HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-02-05 Transcription February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 1
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session 6:50 PM
Council: Lehman, Champion, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Wilburn, Pfab, Kanner
Staff: Atkins, Helling, Karr, Dilkes, Franklin, Davidson, Craig, Moran, Trueblood
TAPES: 01-16, SIDE TWO; 01-17, SIDE ONE
PLANNING AND ZONING
A. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE USE DESIGNATION FROM
INTERIM DEVELOPMENT MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (ID-RM)
TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (CC-2) FOR APPROXIMATELY 2
ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED WEST OF GILBERT STREET AND
SOUTH OF NAPOLEON LANE (REZ00-0021). (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Karin Franklin/The first item is second consideration on the rezoning of the property on
Gilbert Street, approximately two acres from 1DRM to CCR2, the Olin Lloyd
property.
B. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A REVISE SENSITIVE AREAS
DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE PENINSULA NEIGHBORHOOD, AN
82.1 ACRE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD CONTAINING UP TO 4-10
DWELLING UNITS LOCATED AT THE WEST END OF FOSTER ROAD
(REZ00-0022) (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Next item is second consideration on the sensitive areas overlay plan for the
Peninsula neighborhood.
C. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 14-6j-1 THE OFF-
STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, TO REQUIRE ONLY ONE OFF-
STREET PARKING SPACE FOR SMALL ONE-BEDROOM SINGLE-
FAMILY, TOWNHOUSE, AND DUPLEX DWELLINGS. (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Third item, second consideration on the parking change for small single family
and duplex dwellings.
D. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY PLANT
AND MANUFACTURE HOUSING SITE PLAN OF SADDLEBROOK
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 2
ADDITION, PART 2, A 201.2 ACRE, 6-LOT RESIDENTIAL
SUBDIVISION AND 290-UNIT MANUFACTURED HOUSING SITE PLAN
LOCATED AT THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF HEINZ ROAD. (SUB00-
00015)
E. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FINAL PLAT AND
MANUFACTURED HOUSING SITE PLAN OF SADDLEBROOK
ADDITION, PART 2, A 77.65 ACRE, 5-LOT SUBDIVISION LOCATED
ON HEINZ ROAD. (SUB800-00015)
Franklin/Item D and E are for the Saddlebrook project which is a preliminary plat, a
manufactured housing site plan. This is where it is, it's south of Highway 6 and
what is happening with this particular project is an addition to the number of
units. What this does is it moves the Saddlebrook parkway, the main east west
arterial south along the north boundary of the conservation easement, it extends
the manufactured housing park south to that parkway, the additional units here are
limited to a total of 416 at which time secondary access has to be provided either
to the east, west, or the south via the parkway. That includes both the
manufactured housing units and the multi-family units which are in the RM-20
area on the east side of Heinz Road. What' s on your agenda is the resolution of
the preliminary plat and the resolution for the final plat. The reason this has been
deferred a number of times was to work through some of the legal issues, those
are, should be resolved by tomorrow and you can vote on it tomorrow unless I say
otherwise at Tuesday night, I mean unless I advise you otherwise.
Lehman/We understood the first one.
Franklin/Okay.
Champion/Right.
Franklin/And I'm done.
Lehman/Okay.
Al~enda Items
ITEM 7. PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON PROPOSAL ALCOHOL ORDINANCES.
Lehman/Agenda items. First one that we're going to be, and I'll just bring it up, Item 7,
the discussion tomorrow night on the alcohol ordinances, I'm going to try to run
that as we would any other public, it isn't a public hearing but we'll try to run it
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 3
with the same sort of rules limiting presentations to 5 minutes or less and try to
keep moving along.
Wilburn/Does that mean there will be copies available for the public?
Lelunan/Yea. So I mean, just, to, and I don't have any idea what to expect tomorrow
night but try to keep it moving the same as we do a public hearing. Agenda
items.
ITEM 4f(7). ANNE HESSE AND AK TRAW (PROJECT GREEN) ~ IOWA
AVENUE MEDIAN
Kanner/Correspondence on Project Green, what' s happening with that?
Atkins/Which one?
Kanner/About the Iowa median snow.
Atkins/They are out of the country until February 12.
Lehman/You did.
Kanner/That letter sent them out of the country?
Atkins/No, I didn't mean, you know what I mean, haven't heard back, as soon as I do I'll
let you know.
Lehman/Okay, other agenda items.
ITEM 9. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE TITLE 14,
ENTITLED "UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE," CHAPTER 5,
ENTITLED "BUILDING AND HOUSING," BY ADDING A NEW
ARTICLE K ENTITLED "CONDOMIN1UM CONVERSATION CODE"
TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR CONVERSATION OF EXISTING
STRUCTURES TO HORIZONTAL PROPERTY REGIMES
(CONDOMINIUMS),. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Vanderhoef/Item 9, the ordinance is pretty straight forward, not a problem with that. I
guess my question is about the need for more inspectors if this comes to pass and
will the dollars generated by the fees cover a new inspector if that's necessary?
Dilkes/I believe that's the intent, there's nothing we can do about the change in state
code, I mean we have to comply with it.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meetinl; of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 4
Vanderhoef/No that I understand.
Dilkes/And I believe the Housing Department is (can't hear) fees (can't hear).
Vanderhoef/Including a new inspector?
Dilkes/I don't think they're anticipating any (can't hear).
Lehman/This is a one time inspection when they're convened.
Dilkes/I don't think there' s going to be the volume of (can't hear) in requiring.
Vanderhoef/Okay.
Atkins/Dee our conversation with staff were that we do not expect to expand the staff for
this thing.
Vanderhoef/Okay.
Lehman/Any other agenda items?
ITEM #4b(4). IOWA CITY PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE -
DECEMBER 7 RECOMMENDATION: ALLOCATE $1~700 FOR THE
PARTIAL ACQUISITION OF JUSTINE ZIMMER'S SCULPTURE
TORNADO; ACCEPT TORNADO AS THE FIRST SCULPTURE
INSTALLED ON THE SCULPTURE PAD DESIGNATED FOR IOWA
ARTISTS.
Kanner/I had a question I think Karin might be able to answer about the tornado
sculpture. Who is paying for the installation for that?
Franklin/We will put the bolts in the pad which is what we intend to do with all of the
sculptures on the pedestrian mall. We did not install those when we put in the
sculpture pads purposefully but we will put them in as each sculpture is placed.
Now in the particular pad the bolts will be set and then any sculptures that are
placed there hereafter will have to confirm to those parameters. Because this is
the pad where we will have rotating exhibit.
Kanner/So our cost is the $1,700 and the bolts and eventual maintenance it after that.
Franklin/Right, fight.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 5
Kanner/And my understanding is we're going to own that.
Franklin/Yes, we will, and so one of the questions for the Public Art Committee and for
you over the next year is where it goes.
Kanner/Right in the middle ha?
Franklin/Right here.
Lehman/I don't know if we want to put the bolts in the floor Karin.
Champion/I think we have enough tomadoes here anyway.
ITEM #14. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE SCULPTURE
"TORNADO" AS A PARTIAL GIFT FROM THE EPICENTER GROUP,
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC ART FUNDS, AND
AUTHORIZING NEGOTIATION OF A CONTRACT WITH JUSTINE
ZIMMER, SCULPTOR.
Kanner/And the final thing is are we going to market that again or do we have to pay?
Franklin/What do you mean?
Kanner/Well if this is, this is going to be tied with the Epicenter idea.
Franklin/Yea.
Kanner/Which is I guess maybe a quasi independent organization and they're going to
want to market the idea of Epicenter and they want the city to buy into that and
this is going to be part of the symbolism and so are we going to be able to use that
symbolism without having to pay the artist if we put up banners that use that
tornado sculpture as part of our (can't hear)?
Franklin/Okay, I understand what your saying, we'll put that in the contract, we'll have a
contract with Justine Zimmer which will come before the City Council, well
either the 20th or the 5th and I suspect knowing Justine and the involvement she's
had with Epicenter that she would more than welcome using Tornado as a symbol
of Epicenter and also allow the City as well as the Epicenter group to use it for
marketing. I can't say specifically whether she's had that conversation with the
Epicenter group or not but that' s certainly something we can negotiate as part of
the contract.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 6
Dilkes/I think typically in the contracts that we do for public art too we retain the right to
use the image for promotion and noncommercial things, I mean we can't
manufacture little tornadoes and sell them but.
Franklin/Right.
Lehman/We would, I think it would be wise to see that any banner we construct is not
appear to be an Iowa State banner with the Cyclone on it.
Franklin/Yes, so far the Epicenter barmers are focused on taking some of the images of
weather dance as opposed to tornado.
Lehman/Okay.
Franklin/But good point especially they might be red and gold.
Lehman/Actually stranger things could happen. Other agenda items.
(Can't hear anything)
Kanner/Could you speak louder, I can't hear you.
Franklin/We're doing a code overall development code review but we have nothing
specific for the CC-2 zone that I think of right now, what is it?
Lehman/What item is that Irvin?
Pfab/That was on 6.
Lehman/On 6.
Franklin/It was a planning and zoning item.
Lehman/Oh.
