is that what it is? That they have control of and they want to understand what we're doing. We are in constant contact with those folks and they're very supportive of what we're doing and their obvious goal is safety and site lines and that's why our goals are that as well and we're staying out of this area as far as plantings go. So that's why you see a little bit of a void here and we're staying out of the Foster Road intersection down there. Champion/Now if you're going to cut off the access for those, are there two houses there? Ford/There's just one house. Champion/Is there possibly for development more in there? Ford/They have an access from a street above now, that wasn't, years ago when this was put in in 1960, 1959, 1960 that wasn't the case so that's what's happening. O'Donnell/But their garage is down below. Ford/It is and these people don't live there, they're completely out of state and nobody' s living in it right now but that doesn't mean they don't need to know what' s going on and we're pursuing it right now. Kanner/Do you have an approximate cost of this? Ford/The budget has been fluctuating, where are we at? Schmadeke/$366,000 is right where it is. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 32 Kanner/And what' s the estimated maintenance cost beyond what it is now? Ford/We haven't put together a maintenance cost schedule, the thing that's important I believe initially and this where we're at and the fact that we've been working with Terry Robinson and that group and we sat down with those folks to make sure with what we're up to to make sure that getting just getting equipment off and into this area is difficult in itself because of the heavy traffic allowing easy access in and out and then allowing within the beds, within all the elements we're creating along the way that it's the maintenance, the mowing is very easy. The rock out croppings, the canned lights, those types of things, the yard hydrants that are out there are a plus but they're also hidden within beds so there's simply mowing going on in and around a lot of difficult site elements that are in the way. So I'm sorry I didn't answer your question exactly because I don't know. Atkins/And also I think, we have, if you all accept this project then we'll begin putting the kinds of things together that your interested in knowing particularly maintenance because I think again Steve's points will take, that, Steve and Steve. It's a unique project and it's going to require a little more special attention, not only it's traffic volume but the fact that we're introducing the kind of plantings and things that we are and that, it will be a little harder to take care of. Pfab/Is that piece of highway, is that know that the part where your putting the (can't hear) between is that going to need major work in the very near future? Ford/This entire corridor here? Pfab/Here from curb to curb, outside curbs. Ford/Are you talking about? Pfab/From here to here all the way out. Ford/Well the pavement, the pavement itself is intact and fine if that' s what your talking about the roadway surface is fine and simply what we're doing is taking out some existing (can't hear) shoulder. Pfab/I'm aware but what I'm saying is this, are we predating something that has to, the whole thing has to be approved? Champion/No. Pfab/The consensus is not. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 33 Atkins/Chuck's comment was no. Pfab/It's such a, every time I go by that thing it's the most ugly thing I've ever seen I just thought maybe it had something to do with the structure too. Atkins/No we'll put a pretty face on it if you accept the project but I'd understand that the pavement surface itself is generally in good shape we don't need to worry about it. Pfab/I just used to look at that median and then the other, I have another question, you have to put in curb and gutter, curb there right? Ford/There are other options out there that we talked about but curb and gutter seemed to be the easiest solution. Pfab/But how does that work as far as safety to the drivers? Ford/It is the safer situation than, first of all if we were to berm the area anyway and bring it out of a ravine into a more into a more bermed look you have to put some kind of edge on it and that's simply the smallest impact, the littlest impact you would put on it would be a curb and gutter which allows drainage to stay off, not erode the area, get into storm sewer and get out and so that' s the easiest thing. The other, we tossed around options of a Jersey curb raised bed, quite a ways up, 42 inches up which has been done in larger metropolitan areas and is somewhat successful but probably more difficult to maintain because you can't get up there, you almost have to plant the entire thing and not mow anything and so that's, you know we try to keep maintenance in line with all this as well. Pfab/Well I guess to me safety through the traffic there because it is, it gets pretty vicious out there. Ford/Yes and there are rules and regs. set by the DOT on permanent fixtures of any kind either trees, landscape elements, poles, a certain distance back from curb, and so we're following guidelines essentially set aside by the DOT. Pfab/See the reason I ask is a lot of times people take intersections they put curbs there and before long they're so dangerous they end up taking them out and I just thought it, I just see the curb there. So in other words what your saying now, does part of this funding go to improve the sides also? Ford/Yes. Pfab/So in other words it will be. