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2011-02-15 Correspondence
~~ City of Iowa City, Iowa State of the City Address Mayor Matthew J. Hayek February 15, 2011 This evening it is my privilege to give the annual State of the City address. Iowa City has accomplished much over the past year and continues to make numerous community improvements as we recover from both the flood and the economic recession. One of the primary functions of the City Council is hiring a city manager. Last year, following a thorough search and with input from the community, the council hired Tom Markus, a veteran city manager who arrived just before the holidays. In his first two months on the job, Tom has proven to be a quick study and a wise choice. His experience, leadership and professionalism will benefit the community and the City Council, and we are glad to have him on board. Tonight I would like to highlight some of our ongoing projects and give the public a sense of where we are heading. Iowa City continues its recovery from the devastating flood of 2008. In addition to repairing damaged infrastructure, the City is busy with numerous projects such as the home buy-out program; elevating Dubuque Street and replacing the Park Road Bridge; relocating the north sewage treatment plant; protecting our water supply; relocating the animal shelter; and constructing levees to protect residential and commercial neighborhoods. Combined, these projects will cost more than $132 million, and to that end we have secured $88.25 million in state and federal funding and an estimated $30 million from local option sales tax revenues. These projects will improve the community and help us defend against future flood events. We have acquired 86 properties through a number of flood relief grants and will acquire another 15 to 20 by the end of the year. Acquisition and demolition of eligible, flood-risk homes is the most effective flood mitigation strategy. The City also received federal funding to help construct 108 new homes to replace the bought-out homes and maintain the property tax base. When it's not flooding, the Iowa River is a valuable asset for the community, as are other local waterways. We continue to develop the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area near Napoleon Park, which contains a small take and is adjacent to the Iowa River. This is a substantial addition to our park system and will offer unique recreational opportunities to residents and visitors alike. We recently received a $1.6 million grant from the state's Vision Iowa program to help fund the project. Council member Regenia Bailey has served on Vision Iowa for five years and is the current board chair. Iowa City and communities around the state have benefited from this program, and we appreciate Regenia's hard work. A number of public safety initiatives have come to fruition over the past year. We are adding five new officers as we strengthen the police department's ability to handle calls for service and other citizen complaints and do proactive enforcement throughout the city. The crime prevention officer position is now re-established and that officer staffs the new police substation which opened last fall in Pepperwood Plaza. This has helped the police department maintain a greater presence in our southeastern neighborhoods and provides space for neighborhood meetings and public safety education. Coupled with the important work of neighborhood organizations, schools, volunteers, and other groups, this has resulted in a marked decrease in criminal activity and tension in that area. All City and County emergency communications functions have been consolidated and now operate through the new Joint Emergency Communications Center. This facility serves all fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical service providers in Johnson County with state-of-the-art technologwill allowuforr seamlespr~Jommunicationxbetween local government cooperation and emergency services providers throughout urban and rural Johnson County. The long awaited fire station #4, under construction on the northeast side, will open on schedule this summer. With the City Council's addition of eight new firefighter positions, this station will be fully staffed around the clock. Last November Iowa City residents voted to retain the bar entry age ordinance passed by the City Council earlier in the year. While the law applies citywide, the greatest impact has been in and near downtown. Late night problems downtown have moderated and, as a result, the police department is able to focus more resources on adjoining residential areas and throughout the community. The results of the ordinance appear to be positive and I applaud the community for its vote. It is a reality of local government that City services come with a significant price tag. Property taxes are by and large what fund those services. Public sector investment can spur private economic development activity and grow the commercial and industrial tax base. At the same time, it is critical that we be prudent when using tax dollars for private projects. Iowa City has traditionally been conservative with the public incentives it offers for private economic development. A major public incentive vehicle is tax increment financing, or TIF. In the past year several TIF projects were completed on or ahead of schedule, and the City closed them out to allow for the resulting property taxes to benefit the City, the county and the school district. Other such projects are underway and our goal is to release their revenue benefits as soon as possible. In other areas of economic development, creation of a long-term strategy to re-develop Riverfront Crossings is underway. This area is located between Burlington Street and Highway #6 and between South Gilbert Street and the river. Current plans are for a variety of commercial, office, and residential structures between two and ten stories tall along the edge of a new riverfront park with views of the river. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be encouraged, ac uire the old Rock Isla dtRailroad DepotD npant c pation Transportation and Amtrak to q of passenger rail service returning to the Quad Cities and Iowa City in the next few years. 