Franklin/And he was just asking if there was a change contemplating for the CC-2 zone.
Pfab/(Can't hear).
Franklin/That is an old item that used to be on the Planning and Zoning' s Commission
agenda and I don't even think that' s even on their pending list anymore.
Lehman/Okay. Any other comments on agenda items?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 7
ITEM #16. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION FIXING THE DATE OF FEBRUARY
20 FOR A MEETING ON THE PROPOSITION OF THE ISSUANCE OF
$15,115,00 SEWER REVENUE BONDS OF IOWA CITY, IOWA AND
PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF NOTICE THEREOF.
AND
ITEM #17. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION FIXING THE DATE OF FEBRUARY
20 FOR A MEETING OF THE PROPOSITION OF THE ISSUANCE OF
$9,825,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (FOR AN ESSENTIAL
CORPORATE PURPOSE) OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, AND PROVIDING
FOR PUBLICATION OF NOTICE THEREOF.
Kanner/Yes, Item # 16 and 17 as far as setting a public comment on the reissuance of
sewer revenue bonds and GO bonds, it looks like good news and does that for the
sewer bond reduction possible savings of $600,000 does that automatically go
back into reduced rates for people paying their sewer bills? And for the GO bonds
savings do we look at that as a net gain in our budget perhaps?
Arkins/I'll deal with the GO first, what you do on a refund and you're only permitted to
do this once during the life of the bond is we will package these together, take
them to market, we expect the market to be down that being the lower interest rate
than what we originally paid for these. Bottom line if we're going to refund the
general obligation that means less of a burden on the debt service levy, that is we
don't have to pay as much for the same amount of money. We don't, and on the
sewer bond, it basically works the same way, we're able to go back to the market,
get a lower interest rate which reduces our cost and thereby that can be passed
along to in affect our customers.
Kanner/So that's like a year down the road perhaps that we look at those possible
reduced rates?
Atkins/Yea it all depends on if you hit the market at the right time, the amount of money,
and we'lI have to do an assessment for you at that time, we wouldn't propose
these unless we felt that we could probably come up with some reasonably good
savings on the thing, we won't know officially until we go out and do it. But we
will translate it into rates and taxes and things such as that for you so you can
understand that.
Lehman/But it wouldn't necessarily be a reduced rate but it could be less of an increase,
but it will aft~ct the rate.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 8
Atkins/Well ~ve have in the budget I think a 5 percent adjustment the last of the
wastewater adjustment for the period of time.
Lehman/August this year.
Arkins/Yea that's the last one we have proposed, now the affect it'll have on that I really
don't know until we actually sell the bond.
Lehman/But it does go directly into the water fund so.
Atkins/It goes directly to the fund in question.
Lehman/Right.
Atkins/Yes sir.
Pfab/What your anticipating is basically go back to the debt (can't hear).
Atkins/Yes.
Pfab/And then at one point we talked about having the ability to bid (can't hear). Have
you gotten any (can't hear)?
Atkins/There has been and we've decided we don't like it, it's just a little too risky, right
now I'd rather pursue the more traditional fashion and talking to my colleagues
we're just not prepared to do that.
Pfab/I'd like to talk about this.
Arkins/Well I just.
Pfab/No I'm just curious as to the details.
Atkins/My concern is $25 million dollars in debt is a lot of money and I'd rather make
sure it's stepped through a process that I'm very comfortable with, maybe on a
smaller issue at sometime, yea, shame on me for feeling that way I know.
Champion/It's terrible.
Kanner/And for question on info. package should I do that now or wait until council
time?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 9
l.ehman/Oh let's do that at council time? Are there any other agenda items? Okay the
next item is Appointments.
Appointments
Lehman/Airport Commission.
Vanderhoef/i'd suggest Rick Mascari.
Champion/I can go along with that.
Lehman/Well Rick Mascari has served one term, it's not uncommon for us to appoint
someone for two terms. How many would approve of appointing Rick Mascari?
All right let me right that down so we don't. Next is the Parks and Recreation
Commission.
Champion/Fd like to nominate Doug Ginsberg.
Vanderhoef/I like that.
Wilburn/I'd like to nominate Joe Eichelberger???
Lehman/Okay.
Kanner/I'd like to nominate David Redlawsk.
Lehman/Well we've got 3 out of 3 nominated. Well we'll start with the first one. Are
there four people who would support Doug Ginsberg?
Atkins/Emie before you go any further.
Lehman/Yes.
Atkins/Folks your going to have to, the fire marshall gets real upset when you block the
doorways if you could just have a, there you go.
Kanner/Or you could come up here would be good.
Atkins/You could come up here if you'd like, get the prime seat if you'd like, you could
sit on the steps if you'd like.
Kanner/Bring a chair, bring a chair and come on up here.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 10
Lehman/Yea watch the wires.
Atkins/Just be careful where you're going, thank you.
Kanner/I'd just like to note that David Redlawsk has a lot of experience as a former City
Council Member and involved with Parks and Rec.'s as a City Council Member
and.
Lehman/I think he was in New Jersey is that correct?
Kanner/In New Jersey yea I think a lot of talent there that would be good for the Parks
and Rec. Commission.
Pfab/I would certainly support Redlawsk.
Lehman/Well I think we have four for Doug Ginsberg.
O'Donnell/I think you're right.
Lehman/So, next is the Public Art Advisory Committee.
Champion/Boy are there a bunch of good candidates in there.
Lehman/There are four candidates, do we have any nominations?
Champion/Well I like Barbara Camillo, but I think all the candidates are really good, it's
really tough, tough.
Lehman/Well does that mean your going to nominate Barbara?
Champion/Well yea I can if nobody else is going to nominate anybody.
Lehman/Thank you, thank you we have.
Vanderhoef/I'd like to look at Louise Rauh.
Lehman/Louise Rauh, okay. Any others?
Kanner/I agree with Connie I think they're all very well qualified, Betsy Klein sticks out
for me as a former buyer for an art museum, a professional artist, on the Board of
Directors of People's Art Space, so I think she would be good.
Champion/Yea.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 11
Lehman/You k2~ow it looks like we can't lose on this one.
Champion/Put their names in a hat and pull one out.
Lehman/Well.
Wilburn/What was the one you said Steven?
Lehman/Betsy Klein.
Kanner/Betsy Klein.
Lehman/Well starting at the top. How many would prefer Louise? We'll we've got one.
Betsy.
Wilburn/(Can't hear) Betsy because she also had, I mean that is a little dif/~rent
experience than I think it was an added dimension to some of the experiences that
some others had.
Champion/Yea I'll take her I really think they're all so good.
Lehman/Betsy Klein has got it.
Champion/I really think her experience is interesting.
Lehman/You know it's really a shame in this sort of situation that anybody has to.
Champion/I know it.
Lehman/Not be appointed.
Kanner/Well just remind people we have another opening coming up with somebody
resigned and that's I think a community at large member.
Lehman/Okay.
Kanner/So that should be in the next month or so and these people will still be on the
docket?
Champion/They'd be qualified for that right.
Vanderhoef/But that, these folks are specifically for artists.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 12
Lehman/Oh art professionals, they can be appointed.
Champion/They can be appointed.
Vanderhoef/As a community member.
Karr/We're going to ask them because it would be there.
Lehman/The rules of that committee require that there be a number of art professionals
but they all can be art professionals if we chose to appoint art professionals.
Telecommunications Commission.
Champion/Well I really Kembrew McLeod, I think his professional background is really
good for that commission.
Vanderhoef/I agree I think having someone coming from outside of our state and general
area in general would be bringing new ideas to us rather than recreating the same
ideas locally.
Kanner/And again it's nice to have three good candidates, it's nice to pick from
strengths, and I agree with what's been said before, he's excited about being in
Iowa City, has vast experience.
Lehman/Do we have four?
Vanderhoef/Yes.
Champion/And he's not any relation to McLeod, McLeod.
Lehman/He owns it.
Champion/Thanks a lot.
Kanner/Ask him when they're going to start putting the cables in.
Lehman/Wait until we appoint him though.
Champion/Right they might not want to talk to us.
Lehman/Okay the next item is the Kirkwood Avenue Signalization. Jeff.
Kirkwood Avenue Traffic Si~nalization (1P2 of 2/1 info. packet)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 13
Jeff Davidson/First off I'd like you know I feel much more secure tonight with a row of
boy scouts in front of me. I'd like to do that at every council meeting if~ve could.
Lehman/(Couldn't hear).
Davidson/This item is on your agenda, I believe you received some correspondence from
a resident of Highland Avenue with a petition attached to revisit this issue, I
believe this is the third time since the construction of Kirkwood Avenue in 1990
that we have discussed it. You received some information from me providing a
little bit of history to the issue and I'd be happy to elaborate on any of that if you'd
like me to. The traffic control that you see out there in the field today was a very
important matter for the City Council at the time it was established in 1990 it went
so far to establish it by ordinance so we would have to repeal it I assume by
ordinance and adopt something new if you wish to change it. But very much a
political matter for you, I have since this memo went out to you heard from a
couple of neighborhood representatives and they have indicated to me that they're
question was "What' s changed?" you know there were, they feel like they made
their case at the time and don't feel that any of the situation has changed that led
to the establistunent of traffic control that you see out there. I will tell you that in
my role here the complaints that we have received have slacked off considerably, i
can think of one in the past year that I've received of someone inquiring as to why
it was set up that way, it didn't seem to make any sense to them. But I would say
that in the early 90's we did receive a lot more comments about it, they do seem to
have slacked off considerably.