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 34 Ford/Shoulders on one side, shoulders on either of the side. Pfab/Right. Ford/Curb and gutter on the median and then actually turning this ravine into a bermed landscape median. Vanderhoef/Are you putting water out there in the median? Ford/Yes, we're pulling water from a main down part of there, in this area (can't hear) into the median, and every 200 feet there will be yard hydrant and it will be in a planting bed for maintenance to take care of, you know they can easily water it. Pfab/In that area is 200 feet, a long distance apart, should it be 100 feet? Ford/Well. Lehman/It's a 100 feet hose so. Ford/It's 100 foot hose so you pivot from one side to the next and you reach 200 feet either way. Pfab/It looks to me, I mean just from my own personal experience 200 feet looks awful far. Ford/And again we've talked to staff about what they wanted and that' s the minimum. Pfab/Because that's kind is like doing yard maintenance or maintenance I mean maintenance an upkeep there in almost a no man's zone. Ford/Sure, we tried to make it as maintenance low as impact as we can, and we've asked for a lot of impact from staff on the best grass to use, some of the best performing trees that have been, that have been put close to highways, how they do. Pfab/Is there any reason why it shouldn't also include a internal sprinkling system? Ford/We talked about it and it simply was not a major request so we have just gone with a yard hydrant. Pfab/I don't want to see any bodies when people try to work up. Ford/No I understand. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 35 Lehman/OK what your looking for is an indication from council. Atkins/No we're not finished yet. Lehman/Whether or not we should move forward. Atkins/Well do you like this? A yes or a no. Champion/Yes. Atkins/But Project Green is next up because they want to do plantings along the side of thing which is all part of this whole deal. Lehman/All right. Pfab/We' 11 take it. Vanderhoef/And of course we have deer repellent all along. Ford/These are all, these plants have been selected to try to do the best job they can with salt and with deer you know as well as I do that if deer are hungry they will go after anything but I think this is a pretty good selection of plant material through the median. Lehman/OK. Atkins/AK, Laura, who's up? Both of you. Oh Ernie you asked a question Foster Road Dubuque Intersection is an unfunded project. Champion/Oh it's a long way off. Lehman/The intersection itself. Atkins/Yes, the project will improve geometric capacity and safety of the intersection involved the addition of turn lanes and signals, today' s dollars $1.05 million. Lehman/That' s today. Champion/(Can't hear) We have more traffic coming out of that (can't hear). Atkins/Now you've got to note, you've got some Foster Road projects but not the intersection. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 36 Lehman/The intersection itself is not funded. Vanderhoef/It got moved out, it was up. Atkins/It was up and we bumped it out. Lehman/OK. A. K. Traw/OK I'm A. K. Traw and I'm cochairman of Project Green and one of our interests has always been on the entry way' s into the city and beautifying it and long ago Gretchen Harshbarger designed the original plan to Dubuque Street and that was in 1978, many years have past and so we have thought it was time to renovate this area. And we interviewed a lot of landscape architects and Laura Hawks from Iowa City, Hawks Design and Craig Ritlin from Waterloo presented this plan that we liked so Laura is here to explain what we're going to do. We're going to work on the east side as you know and the west side of Dubuque and if you have any questions she can answer them. Laura Hawks/Yea this probably won't take too long here, basically Project Green' s endeavor was to improve the Dubuque Street entrance into Iowa City. The plans Craig Ritlin and I provided Project Green included removing existing material, furnishing and installing and maintaining new plant material along this way. With respect to the project area, state propeay abuts on the north end 660 feet south of the center line of the east bound ramp to Interstate 80 so basically that line is south 660 feet to about this area here and it shows up on the construction drawings for this project. We worked with Dick Houts and Newman Abisa of the IDOT to determine an acceptable northern most project limit line. We basically, we wanted to stay out of the area for future construction of the new intersection alignment which is proposed in 205 and 206 1 believe. The landscaped area along south Dubuque is south of this line all the way to Meadow Ridge Lane which is right here which is noah of Foster Road. We have obtained a permit to plant within IDOT propeay on both sides of the road here, they've already approved the plan. The west side of Noah Dubuque Street is generally a woodland edge, the east side basically is an open lawn area with groupings of ornamental trees and shade trees. This is, these basically remnants of Gretchen's plan and as AK said this had been installed in 1978. Some of the material is declining, some of these existing crabs