2 Anew multi-use parking facility will be constructed on the site of the former St. Patrick's parish hall and will serve as a catalyst for additional development in that area. This will include potentially 90,000 square feet of taxable residential and commercial space, and will add 500 to 600 new spaces to our parking inventory. We hope to begin construction later this year. Financial incentives to encourage re-investment in the Towncrest area are being formulated and the City has completed a master design plan. The general redevelopment model involves higher density development and will encourage a mix of residential, office and commercial retail uses. Development of the Towncrest design plan involved community input and the public meetings have been well attended by business owners and residents from that area. Financial incentives will likely be in the form of pre-development assistance funding, a facade improvement program, and gap financing for redevelopment projects. A new 170-acre industrial park area at the City's far eastern edge targets suppliers to the wind energy industry and industrial prospects in general. We are pursuing shovel- ready site certification so that investors can begin construction almost immediately after a property is acquired, thus more quickly adding to the property tax base. Moss Green Urban Village on the City's northeast side will privately develop 250 acres into a mix of office, research park, and commercial uses. The City intends to use tax increment financing to help fund the extension of streets and utility infrastructure for this development. A joint project between the university and a private developer will bring two substantial buildings to the corner of Burlington and Clinton Streets. These will contain the new Music School and Clapp Recital Hall as well as a major commercial and residential development that will add to the property tax rolls. Iowa City is increasingly a destination for tourists of all kinds. Development of our UNESCO City of Literature organization continues. Attendance at our music and art festivals is expanding. And next year Iowa City will host the Olympic team trials in wrestling, traditionally an honor bestowed on larger cities. These activities, and the many others that take place throughout the year with City support, boost our economy. Studies indicate that downtown should develop more fully as an arts and entertainment center along with specialty retail and other services. While this will largely be driven by the private sector, the City plays a role as well. We are working with the Iowa City Area Development Group to develop a downtown business incubator co-work facility. We are talking to private developers and the university about redevelopment opportunities and the City's role in enhancing our downtown business and retail landscape. And we are pleased to see private sector interest in creating a Self Supporting Municipal Improvement District, an effective downtown management tool common in cities around Iowa. There are many opportunities for the City to partner with private and public investors to make downtown even stronger. Iowa City continues to set the example for environmental stewardship. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, a $700,000 project awarded to Iowa City, is in its second year. An energy efficiency action plan was completed and identified 75 measures to improve efficiency in our eight largest facilities. These should provide an 3 Anew multi-use parking facility will be constructed on the site of the f mer St. Patrick's parish hall and will serve as a catalyst for additional development in at area. This will include potentially 90,000 square feet of taxable residential and com ercial space, and will add 500 to 600 new spaces to our parking inventory. We hope t begin construction later this year. Financial incentives to encourage re-invedstma nmastehe desiV planar The r gene al formulated and the City ha;~ complete redevelopment model involves igher density development an will encourage a mix of residential, office and commer ial retail uses. Developmen of the Towncrest design plan involved community input om that arelaC F natncgal h centbes w Illikely be ea the business owners and residents form of pre-development assists ce funding, a facade i rovement program, and gap financing for redevelopment proje s. A new 170-acre industrial park are at the City's far astern edge targets suppliers to the wind energy industry and Indus ial prospects ieneral. We are pursuing shovel- ready site certification so that investo s can begin struction almost immediately after a property is acquired, thus more quic ly adding t e property tax base. ~~© e Moss Green Urban Village on the City' northe ~ side will privately develop acres into a mix of office, research park, and om e,~cial uses. The City intends to use tax increment financing to help fund the exte sio utif streets and utility infrastructure for this development. {. A joint project between the university and ,~m rivate developer will bring two substantial buildings to the corner of Burlington an ~I ton Streets. These will contain the new Music School and Clapp Recital Hall ;~~wel as a major commercial and residential development that will add to the propert tax rol Iowa City is increasingly a destinati n` for touris s of all kinds. Development of our UNESCO City of Literature organiz i,on continue Attendance at our music and art festivals is expanding. And next y ar Iowa City ill host the Olympic team trials in wrestling, traditionally an honor b stowed on large cities. These activities, and the many others that take place throug~ out the year with ~ty support, boost our economy. d Studies indicate that downtown r ould develop more ful as an arts and entertainment center along with specialty retaind other services. Whi this will largely be drivenrea the private sector, the City play a role as well. We are w king with the Iowa City A Development Group to develop~`a downtown business incub for co-work facility. We are talking to private developers end the university about redev lopment opportunities and the City's role in enhancing qur downtown business and ret 'I landscape. And we are pleased to see private sector interest in creating a Se Supporting Municipal Improvement District, an e#f~ctive downtown management tool ommon in cities around Iowa. There are many opportunities for the City to partner 'th private and public investors to make downtown even stronger. Iowa City continues to s tlt the example for environmental stews ship. The Energy Efficiency and Conservati n Block Grant, a $700,000 project awarde to Iowa City, is in its second year. An en rgy efficiency action plan was completed and identified 75 measures to improve a ciency in our eight largest facilities. These s ould provide a3 annual savings of $200,000 which can be reinvested to improve energy efficiency in other facilities. The City completed its community-wide greenhouse gas inventory, and the next steps are to conduct a sustainability assessment, commit to a reduction target for carbon emissions, and create acommunity-wide sustainability plan. The East Side Recycling Center will open this summer. It will be a one-stop location for recycling and