HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07-05 TranscriptionJuly 5, 2011 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page I
Council Present: Bailey, Champion, Dickens, Hayek, Mims, Wilburn, Wright
Staff Present: Markus, Helling, Karr, Dilkes, Miklo, Boothroy, O'Brien, Rummel, Yapp,
Moran, Fosse, Craig, Bentley, Kopping
Others Present: Patel, UISG
Planning and Zoning Items:
Hayek/ Okay, let's uh... get started with the work session. Welcome, everyone. I hope you had
a good holiday. First item is Planning and Zoning items.
Karr/ You will have to wear your microphones. Please. Thanks!
a) AMENDING THE IOWA CITY ZONING CODE, ARTICLES 144A, USE
CATEGORIES, AND 14 -9A, GENERAL DEFINITIONS, TO ADD A
DEFINITION OF PARENTAL GROUP HOME.
Miklo/ Our first item is, um, establishing a new form of group home, parental group home, and
I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Bailey/ Bob, there were some questions about the age of the children in the home, and we'd limit
it to under five. Was there any, um, discussion among staff about concerns that would
limit programs that would be available in our community or...
Miklo/ Based on the discussion (both talking) with, uh ... um, United Action for Youth, which is
sponsoring this program, uh, they felt that that was a reasonable ... a reasonable age limit.
In most cases, the children will be infants, um, to toddlers.
Bailey/ Well, there was some discussion about the possibility of parents wanting to live in that
kind of situation. Are we only imagining that this would be supervised by another
program, right?
Miklo/ Right.
Bailey/ Okay. So, at this time there aren't currently other programs that support parents of
(mumbled)
Miklo/ We're not aware of any, or anywhere where there would be more than one (mumbled) or
how many other children they have.
Bailey/ Okay. Thanks!
Champion/ But you haven't limited the number of people that can be living (mumbled) is that
true?
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Miklo/ It would be a limit of, uh, three, um ... teenagers or adults, and then as many children as
they have. I believe it's ... there is limitation of the total of seven (mumbling) so you
have ... three adults and four children.
Champion/ Okay. Thank you! That's what I wanted to know.
Hayek/ Any other questions concerning this item? Okay. Thanks, Bob!
c) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE TITLE 14,
CHAPTER 4, ENTITLED USE REGULATIONS, ARTICLE D, TEMPORARY
USES, ADDING PROVISIONS TO ALLOW FOOTBALL GAME DAY
COMMERCIAL USES AS A TEMPORARY USE ALONG MELROSE AVENUE
AND AMENDING CHAPTER 9, ENTITLED DEFINITIONS, TO ADD THE
DEFINITION OF TAILGATING. (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Boothroy/ I'm here for item c, Doug Boothroy. Um ... I wanted to, uh, talk a little bit first about
the, uh, document that Jean Walker submitted to you. Uh, it's ... I believe it's the content
is the same as what was presented at the public hearing, but I thought it would be
important to kind of walk through some of this so that, uh ... give you some background.
Um, let's just start with number 1. It, and when ... in number 1 she said that, uh, she's
requesting that the present location of vendors be curtailed from Melrose Avenue, uh,
bridge at University Heights and 7 -11, uh, which would stop it short of what is proposed
in the ordinance by about three lots. Um ... we talked about that at the Planning and
Zoning Commission. Uh, I didn't recommend it. The Commission didn't recommend it.
Uh... the two lots that are in between this property and ... and, are owned by the
University, so there is a bit of a gap where nothing is happening and then it picks up with
this one lot, but uh ... it wasn't recommended and ... by either the Planning and Zoning
Commission or staff. Any questions about that? Uh, number 2, uh, she said the
University of Iowa should supply an adequate number of porta- potties and trash cans
along Melrose Avenue. I mentioned at the last part of the public hearing that ... that the
University is, uh, going to be providing more porta - potties and trash, uh, receptacles
along Melrose Avenue. Uh, have not heard what that is, what those numbers are, uh, but
I should ... we should just for a minute go down to the comprehensive review of football
game days, uh ... I have, uh, the University, the City, uh, neighborhood reps, uh, reps of
the, uh, of vendors are going to start meeting, uh, possibly as early as the 14th of July, uh,
to do a comprehensive review and ... and brainstorm about, uh, this whole matter, this
whole issue. Uh, and, uh, we plan that, uh, we will do a follow up meeting after the first
home game to see how things, uh, worked out. So we're moving forward with the
comprehensive review. We're moving forward with addressing these issues, uh, that
she's addressed in these, uh, in her correspondence, uh ... I don't know that there's much
more that we can do at this point. I think that, as I mentioned earlier, the positive thing is
is that ... that we're all at the table, uh, the University is a willing partner and cooperating.