Wilbum/About Kirkwood or Highland?
Davidson/Wondering why about the all way stops on Kirkwood Avenue, somebody who
typically had been in a congested situation there and wondered why there weren't
traffic signals and I explained that to them. Once again if you want to change
your policy or change the Council policy that was established in 90 and attempt to
facilitate traffic more through this area we can do that with traffic signals if you
~vish to remain things, have things remain the same then we'll leave them the
sanle.
Lehman/This would require a public hearing to change, I believe if we have an ordinance
in place now.
Dilkcs/No just because there' s an ordinance in place doesn't mean there would be a
public hearing required to change it unless the ordinance specifically requires a
public hearing prior to changing it, it wouldn't be required.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Io~va City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 14
Davidson/Let's see, I think I have it, yea I have it right here.
Dilkes/I mean you certainly could hold but I don't know that it would.
Davidson/It does not say that Eleanor.
Lehman/Well we certainly would accept public discussion at any rate.
Champion/Jeff what affect do you think the opening of First Avenue will have on these
streets?
Davidson/You know you're getting pretty far removed from the First Avenue situation
down in this part of town.
O'Donnell/I don't really think so.
Champion/I don't think so.
Davidson/Our observation Connie to the best of my recollection ifI can remember the
modeling that was done showed that the certainly the area a little bit further to the
north of Kirkwood Avenue but Burlington Street and that area, Bowery Street that
area in there would have a reduction in traffic from the extension of First Avenue
so that we would expect to see a positive affect with respect to the volume of
traffic from the First Avenue extension. I'm sorry I can't remember to what
extent exactly. Irvin.
Champion/I, well go ahead.
Pfab/I travel that area a lot and for a long time I used to think those stop signs were really
a pain but after I sat back and thought about it if I lived in that area I think that' s a
calmer. I don't like it, I myself would like to see a light there but I think if we're
going to be able to maintain the quality of neighborhood quality there, with
Sycamore Mall being ready to go back into business I think it would be a shame to
try to put a light in there, somebody could hit a green light, start at the railroad
tracks and head for First Avenue without taking a foot off the pedal.
Davidson/There is no doubt Irvin that installation of traffic signal would increase the
speed of traffic on Kirkwood Avenue, no doubt.
Pti~b/And I just don't think that that' s, with the other alternative, especially with
Highway 6, people that need to go there, like I said I'd rather see a light there
myself but I don't think that's right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 15
Lehman/Last time we discussed was I think about three years ago, and it was at the
request of the neighbors of Highland Avenue, Kirkwood obviously was improved,
and then stop signs were put in as a means of discouraging people from using the
street to slow the traffic down, and I don't think there' s any question it does that.
It also moves those people from an arterial street to a collector street which is
Highland, we talked about that three years ago, there were significant problems on
Highland and this Council agreed that there was significant problems that they
had been moved from Kirkwood to Highland and then we did a bid of chicanery.
Pfab/Instead of putting in stop signs.
Lehman/We put the chicanes on Highland that lasted three weeks only because we
couldn't get the unloaders out there any quicker and obviously that was
unsuccessful. The request that we have now is coming again from the people on
Highland who find that to avoid the situation that you referred to Irvin people
choose not to use Kirkwood which was built as an arterial street and instead
choose to use a residential street namely Highland. And that' s why we see it here
again because of concerns of those folks along Highland, those concerns also
extend to the renovation and the revitalization of the Sycamore Mall which may
increase the pressure on these streets and they view it as being increased pressure
for traffic on a street that was not intended to carry arterial traffic.
Pfab/Could the traffic calming device called a stop sign also work for Highland as it
does for Kirkwood?
Lehman/Ask Jeff.
Davidson/Well you know as a traffic engineering staff person we don't recommend the
use of stop signs to slow down traffic, we recommend the use of stop signs where
they will cause traffic to stop.
Champion/Yea but as a person.
Letunan/He's talking as an engineer.
Davidson/Well the point I'm trying to make is that certainly unwarranted stop signs will
slow people down, because an unwarranted stop sign typically somebody pulls up
to it wonders why in the heck they have to stop and they roll right through it, I
mean that happens at unwarranted stop signs all over Iowa City. I personally
don't like to see stop signs put in, I feel it breeds contempt for stop signs in
general and places where we really want people to stop maybe it encourages bad
behavior in otherwise so that' s why you will probably always hear us recommend
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 16
to you that stop signs be installed where they are warranted and not used for stop
control.
Vanderhoef/Okay Jeff knowing that we have the Highway 6 project coming up that will
be phased over at least two years maybe three years to complete, how do you think
that will impact traffic both on Highland and Kirkwood?
Davidson/As you've heard me say before Highway 6 ti3r all the complaints we get about
it really does a marvelous job of moving traffic, I mean there are flows in certain
links of that, 30,000 vehicles a day or even a little higher which is a tremendous
amount of traffic and it really does a very good job of moving that. With the lane
capacity we have out there it's not going to move a whole lot more but we are
going to have it move what's out there as efficiently as we can. The
improvements that we do have planned that Dee alluded to are unfortunately not
going to do a whole lot to help traffic immediately, we are hoping to get some
pavement improvements in eventually and also some intersection improvements
that will hope a little. I guess the point I'm trying to make is we can squeeze a
little more capacity out of Highway 6 but really looking to the Mormon Trek
Blvd. extension which you've indicated some support for starting, having that go
in further south and become a major arterial further south in Iowa City is really
what's going to help free of the capacity on Highway 6 and Highway 1 which will
then help the Benton Street Highway 6 situation we deal with.
Vanderhoef/But my real question Jeff is during the three years of construction and
having construction easement zones and so forth how much disruption in that
traffic flow are we going to have for three years and are people going to avoid
Highway 6 just in general just because of construction?
Davidson/The projects for the next two years will be almost entirely in the south fight of
way and should have very little disruption to traffic flow. Now when we start the
pavement improvements which by the way are not actually programmed, I mean
we're hoping to work through the with the state and we just simply didn't have the
money to do it this year. So I think the storm sewer and the trail projects that are
programmed for the next two years should hopefully not have too much disruption
to the mainline traffic.
Vanderhoef/Okay.
Davidson/Steven.
Kanner/A couple things for you. One, where was the petition? I didn't see it (can't
hear).
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 17
Davidson/Wasn't that attached to the letter?
Champion/It was a couple, it was several packets ago.
Lehman/Oh it's been 6 or 8 weeks ago.
Davidson/Yea I recall it being attached to the letter.
Lehman/We had a gentleman address the Council perhaps a month ago asking us, he was
the one who had written the letter, asked us if we would put it on our agenda, that
night we indicated Steve we would like it added to the informal work session.
Karmer/And there was a petition from some neighbors that?
Lehman/I think that' s correct.
Kanner/Okay, and second thing, has there been a study? This is primarily a problem of
rush hour in the morning and the evening, that's when the most traffic is the
problems that people are complaining about in going to Highland especially with
the revitalization of Sycamore Mall has there been a look at if we take some of
that proposed $150,000 from stop lights and put that into let' s say an extra bus
route or two or a park and ride from Sycamore mall into downtown have we
looked at where the cars are going? Are most, are a lot of them going towards the
hospital and going towards downtown that let' s say if we can get 5-10% to take a
bus if it were more convenient by offering more frequent routes and perhaps that
park and ride from Sycamore. Has there been any of that kind of study because
that seems to be one of the options that we can reduce the traffic.
Davidson/We have not seen any indication of a mode split going in favor of transit, it's
been going the other direction with the exception of the shuttle that goes around
downtown, that's been a very successful route and has been successful in getting
some people out of cars and on a bus. We did a survey that indicated that there
was a certain percentage of people on the shuttle that would have been in their car
if that route wasn't available but we haven't seen anything Steven that I'm aware
of that indicates on a city~vide basis that we're getting people out of cars and onto
the bus, the trend seems to be the other direction.
Kanner/Well one of the things JCCOG said is that one of the big factors is the low
parking ramp prices, that's a factor, that encourages people to drive and also I
would assume that one of the big factors is the amount of rush hour traffic being
struck in that traffic and we have been cutting bus service, perhaps one declining
rider ship causes or perhaps it's the other way around and that if we were to offer
more bus service that would be a reversal of what we've been doing during the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 18
last 10 years. It seems to me that it would be worth looking at it a little more to
study to see if that would reduce the traffic that would go in that rush hour just by
adding a couple routes during the rush hours, it wouldn't have to be an all day
thing and see if we can cut back on traffic 5-10% which would be a significant
amount.
Champion/I don't know, it's just a Midwestern trait that you have to get to point A to
point B in a minute and a half instead of 2 ½ minutes.
Lehman/I think it's (can't hear).