environmental programs and will include a LEED certified environmental education center. We also have plans to increase recycling activity, reduce what goes to our landfill, and launch a new recycling education program. Last year Iowa City led a dozen storm water volunteer cleanup projects on Ralston Creek, the South Sycamore Wetlands and the Iowa River. More than 600 student volunteers worked some 1,800 hours to remove 83 tons of refuse and debris from the channel and banks of these waterways. If you were part of this effort, we thank you. Considerable progress has been made in the areas of flood recovery, infrastructure, economic development and environmental protection, and they will all benefit the community. At the same time, the economy has impacted municipalities throughout the country, and Iowa City is no exception. The trend is clear: local, state and federal sources of revenue contract while personnel and operational costs only expand. This year's general fund budget adds positions only for police and fire protection despite the fact that our population has grown and there are more demands for City services than ever before. While Iowa has generally faired better than other states, our economy has not yet recovered. Going forward, we have no choice but to be even more careful with budgeting and spend only what our resources allow. The City Council and staff are committed to examining all phases of our operation for maximum efficiencies while providing the many services the public deems important. I want to close by expressing my appreciation for the work of the City Council and of staff. Iowa City is a fantastic community and your leadership only makes it better. Thank you. 4 r -- !~~~ p~~ C[TY OF IOWA CITY 5e(1) , ~...:.® ~~ ~'~~~ N DUM ~~o~A Date: January 24, 2011 To: City Clerk From: Kent Ralston, Acting Traffic Engineering Planner~-~-- Re: Item for February 15, 2011 City Council meeting; Removal of NO PARKING ANY TIME signs to permit on-street parking between 3640 and 3734 Lower West Branch Road As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10), Remove NO PARKING ANY TIME signage between 3640 and 3734 Lower West Branch Road to allow on-street parking on the south side of street. Comment: This action is being taken as a result of a neighborhood petition requesting that vehicles be permitted to park on the south side of the street between 3640 and 3734 Lower West Branch Road. A survey taken of the abutting residences show that a majority (57%) of responding households favored the requested action. City Fire, Police, and Streets Departments were also contacted and did not object to the request. N s D Nwn Z to n~' ~ ~ F~ r--~ .~ ~ e~, a ~ ~ :~ ~. 9k IK O d ~ w tli ~ ~~~ Marian Karr From: billvegas@mchsi.com Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 4:36 PM To: Council Subject: Fwd: THIS IS A UPDATED E-MAIL TO CORRECT E-MAIL SENT ON 2/10/11.REF. TO ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD Subject: THIS IS A UPDATED E-MAIL TO CORRECT E-MAIL SENT ON 2/10/11.REF. TO ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD THIS IS A UPDATED E-MAIL TO CORRECT AN E-MAIL SENT BY WILLIAM J COLEMAN SENT 2/10/11 THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WILLIAM J COLEMAN AND FAMILY. Subject: ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WILLIAM J. COLEMAN LIVE AT 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE PARKING BE AVAILABLE ONLY WITH THESE TIMES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 600 A.M. UNTIL 200 AM IN THE MORNING FOR PROTECTION OF THR NEIGHBORHOOD THESE HOURS ARE SAFE FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THESE HOURS OF PARKING WOULD ALLOW AMPLE STREET PARKING FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MYSELF AND MY WIFE WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE IF THIS WOULD BE THE RULE FOR THIS ON STREET PARKING. IF THESE RULES WERE TO BE FOLLOWED THEN THR NEIGHBOR OR NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE EXTENDED PARKING FOR PEOPLE BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 LOWER WEST BRACH ROAD. THIS PETITION IS ONLY BEING PRESENTED ONLY BECAUSE A CERTAIN NEIGHBOR AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD, IOWA CITY IS RUNNING A (HOME BUSINESS NAMED CREATIVE MEMORIES). THEIR BUSINESS REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PARK AND ATTEND THEIR ( CREATIVE MEMORIES BUSINESS ). THIS ( CREATIVE MEMORIES BUSINESS )THAT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH IS RUNNING OUT OF THRIR HOME IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS CALLED A ( TUPPERWARE PARTIES TYPE BUSINESS) THAT THEY RUN OUT OF THEIR HOME. IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF ALL ( BUSINESS TUPPERWARE TYPE PARTIES ) ARE HELD DURING TIMES THAT AMPLE PARKING WILL BE AVAILABLE .SO THEREFORE THE NEIGHBORS AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD WOULD HAVE AMPLE PARKING IN DAY LIGHT HOURS AND ON INTO THE EARLY MORNING. TO MY CITY COUNCIL I ASK THE YOU APPROVE MY REQUEST. MY WIFE ETTA AND I ARE BOTH OF US BEING IN OUR SEVENTIES YEARS OF AGE THEREFORE WOULD FEEL MUCH SAFER IN OUR OWN HOUSE IF THIS REQUEST WAS TO BE GRANTED. MY SON TERENCE J. COLEMAN WHO ALSO LIVES IN OUR FINE TOWN OF IOWA CITY ALSO FEELS THAT WITH THIS IDEA PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD MAKE ALL THE FAMILY FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH WILLIAM J. COLMAN 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD IOWA CITY IOWA 52245 319-512-0533 ~~~~ Marian Karr From: billvegas@mchsi.com Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 3:57 PM To: Council Subject: THIS IS A UPDATED E-MAIL TO CORRECT E-MAIL SENT ON 2/10/11.REF. TO ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD THIS IS A UPDATED E-MAIL TO CORRECT AN E-MAIL SENT BY WILLIAM J COLEMAN SENT 2/10/11 THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WILLIAM J COLEMAN AND FAMILY. Subject: ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WILLIAM J. COLEMAN LIVE AT 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE PARKING BE AVAILABLE ONLY WITH THESE TIMES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 600 A.M. UNTIL 200 AM IN THE MORNING FOR PROTECTION OF THR NEIGHBORHOOD THESE HOURS ARE SAFE FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THESE HOURS OF PARKING WOULD ALLOW AMPLE STREET PARKING FOR EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MYSELF AND MY WIFE WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE IF THIS WOULD BE THE RULE FOR THIS ON STREET PARKING. IF THESE RULES WERE TO BE FOLLOWED THEN THR NEIGHBOR OR NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE EXTENDED PARKING FOR PEOPLE BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 