So, um ... I think that's... that's a step in the right direction and ... and uh, we should feel
good about that. So ... uh ... number 3 was the shish -ka -bob sticks on, uh, food. I ... again,
I didn't recommend it. The Planning and Zoning Commission didn't recommend pro...
prohibiting shish -ka -bob sticks, uh, it was talked about at P &Z. The person that's been
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using shish -ka -bob sticks was there to address the issue, uh, and it was decided not to
prohibit that particular type of mechanism, uh, to sell food by. Um ... number 4, uh, she
talks about, uh, food, beverage vendors should display notices for people to dispose of
their trash responsibly. Uh, we have decided to print up signs for each vendor that talk
about proper, responsible disposal of trash, and we will have those, uh, handed out with
the permit and we will ask that they be posted and ... and require that they be posted. So I
don't... there's isn't ... it isn't needed, a code amendment for that. Uh, number 5, uh, no
selling on game day. Every permit that we issue says that it's a ... it's only for game day.
The ordinance is only about game day. I think it's clear ... it's already in the regulations.
We're going to have it on the permit. The vendor has to sign that permit and
acknowledge that it's only for game day. So I don't think another amendment to ... more
specifically say it is necessary. Um, have clean up by noon the day after. Again, that
language is on the permit. Uh, we won't be doing enforcement inspections probably till
Monday, uh, but if it becomes a problem, uh, we ... we would do earlier inspections if
necessary. Number 7, mandatory vendor meeting, uh, with Housing Inspection Services.
That is occurring, uh, we're shooting to have that meeting sometime around the third
week of July. Uh, we're in the process of...of planning for that now. Uh, no permit will
be issued without meeting with us. Uh, that's... that's going to happen. It's in our best
interest to have it happen. Uh, so that we make sure that all the questions are answered
and everything go as smoothly as possible on game day. Uh, so I don't see a need for a
code amendment that ... that makes that mandatory since we're requiring it anyway. Um,
do you have any questions about her concerns? Let me also point out that ... that I did talk
to her last week about these concerns, explained what we were doing, uh, but she went
ahead and sent the ... the memorandum anyway.
Champion/ Appreciate that! Thank you!
Bailey/ Doug, I know it's not in the ordinance, but have you had any further discussions with this
non - profit group that was interested in partnering for picking up trash in the area?
Boothroy/ We ... uh, no we haven't. On the 14t ", uh, we're going to have discussions... there's
actually another non - profit that's come forward that may be helping, um, not to get into a
lot of detail, but uh ... uh, they may have staff available to ... to actually be out in the
neighborhood, uh, remind people of, uh, the responsibility and, uh, they're talking about,
uh, possibly, you know, having access to University Police so that if they see issues that
are occurring they can ale ... alert University Police to. If it's ... if it's like vandalism or if
it's, you know, public urination to ... to address that sooner than later. So, uh, we need to
talk about that as a group to see whether that's even practical and whether it works or not,
but ... but um ... that ... that's the kind of ideas that we're talking about.
Wright/ I think that's actually a very promising suggestion. Just more eyes in the neighborhood.
Boothroy/ Yeah, they were going to wear, you know, they were talking about wearing a special,
you know, black and gold t -shirts so they'd stand out and uh...