Champion/I mean I really begin to wonder when Eve been to places like Boston and
Chicago and all the old towns in New England and I mean you're talking about
roads that are half the size of ours with parking on one side and there' s a delivery
truck if it's not in the middle of the street, it's in your Iane. You know it takes
you 30 minutes to go a mile and I never hear those people who are driving around
complaining and I guess I have a hard time understanding that people get
disturbed by rush hour traffic in Iowa City which means it takes me 1 point, 1
minute and 45 seconds to get from HyVee to my house instead of 45 seconds, I'm
not going to support this because I don't think Kirkwood was meant as an arterial
to carry the amount of traffic that it carries, it has to be just the way the city has
grown and poor street management years and years ago when they didn't probably
expect this town to grow by a 1,000 people a year like it did after the war and I
t~ankly don't care if it takes you another minute to get somewhere and I'm not
going to destroy a neighborhood with cars going faster than they can already go,
I'm not going to support this, and I'i1 probably never support it.
Lehman/You know I don't disagree with you Connie except rather than putting the cars
on that street you'd just as soon see them destroy Highland, that's okay, I don't
think that's okay either.
Champion/I never use Highland.
Lehman/No you may not but the people who get stuck on Kirkwood do.
Kanner/Ernie I think the policy of traffic calming does work and perhaps we picked the,
previous Council picked the wrong traffic calming and we.
Champion/We sure did that.
Lehman/Sure did.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 19
Kanner/I think the first solution to try if there is a such a big call for some change to try
traffic calming again Highland and see if we can get people to either take
Kirkwood or to take Highway 6 which would be much faster for them.
Vanderhoef/Well Connie alluded to the growth of Iowa City and that she didn't ever
think it was intended for Kirkwood to be an arterial. Well unfortunately what
happens with growth is certain streets become by use if no other to be arterials
and I look at the narrow street down on Highland and I look at the number of
driveways entering there and the safety of the folks that have to come in and out
of those driveways as compared to Kirkwood that has a much wider streetscape,
has better spacing, I still feel that this is important to keep as much traffic on
Highway 6 and Kirkwood than it is to put it on Highland and then have them folks
jog through the rest oftbe neighborhood so I still have not changed my mind, I
have always supported lights on Kirkwood, I did not support the traffic calming
measures on Highland and I will still go forward with lights if it pleases Council.
Pfab/I have a question, is this a case ~vhere we should use some extremely aggressive
speed enti>rcement and have that place be known as a place you really don't want
to be if you don't want a ticket if your going to speed?
Champion/Are you talking about Highland Irvin?
Pfab/Yes, I mean there are other places to go, I mean, now with First Avenue coming in,
you've got Gilbert if you come down Dodge, you can go a couple more blocks and
go down Gilbert to head Highway 6 and like you say it's going to take at least 45
seconds more to do that and I think there's alternatives there but how- do you work
with the people in that neighborhood? Maybe this is one place where ~ve just have
to go out and do some very strict speed enforcement.
Wilburn/It seems to work as you're going out Melrose to University Heights.
Lehman/Doesn't it though.
Pfab/Yes.
Lehman/Well of course when you only have two streets to patrol it's not to hard.
Davidson/But remember Melrose works because there is an officer sitting there all the
time.
Lehman/That' s right, and we've tried that, we've tried that on Highland, I mean that' s
not something that we haven't done, we've had periodic.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 20
Davidson/Well traffic enforcement is always an issue, we get requests for one
neighborhood or another that wants exactly what Irvin is proposing for a street in
their neighborhood so I'm not sure the long term strategy that' s something your
going to be able to do.
Lehman/It won't work.
Vanderhoef/It won't.
Pfab/Is it something that you just have to keep doing? I mean the police officers get in
the cars every day, that' s long term.
Lehman/Do you want to hire 25 more cops to put on police force?
Pti~b/No but I don't think it takes that I think it, if it's strictly enforced there for a while
walk a while, sometimes when they start to get the bad habit again you go back
and visit, you visit the area.
Kanner/Jeff have there been more accidents in the last few years, has anything changed
significantly as far as safety.
Davidson/Kirkwood is not a high accident corridor Steven.
Kanner/Basically remain pretty level, at a very low level.
Davidson/You know we pay a lot of attention to those ones that are in the top 10 or 20 or
25 and I don't believe any Kirkwood intersections are in that, I can't tell you how
far down they are for sure but they're not in the among highest accident locations.
Kanner/What about Highland?
Davidson/The same thing.
Km~ner/It hasn't really increased as far as.
Davidson/Not that we're aware, nothing that would jump out at you and be something
you'd notice.
Lehman/What' s your pleasure guys, ladies?
Pfab/Earlier meeting I suggested that possibly we look at expanding the flee shuttle or
the 25 cent shuttle whichever one it takes and eventually go to like Sycamore and
this other shopping areas just on a circuit basis, on a shuttle basis.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
FebmaW 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 21
Vanderhoef/That we talked about that we couldn't aflbrd.
Lehman/Well that' s something that may come up though when that.
Pli~b/Or we've got $150,000 for a little start.
Lehman/Well that would be a year. What's your pleasure folks?
Pfab/And the speeding tickets that we pick up on Highland.
O'Donnell/i think we should name this (can't hear).
Pfab/Or dead end street, let's call it dead end street.
O'Donnell/You know I do think that First Avenue completion is going affect traffic, and
all those noah south are going to dead end at Kirkwood, I think they're going to
have an option, that's a couple years.
Lehman/And it's also Sycamore Mall coming up.
O'Donnell/I also believe it can be effective (can't hear) about signs on Highland
Vanderhoef/I'm scared of those.
Lehman/No, no, but we've done that on the north side of town and what we really do is
make a lot of outlaw drivers that just ignore the signs because they're warranted I
think Jeff pointed that out. Are there four people who wish to have this looked
into any further?
Vanderhoef/Yes.
Champion/I would like to look at and maybe something to do about Highland I mean I
do think we need to do something there, do you have any ideas?
Wilburn/That' s what I'm trying to think about is what.
Lehman/Close it.
Champion/Close it.
Davidson/Betbre I answer that Connie I'd probably want to talk to a neighborhood
representative and find out more specifically what they feel are the issues I assume
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 22
it's speed and volume of traffic, I mean typically that's what it is. And I would
point out that for all the criticism of the traffic calming measures they did work.
Champion/They did work.
Davidson/They slowed people down which enraged them.
Lehman/Does anybody want to reconsider the chicanes?
O'Donnell/No.
Davidson/Yea so I would be really hesitant given what our last experience was, I mean
you'll recall staff really cautioned you about doing that because it was like 2,800
vehicles a day and I assume it's much less than that's, remember 3,000 our
threshold where your ineligible for the program when you hit 3,000 and it was
around 2,800 so you know I think that' s what happened on Highland Avenue is
we simply saw that criteria that we have is probably a pretty reasonable one.
Pfab/Can I ask since I wasn't involved in that I can ask an innocent question. Would it
had been better received or better anticipated if we had made a rather than going
out one evening and putting it in and the next morning there it was, not quite that
bad but if there had been a lot of publicity about it that it was coming and start
checking your alternate routes and just go ahead and do it.
Lehman/I don't think it made much difference.
Vanderhoef/No.
Lehman/People don't believe it until they drive up and hit one.
Pfab/After you publicize it a while and then (can't hear).
Lehman/You know lrvin you're probably right, if we had publicized that the way we
should have there would have been so much public outcry against them that we
probably would not have built them.
Davidson/Well by the second week I woke up in the morning and a radio station was
broadcasting from there.
Lehman/Yes, yes, yes.
Davidson/Well there was some publicity about it eventually.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 23
Pfab/They should have broadcast it a week or two before you put it in, now this is how,
this is what would have been here, and then they could have interviewed the
people that went out.
Davidson/That ~vas not really the tenure of their broadcast.
Lehman/No, that's true, all right.
Champion/But they could have made it an economic development issue there' s that road
in San Francisco but you actually have to stop to make the turns, I just mentioned
it to somebody and they got made at me but.
Davidson/One other quick comment about Highland, you also recall that the traffic
calming on Highland was not supported unanimously by the people on Highland,
there were some people on Highland, I'm sorry I can't remember the percentage
but there were some people who were on opposed to that the entire time and we
received many ofcalls from them as well.
Kanner/And we have a higher threshold, it's 60 percent and perhaps that' s the way to go
is to ask them to come to us again and chicanes are not the only method of traffic
calming, there's a whole list of different methods that could be looked at. But
again I'd like to see perhaps a look at increased public transportation and see if
that could cut down, I would throw that into the mix again.
Champion/I think we need to go to them instead of they're probably tired of coming to
us.
Lehman/Given their success rate they probably are.
Davidson/Well I tell you, if you want us to proceed along those lines I can discuss with
our neighborhood coordinator, we have a mechanism for getting the
neighborhoods input and we can follow up on that. I'm not hearing four for
traffic signals on Kirkwood.
Lehman/We were specifically asked to address the traffic signal situation on Kirkwood.
Are there four people who are interested pursuing that?
Vanderhoef/Yes.
Lehman/You can't say yes for three others.