LOWER WEST BRACH ROAD. THIS PETITION IS ONLY BEING PRESENTED ONLY BECAUSE A CERTAIN NEIGHBOR AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD, IOWA CITY IS RUNNING A (HOME BUSINESS NAMED CREATIVE MEMORIES). THEIR BUSINESS REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PARK AND ATTEND THEIR ( CREATIVE MEMORIES BUSINESS ). THIS ( CREATIVE MEMORIES BUSINESS )THAT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH IS RUNNING OUT OF THRIR HOME IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS CALLED A ( TUPPERWARE PARTIES TYPE BUSINESS) THAT THEY RUN OUT OF THEIR HOME. IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF ALL ( BUSINESS TUPPERWARE TYPE PARTIES ) ARE HELD DURING TIMES THAT AMPLE PARKING WILL BE AVAILABLE .SO THEREFORE THE NEIGHBORS AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD WOULD HAVE AMPLE PARKING IN DAY LIGHT HOURS AND ON INTO THE EARLY MORNING. TO MY CITY COUNCIL I ASK THE YOU APPROVE MY REQUEST. MY WIFE ETTA AND I ARE BOTH OF US BEING IN OUR SEVENTIES YEARS OF AGE THEREFORE WOULD FEEL MUCH SAFER IN OUR OWN HOUSE IF THIS REQUEST WAS TO BE GRANTED. MY SON TERENCE J. COLEMAN WHO ALSO LIVES IN OUR FINE TOWN OF IOWA CITY ALSO FEELS THAT WITH THIS IDEA PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD MAKE ALL THE FAMILY FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH WILLIAM J. COLMAN 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD IOWA CITY IOWA 52245 319-512-0533 ~~, .~ Marian Karr From: billvegas@mchsi.com Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 10:58 PM To: Council Subject: ON STREET PARKING BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 SOUTH SIDE OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WILLIAM J. COLEMAN LIVE AT 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE PARKING ALLOWED WILL BE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 800 A.M. AND 1000 P.M.ONLY. MYSELF AND MY WIFE WOULD FEEL MORE SAFE IF THIS WOULD BE THE RULE FOR THIS ON STREET PARKING. IF THESE RULES WERE TO BE FOLLOWED THEN THR NEIGHBOR OR NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE EXTENDED PARKING FOR PEOPLE BETWEEN ADDRESS 3640 AND 3734 LOWER WEST BRACH ROAD. THIS PETITION IS ONLY BEING PRESENTED ONLY BECAUSE A CERTAIN NEIGHBOR AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD, IOWA CITY IS RUNNING A (HOME BUSINESS CALLED MEMORIES). THEIR BUSINESS REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PARK AND ATTEND THEIR ( MEMORIES BUSINESS ). THIS MEMORIES BUSINESS )THAT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH IS RUNNING OUT OF THRIR HOME IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS CALLED A ( TUPPERWARE PARTIES TYPE BUSINESS) THAT THEY RUN OUT OF THEIR HOME. IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF ALL ( BUSINESS TUPPERWARE TYPE PARTIES ) ARE HELD DURING DAY LIGHT HOURS ONLY .SO THEREFORE THE NEIGHBORS AT 3714 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD WOULD HAVE AMPLE PARKING IN DAY LIGHT HOURS AND ON TO THE EVENING. TO MY CITY COUNCIL I ASK THE YOU APPROVE MY REQUEST. MY WIFE ETTA AND I ARE BOTH OF US BEING IN OUR SEVENTIES YEARS OF AGE THEREFORE WOULD FEEL MUCH SAFER IN OUR OWN HOUSE IF THIS REQUEST WAS TO BE GRANTED. MY SON TERRY J. COLEMAN ALSO FEELS THAT WITH THIS IDEA PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD MAKE ALL THE FAMILY FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH WILLIAM J. COLMAN 3724 LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD IOWA CITY , IOWA 52245 319-512-0533 ~~,®~ CITY O F IOWA CITY 5e(2) ~ ~~~~~~~ -~ ~ D Q RA N1 E NI ~~ Date: January 315`, 2011 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle-Gamm, Traffic Engineering Planner~j ' Re: Item for February 15th 2011 City Council meeting; Installation of (1) NO PARKING HERE TO DRIVEWAY sign approximately 25 feet north of the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP) driveway on the west side of Waterfront Drive. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 36 of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10); Install (1) NO PARKING HERE TO DRIVEWAY sign approximately 25 feet north of the HACAP driveway on the west side of Waterfront Drive. Comment: Staff observations indicate that pedestrians cross Waterfront Drive between the HACAP and Hilltop Mobile Home driveways to access a school bus stop. This action would improve visibility near the driveways. ra 0 a Z a ` ' D - ~.~ ~ r a~~ ~ ~ ?~~ January 26, 2011 f"layor Matt Hayek City of Iowa City 910 East Washington St Iowa City, IA 5i?Z`IO Dear Mr. h'layor, 5e 3 In response to your recent letter to Governor Branstad and the article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette on January 9, ZOII regarding rail service in Eastern Iowa (mainly service from I/C to Chicago). F~(e y0U seflOUS? Have you heard of f 1ega Bus? It's this bright blue bus that carries passengers from Iowa City t0 Chicago on what I believe is a twice a day schedule, seven days a week. It starts in Des rloines and stops in Iowa City beFore heading to Chicago. The parking is so outrageous in Chicago that my husband and I have twice taken Mega Bus in the last 9 months and find it quitE enjoyable! We pay to park in an Iowa City owned ramp, walk across the street, load the bus and oFF we go. 9 hours later we're in Chicago! Why do you want to spend millions of dollars on rail service between these two cities when we already have a company that is doingjust that only via bus? What happens if the rail service goes through? Will f"lega Bus survive or will they pull out. r1y guess is pull out of Iowa City and when people are no longer riding the rails between the two cities or rail service ends someone will wish for the day that r1ega Bus was back. Only they won't be. Let's support existing business in the area instead of trying to run them oFF. While other states are declining the Funding for rail service I think Iowa should also decline these Funds. Thank you for your time. '/ ~_ t r ' ¢ Ac's X' . ~~ ~ ~ ' ~ ~ ~ .F i; Kimberly Trickey z09Z Vista Circle nW Cedar Rapids, IB 5i?`105-IEIB kimatwestdalegwestoFFice.net cc: Governor Terry Branstad Mega Bus N 0 A Z N a~ ' P n Z 1 I '., f ~ ~~c ~ „ ~ 3 ~.