and the Hawthorn's are starting to decline in this area. We actually contracted with Arbor Pro and they've been out here this spring actually to remove declining plant material in order to expose some of the existing plant material that Gretchen had in her design plan back in 1978. Craig and I basically, we walked the site and as we walked it on the west side and the east side we discovered a lot of significant indigenous plant material, there were stands of This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 37 Shagbark Hickory' s and stands of flowering dogwood of all things which is really not needed to this area. But they are basically have inhabiting a very micro climate which is protecting them and they are quite striking in the spring time as you drive down this corridor, I'm not sure if you've noticed them or not but. Basically Craig and I had proposed to remove material in front of those trees and add to those to increase the impact basically and also we were proposing to include under storage trees within these indigenous micro climate areas which would flower but would also be indigenous to that stand particular stand of trees. We are also proposing mass plantings of trees on the other side of the corridor so it provides kind of a unified affect as you drive through it at 35 mph here. Now we have received bids for the project, my estimate was $60,000 for the planting, and this included a maintenance spec. and we did obtain one from Iowa City Landscape for $51,000 and from Suburban Landscape for $54,000 dollars. We did award the bid to Suburban Landscape Associates, they had included all the elements and the maintenance specifications so that' s why we awarded the bid to them. So if you have any questions feel free to ask. Wilburn/How soon will you be starting? Hawks/They've actually, Arbor Pro has removed quite a bit of material already, they plan to start hopefully the city will come into extending an existing storm line here and filling a gully basically and they will also be improving this intake and outflow structure area down here by filling in and improving the grade so it's easier for the mowers to get out there and maintain it. But hopefully they'll be starting towards the end of August or the towards the middle of September. Champion/It looks nice. Hawks/One certain plant material Eastern Red Bud they won't be planting until those are totally dormant because they don't do very well planting in leaves so the deadline for the contractors is November 30th to have everything installed. And that includes deer protection for the trees and also for these mass plantings of (can't hear). Vanderhoef/So we're just talking about bushes and flowering plants on the median? Hawks/On the median. Lehman/No the median's got trees. Champion/No it's got trees. Vanderhoef/There's trees there also. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 38 Hawks/Yea, that is by another, the City of Iowa City. Vanderhoef/I only have one, I love the way it looks, I just have a question about that corner in particular drifts so heavily with snow and I'm wondering what more plant material and trees and stuff in that area is going to do for all the snow in that corner. Hawks/Are you talking about this? Vanderhoef/Where they come off. Hawks/Oh where they come off here. Vanderhoef/Come down in there. Lehman/Actually though most of the drifting takes place from the northwest and your not putting any trees in that area at first right. Vanderhoef/Until we get further down. Lehman/And that' s where the hill starts anyway. Hawks/Right. Lehman/Right. Vanderhoef/And that's where it drifts all the way around that curb but maybe it does drop off when you get there, down that far. And we haven't had anything to hold the snow on median so how that would interact I don't know, just a question. Lehman/Looks good. O'Donnell/It looks good. Vanderhoef/It looks lovely. Kanner/Laura. Hawks/Yes. Kanner/What was the maintenance you were talking about, is this something perpetual maintenm~ce that's part of the bid? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 39 Hawks/It's just for one year and basically the contractor' s responsible for making sure all the planting beds are weeded and watching for insects and diseases and also for removing plant material stakes a year later and also reinstailing the tree protection grading and fencing or actually it's a deer protection type fencing, they're going to remove it next spring and then reinstall it next fall again. And it includes replenishing the bark mulch in the beds throughout the project. Lehman/OK. O'Donnell/Very nice. Lehman/Thank you. Steve when are we anticipating the city's portion of this project if we? Atkins/If you approve it? Lehman/Yea. Atkins/I'll bring capital projects in the next couple months, you'll be setting priorities then. Lehman/To begin next summer, all right. Atkins/If you approve it and set priority and willing to fund that year. Lehman/Fund that year, go for it. Vanderhoef/How much do we have accumulated on our $50,000 for umpteen years? I think it was three years. Lehman/Well it's accumulated in you know what I mean, I haven't been putting $50,000 in the savings account every year, no I'm sorry I haven't done that. Vanderhoef/Shucks. Lehman/OK. SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL Atkins/But I understand. The next item Ernie is the Snow Removal policy that was asked by council to bring this to you for discussion, I've got Doug available. What do you want? We can tell you what we do. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 40 Wilburn/Tell us what we do. Atkins/Doug them what they do. O'Donnell/Shovel snow. Boothroy/You mean tell them what to do. Lehman/No, no. Atkins/No, no, no, no, no, no, don't do that. Champion/You don't have to (can't hear). Boothroy/My hearing isn't what it used to be. Well one is that 24 hours after the succession of a snow fall of 1 inch or more an Iowa City resident is to clear their sidewalk of snow of that accumulation. Lehman/Does that include businesses too? Boothroy/Yes. Lehman/OK. Boothroy/OK. I think the policy works or the ordinance works fairly well, we're, you, we deal with it on a complaint basis, you file a complaint with us and the snow gets removed. If you don't remove it, we remove it, it's a done deal, I don't think there's a whole lot more to be said about it, I think we're about as effective as we possibly can in terms of getting snow removed. Some of the confounding things is remember it's 24 hours after a snowfall stops and sometimes we'll get into cycles where you'll have start stop, start stop, start stop and you might go a week and a half or more before we really can enforce the ordinance. In the interim a lot of compaction takes place from pedestrian traffic and it appears that nothing is happening during that period of time but you have to give the property owner the opportunity to clear the sidewalk and I think to not give 24 hours would be really difficult particularly for individuals that can't get out and get right to it. Lehman/OK we operate, I knew this on a complaint basis, if I don't shovel my sidewalk within 24 hours and my neighbor complains what do you do when you receive the complaint? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 41 Boothroy/We go out and look and we confirm it and if we see that the sidewalk isn't shoveled we tag your door immediately, you'll get a letter in the mail, you get 24 hours after you receive that tag, we go back out within 24 hours, if it's still not removed we fax a work order down to a company and they'll come out and they'll clear the sidewalk and bill you and then later you either pay it or it goes on as property tax. Lehman/So the bottom line is that if I don't shovel my sidewalk and the neighbor complains you come out and inspect it find out it has not been done, tag my door and it's really going to be 72 hours after the snow stops before a contractor hired by the city clears my sidewalk. Boothroy/It could be less than that but. Letwnan/But close. O'Donnell/But not very likely. Boothroy/Yea. Kanner/At least 3 days probably. Boothroy/Probably about 3 days. Lehman/But there's no way I mean we do, we give 24 hours, we act on a complaint basis, how could we do it better than we're doing it? Boothroy/I don't know how we could get there faster because you have to keep in mind that, I think at one time when we started this was that building inspectors it's a slack time and they have all this time to go around. Look at what we've found over the last few with changing in terms of technology and so construction on year round and so I can say that we almost always get out and get all the complaints in a single day but if we get a really heavy snowstorm and we get you know 20 or 30 complaints we're hard pressed to get to them that first 24 hours. (All talking). Boothroy/Yes we do get a lot of complaints. Wilburn/Is there a reminder that goes out in utility bill that just says you know by the way? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 42 Boothroy/Yes every year, we send a reminder out in the utility bill every year and we also send a press release every year so we cover it two ways as well as there's other literature we hand out to new residents that has the same information in it. Pfab/Yea I have a question. Is there, or what do other cities do to keep their sidewalks clean? Atkins/My experience has been substantially what we do. Pfab/Same thing. Atkins/Yea I think that most cities are, have 24 hours, I suspect if we researched here we'd have, go ahead. Holecek/Oh and I just to suggest that under the Iowa code the property owner is to be given a reasonable amount of time to perform the removal of the snow so how you define a reasonable amount of time when somebody is working all day or either or all night or whatever 24 hours seems to be a fairly acceptable touchstone for that. Pfab/OK I'm aware that the web page will soon be able to accept those complaints by e- mail? Boothroy/Correct. Pfab/And so does then that mean that when the complaint is e-mailed to the city that the clock, the clock starts ticking? Boothroy/No it comes from the tag of the property. Lehman/To verify it first. Boothroy/We verify it first, we have to verify the fact that that complaint is legitimate, we have to go out, we send an inspector to the site. Now just for your information when we get a complaint let' s say on Iowa Avenue a lot of times it's not always by address it will be you know the third house in or whatever but our policy is to do the whole block face on that street so that we're not just picking one property out of the middle to shovel and everybody else doesn't shovel their sidewalks so we do the whole block face when we do an inspection or possibly more depending on how bad it is. Now the number of, I can tell you, I looked at some numbers this morning, you asked how many complaints we got. Last year wasn't a real heavy snow fall, but we got 394 complaints. Lehman/Is that right? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 43 Boothroy/Right, it's one of our largest work item, the top three complaints that we get from the city, number one is year end year out of snow, number 2 is weeds, number 3 is junk. With snow and weeds taking up about 60 percent of our complaints. O'Donnell/So it appears the system we have is working. Boothroy/It does work, the snow gets removed, there is no question about that, we always get it removed. We get people not happy that we're too fast, and we get people unhappy because we're to slow. So we must be doing it about right. Lehman/And we also get people who don't remove their snow and nobody complains. Boothroy/That' s correct, that's correct, and I think that during the early part of the season people are a little more tolerant like in December and they'll let an unshoveled sidewalk go for several days before they complain to the city and then they've finally had it, they' 11 complain to us. And so to others it may appear that nothings happening but people have been walking on it letting it go. As we get into January and February people are not as tolerant but anyway, they've had it with the snow in other words. Vanderhoef/Mood changes. Boothroy/Yea really. Pfab/Who is the person that are, what ways are available to verify, is there one person verities it? Is it, who goes out and verities it? Boothroy/All the inspectors. Pfab/All the building inspectors. Boothroy/And sometimes the housing inspectors as well depending on what their schedules are. Pfab/So OK. Kanner/I a couple comments, one is the concern we heard from people with disabilities about getting around the city at certain times with construction and I also heard about a person that had trouble with that was in a wheel chair getting around with the snow fall and you know like we know people don't always get to their sidewalks but maybe we could talk about some sort of registry that would be a This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 44 combination of using the city with maybe some of these people are interested in working with people with disabilities. In a sense that perhaps someone calls and then we make up a list of people in the neighborhood and we send out a letter saying there's a person who' s requested that you be aware that this person needs access so whoever wants to register would be self induced kind of registration. But I think and perhaps going through the neighborhood coordinator but I think there' s something we could do along those lines and perhaps if they wanted to register they would be notified about construction, a special notification. I don't imagine there would be great use but there would be some use I think. O'Donnell/Where would they register? Kanner/What? O'Donnell/Where would they register? Kanner/Well they could register with the city or we could work with a group like Johnson County Coalition for People with Disabilities or Everett Connor, I think if we put our minds together we could work something out that could make it fairly simple and we could get pretty formulastic at some point once we get it in gear, and I don't think it would be that hard to do. O'Donnell/I think, the accountability of the thing, moving in and out and student rentals and the whole works I think it would be a colossal amount of work. Kanner/No I think you could work with the property owners I don't think we should just throw it out right away I think we could work with it, there' s obviously people in the community with disabilities that have some concerns. O'Donnell/And we're all concerned with that, and I think the system right now is if you can't get down the sidewalk make a call and it will get done. Kanner/Yea but if you've got 20 houses that your trying to, there's this person he's trying to get from his house out to the comer to get to the bus he's got 20 houses to go through and it's very difficult, you know he's just trying to put all his energy in doing his daily thing, his or her daily thing. So if we could help and get something going I think it would be a creative approach. O'Donnell/I just think it would be kind of a nightmare. Pfab/One of my complaints about streets that are shoveled or not shoveled, I believe it's for people traveling through it' s, if you come into a city or a place where the streets are not shoveled it, as a visitor it does not give a very favorable impression This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 45 of the location or the city. And that's one of the things, and I think that you know doing one or two days after a snow storm you see a whole lot of streets that are now shoveled it makes you wonder as you travel through because the ones that do have it in your traveling you see them that they jump out at you that this is something. O'Donnell/The sidewalks your talking about? Boothroy/Unfortunately you know most of our snow comes in December and January and part of February but during December and January we have a lot of absentee students, everybody' s, a lot of people are out of town so, every year we do go through a training session with folks by their notification and