Vanderhoef/I can try.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 24
Lehman/And I don't think I can count you twice and me twice, there are not four people.
Davidson/Okay.
Lehman/I think I would let this drop, I mean if the neighborhood wishes to come back to
us and ask for traffic calming device, or whatever fine, but in the absence of
hearing from them I think this is off the pending list.
Davidson/Very good.
Wilburn/We're not going to be done with this though because (can't hear) there' s going
to be changes we're going to have to pay attention to what the changes are i mean
we're just speculating what's going to happen.
Lehman/Right, right, but we've not addressed the problem since I've been on the Council
and it looks like we're not going to do it now either.
O'Dormell/We've not addressed Highland either, I think a combination Irvin more
control and perhaps stop signs does address that do a degree.
Lehman/It'll come back.
Pfab/I think there' s a problem there that we need to work on but I don't think Kirkwood
putting stop signs in Kirkwood is the answer either so I'm not saying the people
at Kirkwood are what's the other one? Highland they don't have a problem and
I'm willing to put some eftbrt into addressing that but I don't think making a race
track down Kirkwood is going to necessarily solve it.
Lehman/Discussion is over, we're going to take a quick break.
Parcel 64-1A (1P3 of 2/1 Info. Packet)
Lehman/Whoever isn't here speak up.
Champion/Everybody' s here, oh Ross.
Lehman/Everybody' s not here.
Chmnpion/Where's Ross?
Lehman/Here he is. Okay disposition of parcel 64-1A. As I think Council is aware there
have been a couple of inquiries from people who are interested in developing that
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 25
piece of property, I think we have actually we've got one question tonight and I
think depending on the answer to that one we'll proceed from there but we need to
decide whether or not we are interested in seeing that parcel which is presently a
municipal parking lot be sold and developed into something other than a
municipal parking lot. Karin.
Franklin/You did it.
Lehman/l just stole your thunder.
Franklin/You did it, you did it.
Lehman/We're all aware of what it is, it's a parking lot directly across the ped mall from
the library and it is the last urban renewal parcel that has not presently been
developed.
Champion/Well I thought the memo from Karin was quite good in bringing out the
problems and I thoroughly support development of this urban renewal lot and I
like the idea of requiring the developer to have some on ground parking for library
use, I would support that.
Lehman/Well I think we need to decide first if we want to market that property then we
need to sit down with Karin and my preference is for Karin to come up with a,
we' 11 put out a request for proposal and Karin will outline some of things that she
l~els are important. Won't you Karin?
Franklin/Yes sir.
Lehmm~/For the downtown we would critique those requirements and add or subtract
from them and then the request for proposal would go out to potential developers
whoever they might be.
Champion/I'm willing to develop it.
Franklin/Okay, one.
(END OF 00-16 SDE TWO)
Lehman/Through me to get to you.
Franklin/No she's in between you and Cormie so I'm getting it like direct. One of the
issues here clearly is that of the timing of construction on 64-1A and the
construction of the library project, that's, to do these two projects at once will
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 26
present challenges to both the library project and to the construction on 64-1A and
as long as your aware of that there, it will add cost to both projects in terms of the
staging. There is a possibility of us putting out the RFP and indicating that
construction could not start for two to three years. With that factor however there
is also the issue of the duration of disruption in this block which is a factor also.
Lehman/Well I would assume, first of, are there, is there majority of council who would
like to see us market that property?
Franklin/Yes.
Kanner/Yes.
Pfab/No.
Lehman/We have one no.
Pfab/I guess I have a problem that's been bothering me for a long time.
Lehman/I do to but how do you feel about 64-1A?
Pfab/And this is 64-1A. When we went to look at proposals for the new library, this
thing was totally off limits because it was making so much money because it was
making so much money as a parking.
Champion/No, that wasn't the reason.
Kanner/It wasn't totally off limits.
Pfab/No but when we looked at different options for the library probably one of the
strongest options was there from both the ratings from the public and what not,
that' s history but that bothers me and I guess there' s things that I don't understand
that are going on and I guess I never will.
Franklin/My recollection of that history had has much to do with the choice of, the
Council' s choice of where the library expansion would take place, had as much to
do with the future development of 64-1A as it had to do with the short term or
short run use of that as a parking lot. Am I fight?
Lehman/No I think the big question was that we did not, I believe the Council' s decision
not to use that because we expected and we felt the community felt that property
to be developed.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 27
Franklin/Yea.
Pthb/Well if we would have put the library there there was another piece of property that
the library is on, and I don't know the difference in size is or the location but it
looked to me like it was an equal, it was (can't hear).
Champion/That decision has already been made.
O* Donnell/One had a building on it and one didn't, that made the difference.
P~ab/Right the building is going to be destroyed to build a new library.
Kanner/The issue perhaps if I can paraphrase that I don't necessarily agree that Irvin is
bringing up is that one of the concems is losing that money maker as a parking lot
and it's still a concern for those who are looking at that issue but I don't agree
with that, I think we can get some good tax money out of that property and we can
create some more excitement downtown.
Champion/We're going to get a lot more money out of a building there than we're
getting out of a parking lot.
Lehman/All right may 1 suggest it appears there is a majority of Council interested
marketing that property.
Franklin/Okay.
Lehman/Now with the consent of the Council that I would like Kafin and add to this
anybody who wishes to it. We need to ~know the impact on the construction of the
library, should that parcel be developed the same time the library is and I think
that' s going to require some sort of communication with the architect on the
library.
Franklin/Well I can tell you right now from preliminary discussion that Chuck
Schmadeke has had with a local contractor that his estimate is that it would 11-14
percent on the construction cost so on $13 million, that's over a million I think. Is
that fight?
Pfab/It might be a little bit more than that.
Lehman/But I think we need to kno~v that, we also need to know the length of time and I
think, I believe your memo indicated that the ped mall could be closed for up to
six years if the two were built back to back instead of at the same time, and that' s
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 28
assuming that it takes, it could potentially take three years for each project,
although that' s the worse case situation, one would expect it to take two.
Karmer/And I'd like to look, also have the scenario examined if we closed part of Linn
Street and how that would afl~ct that cost that your talking about.
Franklin/Okay so maybe when we come back with the draft RFP we would also address
some of the staging issues.
Lehman/Have to.
Franklin/Relating to these two projects and some potential solutions.
Lehman/I think we have to do that because if there' s enough of the impact of the
construction on the library that cannot be addressed in any other fashion it might
prevent us from seeing that parcel developed as soon as we would otherwise like
to see it.
Franklin/Okay.
Pfab/I also think we would have to take into consideration especially if we think about
closing off Linn Street how people would get in and out of the library over that
period of time.
Franklin/Absolutely.
Lehman/A lot of issues there.
Franklin/Okay does the Cotmcil at this point very briefly have any input that they would
wish to give me on things they would like to see on this project that would be
included in the RFP?
Pfab/Yes that the building be at least 10 stories tall.
Lehman/10.
Kanner/I think that' s our maximum, well that' s our maximum that we can go.
Pfab/That' s very valuable space.
Franklin/lfyou include the entire lot, if the building is set back it could go up to
potentially 20 stories.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 29
Kanner/20.
Lehman/Let's go for it.
Champion/So whatever.
Kanner/I'd like to explore it.
Franklin/That's building on half the lot and going up. See what I'm saying?
Kanner/Explore the different options, I think we should look at that.
Champion/I don't want to really put that in, anybody who buys that property is probably
going to build something pretty big because.
Lehman/It's a big lot.
Champion/Yea.
Franklin/But my sense is that you want maximizing of development there as opposed to a
12,000 foot building with a parking lot.
Champion/Right.
O'Donnell/I would like the building to incorporate some sort of parking for the library
(can't hear).
Franklin/Okay.
Pthb/I don't know the bottom, also is it a possibility that parking could be, possibility to
get from the current parking lot that' s there to the library that that could be
hindered? I would want that to be as easy to get back and forth as possible, I
mean anywhere.
Franklin/From the Dubuque Street ramp?
Pfab/Right to the (can't hear).
Champion/There' s a sidewalk there.
Lehman/Yea but during construction that could be a real issue.
Pfab/No I don't mean (can't hear).
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 30
Franklin/I think he means when it's done I think.
Pfab/Construction is going to be good, but at the same time we have (can't hear).
Franklin/I've got it Irvin I know what you mean.
Karmer/I've got a l~w things, one I'd like us to look at for residential if a certain
percentage will be, could be reserved for low to moderate income housing 10-20
percent and possibly the city kicking in some CDBG funding. Perhaps look at
things similar to the Peninsula.
Pfab/Vertical (can't hear).
Kanner/And I'd like to think about some public space, I think there should be
underground parking for the residents, I think the ramp would probably be
adequate for the library but I think we could ask for a design where there' s some
public space perhaps partial court open yard, partial enclosed by glass that would
be very accessible through the middle and so some sort of design that not only
facilitates as Irvin was saying that easy pedestrian walk through from the parking
ramp directly to the library but also could be used perhaps as a meeting space. So
if we're having retail stores on the bottom floor, I think it would be advantageous
to the developer that there is that walk through traffic.
Lehman/Walk through, now through the middle of the building?