~ ~ '- ~ ~ rv c ,,,_ w U1-15-71 5e 4 Brenda K Saville 1475 Valley View Dr. Coralville, IA 52241 Council Members 410 E Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Re: proposed Sanctuary City Ordinance Dear Members, As a resident of your neighboring city, Coralville, I am greatly concerned about granting Iowa City the status of Sanctuary City. If this is granted for Iowa City it will impact all areas around it as well. Why is this necessary? Are there presently a large number of illegal residents (with respect to United States immigration law) needing Sanctuary status. Iowa City and the surrounding area is not an inexpensive place to live. Therefore jobs are needed, are there that many jobs needing to be filled here in the area? If they know they'll be secure here isn't that an invitation for more to come? If they do seek employment, don't they need citizenship documents, i.e. a birth certificate or social security card? If they have come here illegally then obviously they'll need to obtain these illegally, therefore encouraging more illegal activity. Is that what the city is about? Unless they find a source of income quickly, won't this also increase the need for greater social services? For example, rental assistance, food pantry, health care and clothing needs. Aren't the people of Iowa City already quite generous, how much more are you willing to expect from them. Recently I watched a man being chased from the Coralville HyVee carrying a large container of laundry detergent. That had to have been a need rather than a quick source of cash. He was willing to risk a shoplifting charge for a container of laundry detergent. (By the way, he was faster than the store staff and managed to cross Highway 6 to get to his car.) While this idea sounds like it's a "nice thing to do for Humanitarian purposes" there is no parallel with this and the round up of the Jews, mentally ill, homosexuals, gypsies, Christians who opposed the regime, etc. who feared for their lives during World War II. a~ Please consider carefully the implications such an ordinance will have for the entire ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ n oio community. Thank you. ~~~ ~ ~ ~ o Sincerely, ~ ~>. ~-----..~ , ~ o -.~ 1033 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 January 28, 2011 Mayor Matt Hayek City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mayor Hayek: I have joined the Sanctuary City Committee of the Consultation of Religious Communities and I support their efforts to make Iowa City a Sanctuary City. I believe that we already are a sanctuary city and that we should formally declare ourselves as such. How is that? Well, over my lifetime, as a resident of this area, we've welcomed an endless stream of people seeking many things-education, a better life for their children, freedom from oppression. Some stay and remain a vital part of our community. Others might solicit help from us-and teach us -and move on. I've stood with students from Iran who wore bags over their heads-so Savak (the Shah's secret police) could not identify them and arrest, murder, or torture their families. I've gone to school with students from Mississippi and Virginia-who came here to escape the then oppressive segregation of public schools in their states. And I've meet writers and students from all over the world who come here to teach and learn from us. More recently, it has been my pleasure to tutor many elementary school students who've moved to Iowa City to escape the violence and lack of educational opportunity that often overwhelms them in urban ghettoes. What's a sanctuary city? Us. I know what it isn't. That's when a young couple with a child shows up and you get on the phone and say: "Hey Herod. They're here!" ~n N `~ ~- ~ r ~ Q Gq ~1 U t. `U ~ OD ~"".{ z U ~ N ~' Q , ~ - .q "'~ Sincerely, ~-. Jim Walters 0 N 5e 5 Marian Karr From: Bill Kamery [whkamery@mchsi.com] Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 6:54 PM To: Council Subject: Red Light Cameras There is a paper, published by the University of South Florida in the Florida Public Health Review, 2008; 5:1-7, that you might find interesting. The abstract states, in part, "Intuitively, cameras appear to be a good idea. However, comprehensive studies conclude cameras actually increase crashes and injuries, providing a safety argument not to install them." This paper provides an unbiased study of red light cameras. Here is a link to the paper: http://health.usf.edu/NR/rdonlyres/C1702850-8716-4C2D-8EEB-15A2A741061A/0/2008pp0010080rba netalRedLightPaperMarch72008formatted.pdf Thank you W. H. Kamery 1 5e 6 Marian Karr From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 10:55 AM To: 'andrewlynch27@gmail.com' Cc: ''City Council Subject: RE: Sidewalk to street access Hello Andrew: Thank you for your email to City Council regarding snow and ice removal. Your message will be forwarded to Council members and will be accepted as official correspondence on the consent agenda at the February 15, 2011 formal Council meeting. If it is Council's wish to review City Code 16-1A-8, then they may choose to place this item on an upcoming Work Session for discussion. City Council Meeting Schedules and Work Session Agendas are posted on our City website at www.icgov.org. Thank you again for writing. Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager City oflowa City (319) 356-5010 From: Andrew Lynch [mailto:andrewlynch27@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 11:21 AM To: Council Subject: Sidewalk to street access Council members - I would appreciate very much if you would look into amending the City Code 16-1 A-8 regarding Snow and Ice Removal. I would like to see language included to require residents and business owners to make clear access from the sidewalk to the street. Too many times in my walk to the bus I have found residents following the letter of the law and not the spirit while I have to step through or over a large pile of snow to go from the street to sidewalk or vice versa. I also noticed this as a safety issue downtown. Many times, people trying to cross the street would cross at business driveways instead of crosswalks due to this access issue. Or just as bad they would be standing on the pile of snow waiting for the opportunity to cross, one slip away from injury or death. Clearing these piles of snow from the end of sidewalks would increase mobility and safety for pedestrians in an already challenging environment. Thank you, Andrew Lynch 2/4/2011 5e 7 Marian Karr From: Denise Halter [denise.halter@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 11:01 AM To: Council; Matt Hayek; Bud Stockman; Rick Fosse Subject: Re: snow removal -NOT I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you for the quick and efficient response to "my Rundell Streets" request! well done and thank you Denise halter On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 11:05 AM, Denise Halter <denise.halter(a,gmail.com> wrote: February 6, 2011 To whom it may concern and I believe that is at least everyone I sent this email to. As a native Iowa Citian, I pay my taxes, keep my weeds down, shovel my walks and help my neighbors. As a resident on Rundell Street we always move our vehicles for the plows and help those that cannot. That being said, I am very angry about the way the City has "forsaken"( as my husband put it) our street. I understand there are more important routes and more important people but this snow emergency has become a fiasco. On Wednesday almost everyone on our block was out there snow blowing, shoveling and helping neighbors. We all moved our vehicles as per your rule. We shifted from side to side of the street and most put vehicles in driveways. On Friday I called Streets Division and talked to a Stephanie because I knew that the east side of Rundell was such a mess we could not park where the rule said we must! She was very nice and understood our dilemma, told me about free parking in the ramp and wished me luck :) So, we moved and waited, still no plow. Most of us are not "old", we can shovel snow and usually do clean up the mess before and after the plows but this is ridiculous. The snow is too heavy, too hard and thanks to an already sore back I can't move it off the street! 