process so we're going to have some of that happening with the first two or three snowfalls and you know, I've been at it since 1983 and it happens every year. After we get past those first two or three snowfalls and people get better at it, I should tell you that the first tell you that the first notice you know we give them the 24 hour and then another 24, but to follow what Ernie was talking about, the second notice, or the second complaint there is no notification. On a second complaint we go out and clear so it is immediate so you get the first one, the second one is done immediately. And you know it gets, it's very affective after awhile people really get on it because it does cost money particularly if it gets compacted, it gets iced over, you could be talking about several hours of work to do a sidewalk that would normally only take maybe 15 to 20 minutes. O'Donnell/What do we charge to? Boothroy/It's a commercial rate. Lehman/Because we. Boothroy/Because we contract it out. Lehman/Right. Boothroy/We charge administrative fee, I can't remember what it was for just paperwork, it's very modest though, it's like $15 or $20 bucks and then the commercial rate. Pfab/OK so the people that get the first notice are told at that point this is your free one. Boothroy/No free ones, you get a tag on the door and you get a letter saying that that' s the law and you're not going to get any further notices. Pfab/OK so people get the first notice know there will not be other (can't hear). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 46 O'Donnell/How effective is that? How many second complaints do we have on the same residences? Boothroy/I didn't look that up. There are certain properties that tend to up along the North Dubuque Corridor where there' s a lot of student housing particularly when the students are out of town the December and January we get a lot of frequency in that area. O'Donnell/Do we contact the students or the landlord? Boothroy/We send them, tag them, and but we don't always make contact if they're out of town but we have to get it shoveled and we take care of it, they get the notice and the bill when they get back. O'Donnell/It seems like it would be easier in the apartments if we would contact the landlord. Boothroy/Apartments aren't as much as a problem as group housing, you know the kinds of houses, rooming houses and things like that. Pfab/I would imagine that an apartment owner would be interested in putting on a good (can't hear). Boothroy/Apartment owners are pretty good about getting the parking lot as well as their sidewalk shoveled. It's you get a house on the north end that's being rented by 5 or 6 students and somebody has to be responsible and they don't figure it out and they all go home. Lehman/Anyone can file a complaint is that not true? Boothroy/That's correct. Lehman/You know, and I don't know how this would work. Boothroy/And people do file complaints as you know with 395 yea. Lehman/Yea, one of the things that I suppose that frustrates me the most of all any is the sidewalks that do not get shoveled on bus routes. You know where there's a bus stop and the adjacent property owner doesn't shovel the sidewalks, I'm not suggesting that inspectors go out and look but it sure would be easy for a bus driver to let you folks know addresses that need shoveling. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 47 Boothroy/Yea. Lehman/But people who ride buses and we've got, we've got a lot of folks riding buses, those sidewalks really should be cleared. Vanderhoef/How about our bus stops you know by our shelters and stuff, do we as a city go out and clean around the shelter? Boothroy/I don't know who cleans around the shelter. Pfab/Could you find out for us? Atkins/To my knowledge it's the abutting property owner takes responsibility for it but if there is accumulation within the shelter I would assume we would do that (can't hear). Boothroy/We probably do inside the shelter yea. Pfab/Is there any reason why a bus driver couldn't be authorized to report? Boothroy/Anybody can do it. Lehman/Anybody can. Boothroy/Anyway it doesn't have, there's no authorization, any citizen. Atkins/I made a note, I will ask Joe to (can't hear). Pfab/Well what about verification. Boothroy/We verify, we still have to verify. Atkins/He still sends his people to verify. Boothroy/Yea anybody can complain, we go out and check it to make sure it's legitimate. Pfab/And normally after a complaint comes in, say you have a complaint at 7:00 in the morning, normally when will that be verified? Boothroy/Well we work from 8 to 5 so sometime during 8 to 5. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 48 Kanner/I like the idea on the one hand on the other hand though I'd also think about the bus drivers, it's pretty busy for them and this is another thing, a notebook to have to write. Lehman/Oh get out of here, they're, these are the people that ride their buses, and if they've got people that are having a problem the least they can do is jot down. I can't believe that most bus routes are not shoveled. Atkins/Their telephone. Lehman/That's a problem, I can't and they've got a telephone. Atkins/Their telephone, they don't need to write them down. Lehman/They don't need to write it down. I think we want. Atkins/I think we want the driver. Lehman/Most interested of anybody. Atkins/We want the driver concentrating on driving the bus. Lehman/Keep those (can't hear). Atkins/But if they do observe something there' s no reason they can't pick up their phone and call. Lehman/I think it would be nice if they would do that. Atkins/OK. Remember their first responsibility is to drive the bus. O'Donnell/But you can work in cooperation with the phone company or anybody, the whole city can. Kanner/The other thing is maybe we ought to think about some sort of positive reinforcement. Someone reports someone who's doing a really good job on a regular basis that you always get more results with. Pfab/What is it honey than sugar. Boothroy/Well I think there' s a lot of people that are doing that, I think that would be difficult to select, I think I'm doing an excellent job on my sidewalk. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 49 (All talking) Boothroy/And I'm the one enforcing this so I have. (all talking). Boothroy/I feel most conscious about mine because I know what's going on out there. Kanner/The way it works Doug, the way it works Doug is if someone reports you in and there' s publicity and you get a prize of some sort or. Boothroy/Yea I know. Kanner/It would feeds on that and other people would want to do that. O'Donnell/I think we've carried this about as far as we can. Boothroy/I think that that's, I've thought about doing things like that, I don't know about snow removal though, that's, there' s so many of them. Kanner/Well we can think about in terms of general maintenance, all the things. Boothroy/Like a (can't hear) award. Pfab/Like whoever gets the most complaints things like that, no I'm just. Boothroy/That's on the other side. Is that it? Lehman/I think that' s, yea I think we understand. Boothroy/Check my sidewalk. Pfab/Maybe who doesn't get any. O'Donnell/I think we've got a very good system. Boothroy/It's working, I think it's working well. Pfab/I'm glad to hear, I never realized (can't hear) second go around. Lehman/OK. Council time. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 50 COUNCIL TIME O'Donnell/I have one comment. Lehman/Yes. O'Donnell/I'm sure everybody's read Tom Slockett's letter. Lehman/Yes. O'Donnell/About the First Avenue Extension and wording the ballot. I think it's a really good when an elected official and commissioner of elections puts this forward like this, in an endeavor to clear up what is kind of a hairy situation. I mean the wording once again yes means no and no means yes and I think this is very good attempt to make something clear and this could be a very very close election. And win or lose or which side you stand on if you win or lose this by two votes you can't come back and complain about the wording when the offer was made (can't hear). Lehman/Are you aware that both the people who oppose. O'Donnell/(can't hear) Lehman/First Avenue and the proponents are opposed to changing it. O'Donnell/I read it in the letter. Lehman/And that our City Attomey feels that it may be at the very least inappropriate and possibly illegal to change the wording. O'Donnell/Possibly Emie, and I did read it in the letter. Lehman/OK. O'Donnell/And both sides are against it, my comment was directed at both sides, if you lose by one or two votes don't come back and say the language wasn't clear on the ballot. Lehman/I would have concurred with that if this letter would have come to us four months ago. Did you have, I saw you reach for your microphone Sarah. Holecek/I'm just playing. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400 August 14, 2000 Special Work Session Page 51 (All talking). O'Donnell/Should we even look at this? Should we look at our City Charter? Holecek/Well that's where I was going to go. O'Donnell/OK. Holecek/I don't believe that there is any authorization in the City Charter for the city council to let me just use the word loosely "tinker" with the language that' s presented and on the petition. You know, the procedures for initiative and referendum are fairly well spelled out, the charter does say that for referendum, the petition shall go forth and get the signatures necessary. Those signatures were based upon the question as framed in the resolution by council. That was the way council considered it, it's also the way it's been flamed by their resolution passing it on for the election. I think if you were to think in a very broad brush if that were given to council or if the authority would tinker with the language after that period of certification has been done you can imagine that many different spins or language changes could be made that either plus or minus a ballot going forward, in other words hinder or help it so I think that' s probably one of the reasons why that' s not contemplated that the elected body would have that type of political spin or ability to put a political spin. So the language that gets certified by those persons who have you know have signed up to it goes forward. Pfab/I agree, that not to change it, but at the same time I concur with what Mike said, it was an attempt by an elected public official to try to make something simpler. O'Donnell/Make it clear. Pfab/But it isn't going to happen but it is a good attempt. Appreciate the attempt. Lehman/Other council time. O'Donnell/Move to adjourn. Lehman/Out of here guys, tomorrow night. Adjourned 8:03 PM This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of August 14, 2000. WS081400