Kanner/Well the design of the building could be such that the open lobby space could be
something that' s not thought of as the traditional in the building space, it could be
more of a open public plaza.
Lehman/We have a plaza right outside, the entire ped mall is right outside.
Karmer/But what I'm saying is that we want to encourage a walk, if we're going to have
parking in the parking ramp that we want to have easy accessibility.
Lehman/But it can't be through the building because the levels won't match up, it can
only be at the sidewalk level.
Franklin/Well I think we've got the general idea.
Lehman/Is it?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 31
Kanner/It could be, I mean it depends on how you design it, the design, if you go in with
a certain design idea.
Franklin/We talked about that when we were considering center space on this site.
Vanderhoef/But that was an all public, publicly owned facility and for me to look at that
kind of thing that would not necessarily lead to the best kind of return on
investment for a developer and it certainly would impact the value of the building
in probably our tax base if too much of the space had to be designated as public
open area.
Champion/I don't think we need public area.
Vanderhoef/I don't think so, that one does not strike me as a real possibility. I did have a
question about in your memo where you're talking about parking and you say it's
likely the new parking could be covered or subterranean and I guess I don't
understand what you mean by the covered parking.
Franklin/That you had some kind of at grade parking which was somewhere on the lot
and it's going to have a building over the top.
Champion/It could have a building over.
Franklin/And I'm not contemplating by any means a building on stilts on parking that
there would be some parking on that lot at grade and it would be accessible to the
library patrons. I mean that would be the challenge to the developer as to how to
design it.
Vanderhoef/I guess I thought we were very committed to doing commemial space on the
ground floor.
Franklin/Well it doesn't have to consume the entire lot though.
Vanderhoef/By zoning how much could be?
Franklin/It would be something that would be up to approval of the Council, and in the
CB-10 you don't have private parking on site at all so all of this is going to be
something the council will approve the concept of and through your approval will
designate that you have public parking or private parking that' s part of what we're
talking about now, is what kind of things would you like to see in there.
Vanderhoef/Well my concern with parking particularly the subterranean is the cost of it
if that is being designated for library, knowing full well that subterranean parking
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 32
is so much more expensive to number one to put in and number two I would
presume if that was the way we designed it we would have ongoing costs for
maintenance of that which is also a very expensive.
Franklin/Well that would be a matter of what we negotiated with the developer. I mean I
don't know that somebody would be willing to do that but.
Champion/(Can't hear) I'm just suggesting that there would be some parking for the
library, Fm not going to suggest that they do it (can't hear).
Lehman/Well Karin you've got some ideas, why don't you put it together and let us play
with it.
Franklin/Okay, we'll do.
Kanner/And just another question. The money from the sell of this property has to go
into CDBG funding.
Franklin/It becomes program income for the CDBG program and that is part of our close
out agreement with HUD when we closed out the urban renewal project, basically
what that means is that it has to be used in concert with the regulations of the
CDBG program and that could be for economic development, it could for public
benefit programs, if it's something that is a public benefit and is in the downtown
area those downtown census blocks are all low to moderate income and so we
would meet the requirements of CDBG with that. Or it could be something very
specifically focused on the functions of CDBG programs for low to moderate
income people.
Karmer/Could you in your information speak to that a little bit in the written information
some of the things you just mentioned and anything else you want to elaborate on?
Franklin/Okay.
Vanderhoef/This later one that she just mentioned a specific project is what I spoke to
council this afternoon at budget time that it would be very possible for us to take
the full or partial amount of that sale dollars and put it directly into endowment or
foundation for human service activities.
Franklin/One thing I don't want to get into tonight but I'd like you all to think about
before we have our next discussion of this on the RFP is whether you are willing
to enter into any kind of negotiations that would involve writing down the cost of
the land to support a particular project, which would mean then you wouldn't
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 33
have the revenue or the size revenue necessarily coming from this land. And I
know how some of you feel about it but (can't hear).
Kanner/I didn't understand that.
Champion/What does that mean?
Franklin/What that means, often in an urban renewal a city would purchase land under
the urban renewal land and then they would demolish the structures on it, they
would have an empty lot to sell and what they would do is they would write down
the cost of the land, that is they would sell it for less than market value in order to
get something they specifically wanted on that piece, and you don't have to do
that, but I think we need to say in our RFP whether that is either a possibility and
if it is not that we say in the RFP exactly what our expectations are in terms of the
revenue on this ground.
Pfab/I would support that (can't hear) certain enough population.
Franklin/I'm just putting that out there now, you, I don't need a consensus tonight, I'll
include that in the material when we talk about the RFP.
Kanner/Thanks.
Lehman/Thank you Karin.
Dilkes/And I think just for clarification, it's not that your selling it for less than fair
market value it's the conditions you attach to it reduce the fair market value.
Lehman/Well that' s exactly what we're doing on the Peninsula property right now.
Dilkes/Right.
Lehman/We are selling peninsula property for a specific sort of development rather than
putting it out to the highest developer.
Franklin/Right.
Lehman/And conceivably selling it for less than we might otherwise have gotten.
Franklin/Yes because we have other valuable consideration.
Lehman/Thank you that' s a legal term that.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 34
Pfab/One dollar another valuable hand.
Lehman/Recreation fees, who's going to speak to that?
Recreation Fees
ITEM #19. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A REVISED
SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR PARKS AND RECREATION
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS.
Atkins/Terry.
Terry Trueblood/Good evening. I'm here tonight along with Mike Moran who came
along primarily to agree with everything I have to say. In your packet item 19 on
your agenda, number one in your hears I'm sure our annual ritual of going over
recreation fees and charges. I'd just like to highlight a few items and then open it
up for questions. In your listing you will find approximately 95 individual fees
listed, this year for next year for FY02 we're proposing 21 fee increases, and
that's really kind of a light year, for example this year FY01 we implement 53 fee
increases, and it seems to kind of work out where we kind of go heavy year and a
light year, a heavy year and a light year on raising fees and charges on recreation.
Just a couple items, you will find a page in there, page 4 to be exact on the fees
where we have listed out fee program for Scanlon gym, this is the first time that
you will have exactly seen this on your fees and charges. Summer camp program
has kind of been an oddity in that we recently have been tending to raise those
fees a little bit almost every year but I'm told, we're told it's still the best bargain
town as far as day camps are concerned although it is one of our more costly
programs. An item of highlight you might say which you'll find starting on page
6 of your fees are the swimming fees. Swimming fees we are not proposing a fee
increase for next year, we just implement a fee increase, but I just bring that up
because swimming is always one of the big ones. Having said that however I
would like to just let you know that we the staff have been dealing some
temporary employee issues recently and doing some brain storming, it's becoming
increasingly difficult to find and retain employees, temporary employees.
Particularly in the aquatics area and obviously we need a lot of them and they
need to be certified so that's one of the areas. As we get into this one of the things
we're looking at is we may need to come back sometime and propose a sizable
increase for lifeguards, now if we do that that could affect what we may later need
to do with fees, not suppose to do that right now I just kind of give you that as a
little heads up, that if a few months down the road we need to come back with that
kind of thing.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 35
Kanner/What do we pay them now? Lifeguards.
Trueblood/I believe they're 6.65 an hour.
Champion/I'm surprised you can find any.
Lehman/Just don't start drowning.
Pfab/Do that have handcuffs on them?
O'Dormell/It's a great summer job.
Lehman/Terry before you go, or before you continue tell the Council your philosophy on
how you view that as covering what portion of your budget and how close your
coming to do that.
Trueblood/Very nice (can't hear). We look at 40 percent of the non, of our budget be
supported by non property tax revenues, that' s not all fees and charges, we try to
achieve 40 percent, and you'll see on your last we're just barely over that, 40.05
percent projected I believe. So that's I don't know ifthat's the philosophy but
that' s what we try to do.
Lehman/I think it's great, I mean you've really done a great job.
Kanner/That figure I think from our discussion came from Council. The Parks and
Recreation Commission felt obligated to meet that.
Trueblood/Originally no, it did not come from Council. Originally that was a self
imposed, we felt years ago that we needed to have a goal because many years fees
were just being raised when it seemed to be well they haven't been raised a few
years maybe we ought to raise them you know kind of thing. We needed to have
some standard or some guideline to go by and at one time it was 45 percent but in
the last couple of years it was lowered to 40 pement just because the fees were
getting to where they would not be affordable even though we do have the low
income program as well where people can get half price.
Kanner/I think all in all it does look like a good bargain, I'm just worried about things
going up at much greater rates than the inflation rate and if we had a proposal for
like our increases 1 could see that but we have pool passes budget for close to 6.25
percent per year with the increase in 03 it works out to something close to that
amount. And in my mind I'd like to see it kept closer to inflation rate.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
~VST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 36
Vanderhoef/However those are not increased every year so over a period of years it
certainly averages out to a lot less than the 6 percent.
Kanner/No the pool passes is in two years, the increase is close to 12 or 13 percent so it
would be, average out to 6 percent per year.
Vanderhoef/If it were raised again in two years.
Kanner/What?
Vanderhoef/If it were raised again in two years is what your raising.
Karmer/What' s planned, what's proposed tentative for 03-04.