2/7/2011 Page 2 of 2 Rick Fosse said on the news the other night that he gives the residents a B- in relation to moving their vehicles. Well, I give Rundell Street an A+ and the City an F. Did a plow ever come through? Sure, it put it in the center of the road. Then when cars were parked on the east side (where the rule said they should be) it plowed the snow almost up against them. Once again, everyone moved but not without definite difficulty. So now we have snow plowed to the east side, the ridge is a couple of feet tall, hard as a rock and about 4-6 feet out from the curb. And there it still sets. We own our own business, and Saturday morning we had 2 prospective clients come to our home, which is our shop. They were amazed at the lack of our cities response to the "emergency". Actually, me too. I have always been proud of this town and still am, I am just a little bit angry over being forgotten on Rundell Street! ! I hope this catches someone's attention, it has definitely had Rundell Street's for almost a week now. Denise Halter "Remember, there are two places you will always be accepted...church and grandma and grandpa's!" "Remember, there are two places you will always be accepted...church and grandma and grandpa's!" 2/7/2011 5e 8 Marian Karr From: Tom Slockett [tslocket@co.johnson.ia.us] Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 5:23 PM To: Council; Mike Wright; Regenia Bailey; Ross Wilburn; Susan Mims; Council; Matt Hayek Cc: Marian Karr; Amanda Stahle; Chris Edwards Attachments: IC Ltr on cost allocation IC cost comparisons.pdf Dear Mayor Hayek and Iowa City Councilors: Attached is a letter regarding the billing, sent earlier to City Clerk Marian Karr, providing background, context, and additional information on costs of the Iowa City Special Election and ballot issue combined with the November 2, 2010 General Election. I apologize to City Clerk Karr for not sending this earlier as she requested the information some time ago. Best regards, Tom Slockett, C.E.R.A. Johnson County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections 913 S Dubuque Street, Suite 101 Iowa City, Iowa 52240-4207 Phone: (319)356-6004 Fax: (319)356-6086 Web: www.icauditor.com Email: tslocket(a,co.iohnson.ia.us 2/8/2011 /• ,.~,..,r,ro,. Tom Slockett Johnson County Auditor Commissioner of Elections and Voter Registration email: auditor@ pobox.com web: www.jcauditor.com February 7, 20l 1 Iowa City Mayor and City Council Members 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mayor Matt Hayek and City Council Members: City Clerk Marian Karr has asked me to provide our policy for allocating election costs. According to Iowa Code, the county pays for the costs of a special election called by the governor, a general election, and a primary election. The costs of all other elections are paid by the political subdivision for which the election is held. When multiple entities have races or issues on the same ballot, such as when an area community college places a ballot issue on a local school district ballot, or when a city places a ballot issue on the General Election ballot, the costs are shared by the involved political subdivisions. If all voters in a jurisdiction are eligible to vote for races or issues from both entities, the election costs will be allocated 50% to each entity. In jurisdictions where only a portion of the voters can vote for races or issues from both entities, the costs incurred from the voters who are eligible to vote in both entities are allocated 50% to each entity, and the costs for the area in which voters may vote for only one entity are allocated 100% to that entity. When it is impossible to separate the costs associated with one entity from another, such as with election official wages at the precinct, the costs are calculated using the proportion of voter turnout in the entity compared to the precinct as a whole. Two Iowa City precincts are combined with township precincts because no township site meeting legal requirements can be found. In Iowa City Precinct 12, 7.4% of voters were from rural areas (not eligible to vote for the Iowa City measure), and in Iowa City Precinct 22, 9.9% of voters were from rural areas (not eligible to vote for the Iowa City measure). Those proportions of election official wages were excluded from the amounts allocated 50% to the City of Iowa City, reducing election official related wages by $145.59 (for rural voters in Iowa City Precinct 12) and $167.34 (for rural voters in Iowa City Precinct 22). Compared to other potential methods, we believe that splitting the costs 50/50 is a fair and equitable division of the costs, and it is the established practice in Johnson County. It is not possible to determine the impact on voter turnout of placing a public measure on a General Election ballot, or accurately calculate the incremental costs of doing so. Even if it was possible to determine the incremental costs, it would be an inappropriate method of billing. Incremental costs are not charged for admission to a movie, an athletic event, or a city service such as water and sewer. Water bills are not based on the incremental costs of adding a new household to the system. Rather, they are based on the cost of goods and services supplied. Other possible calculations, such as taking a similar previous city- only election (e.g. the 2007 Iowa City Election), and proportionately adjusting the costs for the increased City turnout in a combined election would have resulted in charging Iowa City much more. The total costs incurred by Johnson County in conducting the 2010 General Election for the City of Iowa City were $97,641.3 ] (see table below). Half of this cost, $48,820.66, was billed to the City of Iowa City as a result of placing the question on the ballot of whether to repeal