Champion/ (several talking)
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Boothroy/ Oh, is that the wrong color? (laughter) I mean, I meant to say, red and gold! Uh,
Cyclone colors! (laughter) Cause everybody'll notice that! No, I think that is promising,
and I think what ... what I'm hearing is that ... that, uh, you know, everybody's looking at
creative ideas to ... to help this work, uh, better. Uh, at least that's what I got
when ... when we talked about the meeting. So ... so we'll see, and we're having it early,
on the 14th. If... if everybody's calendar works, and we haven't got that confirmed yet.
So, um ... I think this is ... I think that's what we wanted to see, and I think it's ... it's
appropriate that we ... that we go forward and talk about these things. Um ... let's see. Uh,
I think that the other thing that ... was in your, uh, was handed out tonight was the Magic
Bus proposal. Let me say that, um, I haven't had a chance to look at this, uh, I just
scanned it this ... this evening, and I'm not even sure I know what the definition means, in
terms of enforcement. So, uh, I assume that you haven't look at it either, Eleanor.
Dilkes/ I'm just looking at it right now.
Boothroy/ Okay. Uh ... we did talk about this at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
We had two public hearings, uh, we did talk about whether or not they could make an
exception only for the Magic Bus. That was the only one that they considered, and
they ... they asked us to look at it, try to come up with language, uh, we could not come up
with language, cause any exception we came up with became the road map for other
vendors to ... to sell alcohol, and ... and there was a concern about, you know, how that
would impact the other vendors in terms of competition for space and ... and changing the
whole, changing the whole nature of what occurs over there on game day. Uh, and so the
Planning and Zoning Commission did not recommend, uh, any exception and ... and we
have not, uh, made that recommendation. But ... this is ... I just wanted to draw your
attention to it because you got that tonight and ... and I haven't really absorbed this
definition.
Hayek/ So how do you want to proceed on ... on that, touch base with us at our next meeting, I
assume, uh...
Boothroy/ Well, I'm ... obviously we're recommending go forward with the ordinance as is,
uh ... Eleanor, maybe you can address the legal aspect of this definition.
Hayek/ Oh, I, yeah, I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. So this is a proposal to actually amend
what's up for second consideration.
Dilkes/ Right.
Boothroy/ Right! Right.
Dilkes/ We're asking that it be collapsed tonight. I did, um, get a call from one of the attorneys
who's working with the Magic Bus group last week, urn ... Thursday I think, and told him
that staff was recommending that it be collapsed tonight, um, so there would... there's
some urgency in getting us a proposal if they were interested in doing that. Um ... I think
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that the gist of this proposal is to have some kind of non - profit exemption. I agree with
Doug that that's a road map to all other organizations that want to find a way around
these, um, regulations. I think the Stadium Club tried that last year, and we spent a lot of
staff time dealing with that. I think we also had the liquor license issue, um ... uh ... many,
many years ago I think there was a determination by the former, uh, County Attorney that
the Magic Bus was not bootlegging, and I don't know that the current, uh, County
Attorney would agree with that conclusion, so we have liquor license issues and we have
a current ordinance that, uh, prohibits the issuance of liquor licenses within 100 -feet of a
residential area, which we have. Um, so I think, um ... it has the potential to unravel
everything that we're trying to do with the current regulation. Um, and I certainly
wouldn't do it ... or would advise you not to do it without giving it significant thought. So
it's up to you whether you want to collapse tonight or you want to ... just do second
reading and move on.
Hayek/ If we ... can you give us your advice as to collapsing, in light of this I It" hour
submission?
Dilkes/ You're certainly free to collapse. Um ... that's, uh ... yeah, I think...
Dickens/ (mumbled) if we do decide to ... to go ahead with the non - profit; if we collapse them
tonight. Would that have to be a whole other...
Dilkes/ We'd have to do a new ... a new ordinance. (several talking) Yeah.
Champion/ Well, it'd be a major change to the current ordinance. We'd have to start over again
anyway, wouldn't we?
Dilkes/ You mean start over at P &Z?
Champion/ Oh I mean ... yeah.
Dilkes/ No, you'd have ... yes, you'd have to start over, but I mean if...let's say tonight you chose
to adopt this. Then we would amend the ordinance, um, you'd do first reading then and
we'd have second and third to go.