Vanderhoef/And it doesn't project further than that so if it stayed at that for another year
or tWO.
Kanner/Well I think what would probably happen is it would be proposed two years
down the road at that rate but what we're getting at is an average increase higher
than the rate of inflation.
Plhb/I believe that if what Terry is telling us is we're trying to have about 40 percent of
non city funded.
Trueblood/Right.
Pfab/Especially if you, I mean at some point in time you will need some lifeguards and
some other people that work in that area and I think your just about a mirade
worker to find those people at the price your paying them. Some places your
going to have to raise their pay to get people like that certified or whatever you
need, so I think that' s going to take your 40 percent and play havoc with that so I
would say as long as there's some alternative for people with low incomes then I
don't think I could support your objective.
Kanner/Well we can as a Council say we want to lower than 40 percent.
Pfab/Right.
Kanner/To a lower amount and say this is a priority, I'm just worried that even though
the price is are fairly good, still outpatient inflation we're talking about salaries
for our employees sticking at 3 ¼ percent, and we're talking about aid to human
service agencies, sticking at 3 and some percent and I think we should see if we
can keep the fees here at that same rate.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 37
Vanderhoef/However if you chose to do that and drop below the 40 percent funding by
fees then we take another hit on our general fund and it's either then do we
decrease services or what do we take out of the general fund in place of it and
that' s a real difficult kind of thing because the minute you start talking about
changing services I suspect the first thing you look at is closing the pool down for
a few hours or for one day or one evening or whatever it might be and that' s the
service that we're providing in recreation services.
Kanner/1 say we can aflbrd to put it down to 35 and it's a matter of priorities for our
budget again what we want to make a priority.
Pfab/1 would ask Terry how do these fees compare to other surrounding areas or
comparable cities of comparable size.
Trueblood/I certainly can't tell you with all of our fees because all cities don't offer the
same things. And for example with our summer camp that I mentioned earlier,
our primary consideration isn't what other city parks and recreation departments
are offering but just what else is being offered in the Iowa City area and those fees
I'm told, Mike correct me if Fm wrong, we're still among the lowest of providing
that kind of service. Swim fees is one for example that we tend to look at other
communities and see where we stack up. And there was a survey done about a
year ago and we're just about right on daily admission fees we're just about right
exactly at the average fee charge. But even that's difficult to compare because
some of these cities might have a liter pool or water park kind of thing where they
can obviously demand more money, other cities might have one small outdoor and
no indoor pools and so it depends on what's offered as well. But you know we
tend to look at what' s oft~red in the area as opposed to statewide on most of our
things.
Pfab/I have, as I travel I watched different fees and I was always impressed where the fee
range was on our services, I think you're doing a great job, that's why I'm a little
bit, or not being concerned about a (can't hear).
Lehman/You know one of the things that has been pointed out to me a few things is the
number of activities that you folks offer which appears to some to be somewhat
extravagant, that we have so many different things available to the people in the
community. The best det~nse I've ever had for that is these folks support 40
percent of their own cost. My fear is that if we go below, by the way I will not
argue with your, you've determined your fees, you obviously have worked hard at
it, and I will accept the fees you've presented. If we were to change from a 40
percent or to a 35 percent or whatever I believe the hit would be such that some of
the programs that your offering now that may be very small in participants would
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 38
end up having to be dropped so I think your doing a great job. You provide a
tremendous number of activities and as long as you can fund that to the degree
that you are I think we're very fortunate so I whole heartidly support your
recommendations.
Pfab/I would concur with what.
Vanderhoef/Go for it.
O'Donnell/I agree.
Champion/Yep.
Trueblood/Other questions. Mr. Mayor with your permission since we seem to be all in
board here, can I be excused for tomorrow night' s meeting?
Champion/I don't think so.
Lehman/Well no, you may as far as i'm concerned are there other council people who
wish Terry to be present?
Champion/No.
Vanderhoef/No.
Lehman/Yes you can be excused.
Trueblood/I won't be insulted by that at all.
Lehman/Well we can rephrase it to the point that you might be.
Vanderhoef/Shall we say Mike come?
(can't hear).
Lehman/Hey glad you could be here with him. Council time.
Council Time.
Wilburn/I'd like to start, I passed out to you all a copy of a resolution that I believe (can't
hear) has passed in regard to taking some type of policy position against racial
profiling. I think that given the effbrts that we've had here locally with the Police
Chief and the police officers taking a look at the data they've been collecting,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 39
right now they're trying to strengthen that data to make it more meaningful so we
can get an assessment, understanding ofhowwe're doing here in lowa City. I
think that this really would be a good policy statement that we could make that is
driven by you know activities that are currently going on but we make a strong
statement that there's no place for that here in Iowa City. I just present this to
you, I went in and typed Iowa City in difl~rent places and there' s a couple places
where I tweaked a couple words for example, instead of whereas the men and
women I just said the employees of the Iowa City police department. I'd like you
to, if there's enough interest we could have city staff tweak this, if there's general
support for this maybe we could have our resolution presented some night, if you
wish to make a stronger statement or give staff direction to make a stronger
statement you know that's certainly fine. I wasn't really open for a huge
discussion tonight but see if there' s interest so we could give staff direction to
flush it out for us.
Pfab/I would support this but I would suggest we eliminate a lot of words and just make
the statement we will not be tolerate, we will not support it, and that's my
suggestion and it doesn't mean I oppose to this.
Lehman/I would suggest that we give it to staff for evaluation.
Champion/Right.
Lehman/Do we have concurrence on the Council to do this?
Vanderhoef/Bring it back and talk about it at a work session.
Pfab/And the only thing I would do is suggest that if we make it more to the point.
Lehman/Precise.
Wilburn/Mainly as law enforcement continues to make this data more meaningful I think
it's important for us to have a direction as to where we're going with all this, why
are we even bothering doing this and making the statement I think.
Arkins/Ernie and Ross would it be out of the question to suggest that you don't wish to
intrude on other communities but you know we're not an island and there are
other police departments and other elected bodies and asking them to consider the
same.
Lehman/Oh absolutely, absolutely.
Pfab/Sure.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 40
Atkins/I mean if we' re going to, I mean for this to sound bureaucratic or unduly harsh
but the bottom line if we're the only people collecting data we need to see what' s
going on in other communities and share those experiences with us.
Lehman/In fact I would certainly share this with Coralville, the sheriffs department.
Atkins/I think the JCCOG, JCCOG.
Lelunan/JCCOG yes.
Arkins/And just talk it through that way.
Vanderhoef/That joint meeting.
Atkins/That's fine to. I would just like to see it expanded, I mean I have some, when we
get into these types of issues I think it's, you are, you all be condemned for
stepping up the plate and pressing ahead. For example we have human fights
ordinance and the other towns don't, why not?
Wilburn/That's a good point.
Pfab/I'd certainly support that.
Wilburn/And also just if there's agreement I'd like to mention that we're looking into
this during council time tomorrow night.
Lehman/Yes.
Wilburn/Thanks.
Lehman/Anything else. Mike.
O'Donnell/Just we ought to put on a future work session about council conduct.
Pfab/About what?
O'Donnell/Conduct of council, that' s in this room as well as in the city.
Champion/Good idea.
Lehman/Dee.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 41
Vanderhoef/Nothing.
Lehman/Steven.
Karmer/Yea it was mentioned earlier before you were out when we started at 4:00 about
this issue and I think it's a good idea to talk about intimidation factors that your
using Mike and I look forward to talking about that.
O'Dormell/(can't hear) using.
Karmer/Yes.
O'Dormell/I think your Steven, some of the language your using is somewhat
unacceptable.
Kanner/What language is that Mike?
O'Dormell/I think you know that the.
Kanner/I'm very polite and I don't appreciate your mocking words that you use when
you.
O'Dormell/You weren't earlier Steven.
Kanner/Okay, I don't know what your talking about Mike.
O'Donnell/Well there (can't hear).
Kanner/Okay thanks. I had a couple things, there was a mention in the info. package
about bus shelter purchases, which reminded me about the community grant we
were giving to east side neighborhood about Summit and Burlington bus shelter
and we were going to do some work there.
Lehman/I think you need to move your mic. you're breaking the ear drums of, put it.
Champion/Here just use this one.
Lehman/Yea put it in the hold, there you go use Connie's.
Karmer/So I was wondering what happened with that.
Atkins/Summit and Burlington bus shelter, I'll find out.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 42
Kanner/Yea we were going to give them some money to.
Atkins/I recall that.
Kanner/Dig out the retaining wall and so I'd like to see where that is.
Arkins/I'll find out where that is, okay.
Kanner/And another thing we were looking at was we were going to give to the Public
Art Advisory Committee to look into sharing art work from UI particularly the
masters program art work that they have a large supply of to see if somehow we
can use some of that in our public buildings and heard a report back on that yet.
Arkins/I'll check on the status of that ti3r you.
Kanner/And then the other thing there was some concern mentioned to me and probably
some other Council Members about possible contamination from the underground
tanks at the airport and to make sure that the fixed based operator is taking
responsibility for that if there is any leakage. According to one of the
Commission Members there, it has been tested and there is no leakage but maybe
we should just confirm that to make sure that before this fixed based operator is
leaving which some people said they're on very shaky financial legs to make sure
their insurance is in good shape and that if there is anything they' 11 take care of of
hauling away contaminated dirt.