Ordinance No. 10-4388, 319-356-6004 FAX 319-356-6086 913 South Dubuque Street Suite #101 Iowa City, Iowa 52240-4207 which amended the bar entry age from nineteen (19) years of age to the "legal age." The 2010 General Election cost the City of Iowa City $18,385.91 less than the 2007 City election, which cost $67,206.57. In 2007, the City of Iowa City placed a similar measure on the ballot. Additionally, Iowa City's cost per voter in 2010 was $1.55 compared to $4.27 in 2007. Cost com arison table Item 2007 Iowa City 2009 Iowa City City Election 2010 Iowa City General Election City Election Total costs Costs billed incurred by to the City the County of Iowa City in the City of Iowa Cit Total Cost of Election $67,206.57 $34,541.85 $97,641.31 $48,820.66 Qalerter~ itamc fnr r.mm~arisnn~ Ballot Printing Non-satellite costs $4,779.84 $2,218.15 $6,610.70 $3,305.35 Satellite costs $1,074.96 $62.15 $1,224.67 $612.34 Absentee Ballot Posta e $5,277.11 $133.93 $6,987.90 $3,493.95 Election Official Wages Non-satellite costs $36,800.80 $21,959.98 $37,305.93 $18,652.97 Satellite costs $7,556.46 $3,770.94 $22,441.64 $11,220.82 Other costs (itemized on $11,717.40 $6,396.70 $23,070.47 $11,535.23 billing spreadsheets submitted to Cit Clerk) City Clerk Marian Karr inquired about a few specific items and the reasons for the costs differences. Her questions included the cost of ballot printing, absentee ballot postage, and election official wages (shown above). In 2010, 45,591 ballots were printed for the City of Iowa City, and 8,446 ballots were used at 46 satellites. In 2009, 20,165 ballots were printed for the City of Iowa City and 565 were used at 19 satellites. In 2007, 19,916 ballots were printed for the City of Iowa City and 4,479 were used at 22 satellites. Over twice the number of ballots for the 2010 General were required compared to the 2007 City Election because a higher turnout was expected for the general election and a lot of interest in the Iowa City Public Measure was anticipated. The City of Iowa City was billed for only the cost of half of the 45,591 ballots that were ordered in 2010. This amount is $1,937.11 less than the amount paid for the ballots in the 2007 City Election. The absentee ballot postage cost to the City of Iowa City in 2010 is also less than the cost of the ballot postage in 2007. Although more ballots were mailed in the 2010 Election, the cost of delivery and return for each absentee ballot was approximately $1.09 less than in prior elections. The postage cost per ballot was reduced significantly in 2010 due to cost saving measures taken by the Auditor's Office to implement the use of smaller, lighter weight absentee envelopes. 5,932 City of Iowa City ballots were mailed in the 2010 General Election compared to 2,501 ballots in 2007. The Election Official wage cost to the City of Iowa City in 2010 is $18,147.83 less than the cost of wages in the 2007 City Election. The cost of wages for satellites in 2010 is higher than in 2007 and 2009, but that is due to the fact that the Auditor's Office received petitions for 22 different locations for satellite voting in 2010, requiring the hiring of additional election officials to staff the 3l satellite voting locations that were scheduled. Some locations with large turnout were used for more than one day. I hope you find this information on our billing policy and cost comparisons useful. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact Deputy Auditor Amanda Stahle or me at 356-6004. Sincerely, Tom Slockett, C.E.R.A. Johnson County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections TS/as CC: Marian Karr, City Clerk 5 e Clo) Marian Karr From: sweepergrl@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 8:43 PM To: Council Subject: recycling Dear City Council, My name is Mikaela Buhr and I am a 6th grader at Horn Elementary. I am a Junior Girl Scouts and am working on improving my environment. I realized that one of the most important things I could do is recycling. My family has always recycled but when we moved here we were shocked to see that you didn't have a recycling system for apartments and townhouses. Most townhouses and apartments don't have enough space to store recyclables, so not much gets recycled. This has been true even in our family because we have recycled less. This made me wonder if my neighbors were having the same problem. I conducted a survey with my neighbors. I asked four questions: Do you recycle? Would you recycle more if there was a collection bin in our parking lot? Would you be willing to separate your recyclables? Would you be willing to carry a personal recycling box to the driveway for pickup? The results said that people would like to have recycling choices in my apartment complex. Most people said they currently recycled, but every single person said they would recycle more if they had the chance. Every person said they would recycle if there was a collection bin in our parking lot, even if it meant sorting the recyclables first. Every person except one said they would be willing to carry a personal recycling bin to the parking lot or drive way. Most people I interviewed said they came from communities where the recycling was much easier for people in apartments and townhouses. Almost half of the people said they had personal recycling bins at their previous apartments that they would sort and carry to the curb weekly. Many of the people said how disappointed they were to learn that Iowa City didn't have anything like that. It would help the city if they would make recycling easier for people in apartments, townhouses and even dorms. It would reduce a lot of trash, so there wouldn't be as much in the landfill. It will improve our environment and make Iowa City a more beautiful place. It will also make people more willing to move into an apartment in Iowa City, instead of North Liberty, where they do recycling for apartments and townhouses. It is also a good thing to teach kids so they know to recycle when they grow up. I think that Iowa City should add recycling for apartments and townhouses. The neighbors I interviewed agree with me. Please consider my suggestion about recycling. It will help save our city and our planet. Sincerely, Mikaela Buhr 2/10/2011 5~-~~~~ Honorable Council, Recently, I suggested landlord-tenant relations as a work session topic. As a student, I have heard many of my peers complain about being taken advantage of by landlords and rental companies. Numerous factors contribute to the vulnerability of students. Many are new to renting property and do not properly understand the process, their rights, and landlord responsibilities. Additionally, the majority of students reside outside of Iowa City when school is not in session. These factors coalesce