Wright/ So if... if Council decided to pursue that, um, exception for the Magic Bus (mumbled)
later date, although I ... I'm really not interested in going ahead trying to do something
like that, but I do ... anytime we have a targeted exception like that it seems to open
up... (mumbled) (several talking) everybody and their brother decides (mumbled)
Boothroy/ My experience with dealing with the Stadium Club is just as Eleanor said is that ... is
that they kept changing their business plan, uh, to mirror the Magic Bus so they were
going to be a non - profit; they were going to have a bus; they were going to ... they set
their site up to be exactly the same, uh, and so I, you know, that's why I mentioned it. It
becomes the ... the exception becomes the rule.
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Wright/ (mumbled)
Boothroy/ Exactly.
Hayek/ And, correct me if I'm wrong, Magic Bus under its football 2010 location would not be
affected by this ordinance.
Boothroy/ Well, it ... uh, you mean ... it's not even in play, uh, because they decided not to go
there. Uh, they don't have that choice, the 2010. The Benton Street, I mean, it's
somewhat of a hypothetical at this point. Uh, I don't believe the property owner's
offering it, and I don't believe they want to be there because they lost money. Or would
lose money.
Dilkes/ Yeah, I think the question is just if...if there's a ... there's a majority of Council that is
interested in pursuing this exception, then ... and you want more staff recommendation,
then you probably need to, uh, defer it.
Hayek/ Okay.
Dilkes/ There was a lot of discussion at P &Z about this.
Boothroy/ Right. And we had quite a long discussion. Uh, the other regulations are not being
impacted, unless you decided to make some of the changes, but even the ones that Jean is
suggesting, with the exception of the shish -ka -bob stakes... sticks, stakes? Um ... uh, I
don't think will impact when we meet with the vendors because, uh, those are retty well,
you know, accepted and agreed to. So, we still plan on meeting around the 20t of July
to ... to talk about that.
Hayek/ Okay.
Boothroy/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Thanks, Doug. Okay, moving on to agenda items.
Agenda Items:
ITEM 3. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
g) Correspondence.
4. Joyce Barker: Waterfront June 28, 2011
Mims/ I just had a question. We continue to get correspondence about parking on Waterfront,
repeatedly. And I just would like to know kind of what staff has looked at and, uh, more
recently and...
Markus/ I think Dale can ... attempt to respond to that.
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Helling/ Yeah, actually there's a copy of a response that was handed out tonight that I just
(mumbled). Um ... in essence, in looking through everything, there ... number one, Traffic
Engineering didn't see any compelling traffic reasons to, uh, eliminate parking on the
west side of Waterfront, um... and likewise, while there are people that are parked there
from time to time, and have been observed occasionally to be sleeping in the car by the
Police Department, there's no law against that. Uh, and their observation has not been
that any of those cars have been left there as street storage for over 48 hours, so there
really aren't any parking violations. Excuse me, in addition to that I think that Doug, I
don't know if he's here, but he ... uh, he did talk to, um, to the folks at...at Shelter House,
and they went through the parking area, uh, regulations again and everything and his
conclusion is that there's no, uh, there's no zoning issue there. Um, I have been in touch,
as has the Police Chief, and I think Doug as well, with uh ... the folks at, uh, Shelter
House and um... in my conversations specifically with Crissy Canganelli, we agreed that
we would stay in touch as ... and watch, as any other things develop down there, um ... but
there really isn't ... and her observation was that there haven't been people parking
on ... on, um, Waterfront, at least the last few days. So I don't know, but the Police will
continue to monitor and uh, obviously the ... the uh, findings of the Traffic Engineers
don't preclude Council from ... from eliminating parking on the west side if that's what
you want to do. They just couldn't find a compelling traffic engineering reason. The, uh,
the uniform traffic criteria to, uh, to eliminate parking on that side.
Mims/ Thank you. Appreciate it.
ITEM 9. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS AT THE IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE
TITLES IN THE AFSCME PAYPLAN BY DELETING A LIBRARY
ASSISTANT II, ADDING HOURS TO THE LIBRARY WEB
SPECIALIST AND CREATING A LIBRARY PUBLIC
RELATIONS SPECIALIST.