Lehman/I think that's something we should check Eleanor to find out just what the
situation is if that, is in the CiP to replace those tanks this coming year but I think
Steven's point is that as long as the fixed base operator is there and has insurance,
his insurance company may be responsible if there is leakage from those tanks, I
have no idea but if we can check.
Dilkes/i have no idea what the solution is (can"t hear).
Lehman/But could we check that so that we don't discover it next April and find out that
if we would have done it in August it would have been paid for by somebody else.
Kanner/Yea because they're going to be leaving probably in a few months.
Lehman/Possibly yea.
Atkins/I'll check that and I'll find out for you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 43
Kanner/And then just to clarify again, I guess it ~vas talked about a little bit earlier about
First Avenue and the grading paving. The agreement that was voted on last year
about this time on March 7 actually was an amendment to our fiscal plan that
would grade First Avenue extension in fiscal year 02 and pave it in 03. Is that
correct?
Pfab/That's correct.
Letunan/I don~t remember, I know that the two projects took place in two different fiscal
years.
Kanner/Okay the amendment that was of, and I'll show you later, the amendment that
was offered to the fiscal, the financial plan said and it was passed 5-2 and it was
offered by Cormie that we would do the grading in 02, paving in 03. And so I
assume thaCs what we're still working under that resolution that was passed
because i believe the financial plan is a resolution it's not necessarily an ordinance
but that would have the weight of how we proceed I would assume because that
was the last vote on this manner from this body.
Champion/And the reason for that was because then Scott Boulevard would have been
opened already.
Lehman/Right, the idea was that be open first.
Pfab/No, no, the understanding was it was going to be open for a year basically to train
people so not to.
Lehman/Well the idea is two different fiscal years for opening but that could be a
difference of two days, fiscal year, but your right they were two different years.
Kanner/But I think if that' s going to be changed, which the Council has the right to
change that it should be done, be a resolution I think or to make it clear in the
current plan that we're looking at.
Atkins/Yea you're going to have to make it clear, I'm confused now. I had understand
that your policy was that those roads would be opened simultaneously.
Lehman/I think it says that in the Northeast Area Plan.
Atkins/it does, it does say that.
Lehman/When was that adopted?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 44
Atkins/June of 99, I looked it up because Steve had asked me about it. Now does that
mean that you want First Avenue constructed one way and Captain Irish
constructed another? That they're suppose to be separate contracts and I mean
I'm a little confused right now.
Lehman/Steve I believe the intent and if I'm wrong Council correct me but my belief was
the intent that the Council was to tell the public we would not open First Avenue
until after Scott Boulevard was completed. I believe that was the intent.
Atkins/And that' s what we understand it to be.
Lehman/Okay.
Vanderhoef/But whether it gets paved or not that is up to the contractor and the best
business practice if that means a pile of dirt well.
Atkins/It's as up to you all too, we can stage the thing virtually anywhere you want, it
seemed for efficiency standpoints that the desirability of letting one contract for
both pieces of it. But bottom line is regardless it can not be opened until both
projects are complete.
Lehman/I think that was the intent.
Atkins/If you want to do something difl~rently you just need to tell me because that's
what I had understood it to be.
Champion/The whole idea of the grading was the dirt from First Avenue was needed for
Scott Boulevard so the road was going to be.
Arkins/The dirt from First Avenue as I understood it would be made available to assist in
the construction of the Captain Irish project.
Champion/That's right, that's right.
Atkins/Okay.
Champion/The whole idea of my motion was that it was going to correlate with the
construction on Dodge Street at one point.
Atkins/Well we could not do Dodge until First and Captain Irish were finished.
Champion/Right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 45
Atkins/Because you need a traffic diversion.
Champion/Right so the reason for my motion was not to have First Avenue at that point
because that would have been people' s worst fears that every car off that Interstate
~vould use that First Avenue and that was the reason I wanted First Avenue after
Captain Irish was opened, I mean now we're running into some problems with
Captain Irish. Aren't there some water problems?
Atkins/Well the Captain Irish project is a mile long folks, it's a huge project, yea, the
First Avenue project is not all that long, now Captain Irish is going to take at least
two construction seasons. First Avenue you apparently want to do it in two
construction seasons, that's okay, now there some economics working against us
here, but that, I mean, we'll build it anyway you want it built.
Lehman/1 see a frown on the City Attorney's face.
Dilkes/Well I'm trying to remember and I think that part of this the way it appears, is this
in the budget that it appears this way Steven?
Kanner/No this is a vote on the budget.
Dilkes/A vote on the budget, that' s what Fm talking about, is it in the budget where it
shows grading 02 and paving 03?
Kanner/Well here's the Council minutes from March 7.
Pfab/Could the City Attorney read that what' s in that minutes?
Kanner/This is what was moved and then if, it was voted on 5-2 it was passed to remove
the paving portion from 02 to 03 carried 5-2.
Dilkes/But what thing were we talking about? Approving the financial plan, okay.
Karmer/Want to hold that?
Dilkes/I don't.
Atkins/Folks whatever you want me to do you just need to tell me what you ~vant done.
Dilkes/What I was, the little piece of memory that I was having is that I believe there was
an interest in segregating the grading from the paving because we knew the
concern of the people who were bringing the initiative was the paving and not the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 46
grading, and we wanted to separate that out in the budget, I remember having
some discussion about that.
Vanderhoef/But then there was discussion also.
Dilkcs/That' s the best, I can't you know, probably if you all want to have an extended
discussion on this you probably, it's probably a good thing to put on your agenda
but that's I don't know.
Pfab/Could you just read the portion there I think that Steve had, draw a circle around,
could you just read this 3 or 4 lines?
Dilkes/I don't, lrvin I don't have that in front of me anymore. Well Steven can read it, I
don't.
Pl~b/I thought he left it up there, i'm sorry.
Kanner/Well I'll read moved by Champion, second by Pfab, to remove the paving
portion of First Avenue from fiscal year 02 and move it to fiscal year 03 and then
the Mayor declared the motion to remove the paving portion of First Avenue from
02 to 03 carried 5/2. 1 think the reason that this came actually, this was the so-
called compromise with all due respect, it was the Mayor that brought this
proposal and certainly the majority can change it, I think it would be in the best
interest of Council to officially vote on what you want to do if you want to change
this at all but until that happens I would say this is what we should operate on
because this is the resolution that passed. And I think it would be good to bring it
up at a, the next work session or at the the budget when we vote to make it clear
when the majority of Council wants First Avenue to be done so we're not getting
information from newspapers and so forth and be clear about what we're doing.
Dilkes/Yea I think. I mean obviously you can not, you can't make a decision tonight but.
Lehman/Right.
Dilkes/But it looks like you need some information that' s not piece meal.
Lehmm~/All right.
Dilkes/And that if you get it in front of you it's going to need to go on your agenda if you
want to give notice to the public.
Arkins/It would be nice if you made it on a quivacable statement so we don't have to root
around it (can't hear).
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5, 2001 Special Work Session Page 47
Lehman/All right why don't we put that on the next work session that' s available.
Atkins/Sure, okay.
Lehman/And at the same time, well no never mind. Anything else Steven?
Kanner/No.
Lehman/Irvin.
Pfab/You don't want to go down the road is that it?
Lehman/No, no, we're going, I'm not going down the road because there's a pile of dirt
in it.
Pfab/That was a joke, I have no further, nothing to add.
Lehman/All right guys tomorrow night. I'm sorry.
Karr/I have a quick thing, you were going to confirm February 22 start time for the joint
meeting with the Library.
Atkins/5:30.
Pfab/What date is that again?
Lehman/February 22.
Karr/February 22, it's a Thursday, you tentatively agreed to 5:30 but a number of you
didn't have your calendars so you said to bring it up this time. They can meet as.
Vanderhoe~ At what time?
Karr/They can meet as early as 5:00, you had agreed to 5:30.
Lehman/5:30.
Karr/They had asked for two hours, they could make it 7-9, they can do whatever you,
the majority of you agree.
Kanner/5:30 is still good for me.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501
February 5,2001 Special Work Session Page 48
Lehman/Yea.
Vanderhoef/5:30.
Pfab/5:30 on what date again?
Karr/February 22.
Pfab/22rid 5:30.
Wilburn/l can't give them the whole time because I, 5:30 1 can be there.
Champion/What time can you come?
Wilburn/I can be there at 5:30 but I would not be able to stay until 7:30 so.
Karr/Okay.
Lehman/If we all leave then the library board will be by themselves.
Champion/Well, what time do you have to leave by?
Wilbum/About 6:45.
Atkins/Folks if know what they're going to present, I can't imagine it taking two hours.
Champion/I can't either.
Lehman/Tell them then.
Champion/Tell them we need to be out of here at 6:45.
Lehman/Marian we need to tell them that ~ve have council members that will have to
leave after probably an hour and 15-20 minutes and try to keep their presentation
to an hour or so.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 5, 2001.
WST020501