to limit a student renter's ability to successfully recover from abusive practices engaged in by unscrupulous landlords. Because the cards are often stacked against astudent-renter when a dispute arises between the renter and the landlord, the extent of the abusive practices engaged in by certain landlords often goes without publicity. However, a class action lawsuit filed against the largest student landlord has brought many of these abusive practices to light. See the attached article published in the Iowa City Press Citizen that describes the case. The plaintiffs allege many of the same complaints I have heard during my tenure at Iowa: illegal automatic cleaning fees, requiring tenants to pay for cleaning that the landlord is legally required to do, charging tenants for common area damages they did not cause and withholding a variety of excessive and unreasonable fees and costs from tenants' security deposits. Numerous and vivid personal accounts of abuse can be found in the comments under the article on the newspaper's website. Greg Bal, Student Legal Services Director for the UI, has also indicated that landlords taking advantage of students has been common practice for years. It is imperative that Iowa City moves to protect the rights of its citizens who occupy 16,753 rental units. These citizens comprise a significant portion of the city's population. The City Council has the responsibility to look out for its most vulnerable citizens. Simple reforms can go along way to eradicate such abuse. The two primary challenges that renters face are the illegal withholding of security deposits and exorbitant and sometimes illegal rental fees. Initially, I drafted a comprehensive proposal that would address each of these problems progressively. However, after discussions with Eleanor Dilkes about Iowa City's limited power to regulate civil relationships, I came to the realization that many of my concerns have to be addressed at the state level. However, it appears that the security deposit problem can be partially alleviated through city action. I have proposed that two additions be made to the Informational Disclosure and Acknowledgement Form, a document that the city already requires the landlord and tenant to sign upon entering into a lease. (1) A checkout list regarding the condition of the property to be filled out and signed by both tenant and landlord upon initial occupation of the property c~ ~~ -- W ~ ~ ~ -=dt'~ _ .. rtr` r~ ~. ~ ,~, ~ ~ ~ ~ s~ u '.~ (2) A place for the tenant to provide a forwarding address for the return of the security deposit The first addition would benefit both landlord and tenant by improving the transparency of the rental process. It would serve to limit disputes between parties if disagreement occurred pertaining to the initial condition of the property. The second addition would help vulnerable tenants who may not know that they must provide a forwarding address in order to receive what is rightfully theirs. Senior Housing Inspector Stan Laverman indicated to me that the department had already intended to revise the form. He informed me that my suggestions were potentially viable and would be taken into consideration. I urge you to support the additions as presented and ask that staff be directed to move quickly in enacting them. If you would like additional information from staff or me, I ask that you schedule this matter at your next work session. Landlord-tenant relations remain an important point of contention in Iowa City. Because civil relationships are primarily governed at the state level, the city has limited authority to improve these relations. However, I encourage the council and city staff to proactively acknowledge and address the challenges faced by the renters of Iowa City. Perhaps the future work session in which landlord-tenant relations is to be discussed could focus on alternative options that the city could undertake to protect its citizen-renters from abuse. I appreciate your attention to this problem. With the above mentioned, common sense proposals, Iowa City can begin to facilitate a healthier interaction between landlords and tenants. Sincerely, Elliot Higgins City Council Liaison University of Iowa Student Government N O Q J~ ~ C7~7 ~rw ~ "~ O ~~ ~ ~ 1: .d ~ . =*c. ~ .. CJ'1 C.l'1 Format Dynamics :: Kodak Viewer press°citizen.com Class-action lawsuit filled against Apts. Downtown the Press-Citizen • February 4, 2047 A pending class action alleging widespread rental code violations has been filed against Apts Downtown, Inc., the largest student landlord in Iowa City. Christine Boyer and Christopher Warnock, local Iowa City attorneys, filed the case on behalf of their client Michael Conroy on December 22. "We are in the initial stages of the lawsuit", says Warnock, "and are looking for more tenants of Apartments Downtown and Apartments Near Campus to act as representative plaintiffs in the case:' Apts.•Downtown, Inc., has a vast array of different corporate and trade names, including Associated University Realty, Iowa City Maintenance, Apartments Downtown and Apar#ments Near Campus. with over 1,000 tenants and a focus on rentals to University of Iowa students. Owned by the Clark family, reputedly the larges# landowners in Iowa City, Apts. Downtown has been d escribed as a "juggernaut" among local landlords. The lawsuit alleges that.Apts, Downtown has systematically violated tenants' rights by charging illegal automatic cleaning fees, requiring tenants to pay for cleaning that the landlord is legally required t o do, charging tenan#s for common area damages they did not cause and withholding a variety of excessive and unreasonable fees and costs from tenants' security deposits, At a conservative estimate of $100 per tenant and 1,D00 tenants, illegal cleaning fees alone totaled $100,000 a year. "The more we've dug into this case" says Warnock, "the more we find That raises concerns about how Apts. Downtown does business. They appear to be taking advantage of students' lack of knowledge of their rights and inability to object to Apts. Downtown's excessive and illegal fees and charges." The website for the Apts Downtown Class Action is http:!/www.ictenantsclassaction.com/ Advertisement l~ ~~ ---t ~,~ --i ~ ~~ ~~ '~ Page 1 of 1 N 0 "='7 sT -..! _..,t ~.... r Brim in an~r old printer tca anld ~a~e an additional ~~() c-'ffi any n+~w I~aldak P'rint~r 1431 Cofal Ridge Avenue C~ralviile, 319-5~5-29a{} 465f1 lst Avenue ~E Cedar Rapids, 319-X94-1t?30 i?FFER £1SPIRFS 2/79/2©17 e:r-re_s-.w. ~,..rr-i»..~„~:r~„,S.Y~_._;~_-y`?ix.„i:~..:=ie_r_ar.... .. 1 :tea. ~.~.... aaazt«- ~-~-1.5-~.._-. .. - -- - - .,a,Y_~,..v...- _..._ - - - , Print Powered Icy ;~~ ~ dot°rn~tDyrt~rrtl http://www.press-citizen.com/fdcp/?1297109930862 2/7/2011