Champion/ I wanted to ask just a quick question. I see Susan's here... about the change in
Library staffing. Susan, how will this position be paid for ... I mean, you're paying for it
out of the temporary employee budget.
Craig/ Right. The different... what's being paid for moved over from temporary budget is the
difference in the salary range. There's no ... there's no additional staff to the Library. It's
just that the position has been upgraded.
Champion/ Okay! Okay. And this is the web specialist?
Craig/ Public Relations Specialist.
Champion/ Thanks!
Hayek/ While she's up here, any other questions for Susan on that item?
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Bailey/ I think it's a good idea.
Craig/ Thanks!
Hayek/ Thank you. Other agenda items? It's my understanding we're ... go ahead!
ITEM 13. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY
CLERK TO ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE
CITY OF IOWA CITY AND HDR INC. TO PROVIDE
ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE TAFT
SPEEDWAY FLOOD MITIGATION STUDY PROJECT.
Dilkes/ Yeah. We'll need to defer item 13, uh, the State has requested that, uh, we defer that to,
um, take some additional time to see whether we expand the scope to include the effects
on the Parkview Terrace neighborhood.
ITEM 14. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A GRANT
AGREEMENT WITH JOHNSON COUNTY FOR FUNDS TO
SUPPORT THE IOWA CITY /JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR
CENTER.
Hayek/ I would, uh ... um, as to item 14 which is the $70,000 agreement with, uh, the County on
the Senior Center, not to get into that contract per say, but I would include that, urn ... on,
uh, our list of...uh ... inter- governmental agreements that we want to be mindful of going
forward, in terms of ensuring, uh, that, uh, the expense of providing services to non -Iowa
City residents is commensurate with, uh, the fees we impose. This is a different situation
because we ... we ... we negotiate with another entity for it, uh, versus just charging your
own fee, but it's similar to, uh, you know, our Library agreements are ... are, Transit and
other things, um, so I just ... want to remind the group of that, that I think we want to be
thinking about this, uh, going forward. Any other agenda items? Hearing none, why
don't we move forward to, uh, downtown moped parking.
Downtown Moped Parking:
ITEM 6. AMENDING TITLE 3, ENTITLED "FINANCES, TAXATION AND
FEES" AND TITLE 9, ENTITLED "MOTOR VEHICLES AND
TRAFFIC" OF THE IOWA CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES TO
ESTABLISH DOWNTOWN MOPED PARKING PERMIT
REQUIREMENTS AND FEES.
O'Brien/ Chris O'Brien from, uh, Director of Transportation Services. Also Mark Rummel, uh,
the Associate Director, and John Yapp are here in case there are any questions. Um, let's
see, I had a presentation this evening, uh, otherwise, um, everything's right here in the
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slides for me. Uh, we're here to talk about the scooter and moped parking. Uh, some of
the background we're going to start with before we go through. This ordinance... this
ordinance, uh, I think it was put in place back when mopeds, um, back when they first
came out. Actually literally had pedals, um ... and I think that's how the ... the allowance
of them to park in the ... the bike rack came to be. What we've seen recently, um,
probably about three, four years ago is when it began, when ... when price gases really
started to come up was a... a continual increased usage in the amount of mopeds,
scooters, uh, those types of two -wheel transportation, urn ... to the point that we ... we
started receiving complaints from bicyclists, um, about bike racks being full of, uh, the
scooters and the mopeds, uh, and some pedestrians about safety concerns with those
vehicles being up on the sidewalk when they, uh, they come in to the bike rack and when
they leave. Um, as a result of that we had a study, uh, John's group, uh, MPO, Johnson
County performed in the fall of 2010. Uh, they did a study of the mopeds in downtown
and saw an average of about 80 mopeds parked on the sidewalks during business hours.
Some solution alternatives we came up with after analyzing that data is, uh, several staff
members from ... from both the MPO and from our department, uh, went through looking
at the different alternatives of what we could do to ... to solve the issue of...of safety, as
well as, uh, making sure bike racks were open for bicyclists that were coming to
downtown, urn ... and came up with four solutions, and we also have a map that we'll go
to here in a little bit that'll... that'll help illustrate that as well. Um, that was to
implement a parking permit system for mopeds, scooters, and when I refer to mopeds I'm
also just from now on I'm ... that includes scooters as well. Um, so if I say mopeds ... and
that was a $45.00 per year pro- rated, uh, initially and may have been in a document
initially. Uh, we had a $50.00 and a $25.00 rate. Uh, we decided to go with a $45.00 per
year, pro -rated each month, um, and more or less what we were looking at is ... there are
some costs involved, maintenance, administration, things like that, costs of permits, uh,
and we looked at ... there were probably about nine valid months that you could actually
reasonably ride with those three winter months. And while some people do ride during
that time, uh, we thought a $5.00 per month fee, um, for parking in these areas was
something that, um, would be reasonable, and then those other three months would be
included, uh, in case there were days that they could be ridden and ... and people could
certainly ride them at that time. Um, and they would be in designated areas, which we'll
show you on the map, um ... we also have several other entities, uh, throughout the
Midwest and we'll show you what their rates are as well. Uh, option two was to
implement a designated parking area, same as the first, but with this we'd do a, uh,
excuse me, a free two -hour parking, much like vehicle loading zone or a meter without
the actual meter fee, uh, and this would actually be in designated areas, and it would be
enforced by parking enforcement with, uh, citations issued for those that exceeded the
two -hour limit. Uh, the third would be to just require mopeds to park in metered areas or
parking ramps, the same as any other vehicle that comes to downtown Iowa City, uh, and
the fourth was, you could maintain the existing parking regulations as is. Those were the
four options that we listed in that memo from ... from John and I. Uh, here's the map, our
latest one. Two versions went out. This is the most recent and included the inside the
ramp parking stalls. Uh, if you look at the total, which the math is about 142 stalls.
During their study they found an average of 80 in the downtown during, uh, during the
business hours. We installed 142, uh, different stalls for two, uh, for scooters, mopeds,
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motorcycles, etc., and what we tried to do was look at the places where the congestion
was and add as many stalls as we could in those areas, uh, and in most cases we upped
the amount of, uh, capacity in those areas to make sure that, uh, we didn't want people
having to ride around looking for ... for different stalls. Uh, so an example, one of the big
areas is up at the corner of Clinton and Iowa Avenue. Um ... and what we have up there
are 20 at that intersection and I believe there were two bike racks we had up in that
location. Um ... maximum capacity would be ... anywhere from eight to 12 vehicles to
actually fit in the bike rack in those areas. So we have 20 with an additional four at about
mid -block on Clinton Street. Excuse me, and then down on Dubuque Street and Iowa
Avenue was another major, and I believe we had capacity for eight in those areas, and
we've upped that to 12. Uh, we've also had, um ... 45 inside the, uh, Capitol Street
parking facility, with additional 14 down at the corner of Capitol and Washington, which
was a major area for ... for mopeds and scooters to park, uh, right at that intersection, next
to the Old Capitol Mall and what we did was we took part of a commercial loading zone,
uh, just took the end pieces, uh, so there's still room for vehicles to do commercial
loading, there'll also be stalls, uh, for mopeds and scooters in that area. So there's 142.
Um, initially the ... the initial memo said 93 but there were some that we had forgotten to
list that were inside the facilities. Uh, these are the rates of some other areas. Now
granted I did not look at ... I didn't get every... everything, but what I tried to do is
concentrate on the Midwest, uh, Big Ten schools, uh, campuses that are ... that are in the
Midwest, and these are what we found, which was, uh, the University of Iowa's at $72.00
and that's for a nine -month permit. Uh, Iowa State was at $44.00 annual. Wisconsin
$85.00 for an annual. Uh, Ohio State was $20.00. Uh, University of Illinois was $68.00.
Uh, Indiana $105.00. And then Nebraska, Minnesota, Michigan, those are all free but
regulated, in that they require a permit but it was free to use those designated areas if they
have a permit.
Hayek/ Let me ... let me interrupt you, Chris. Did you get any data as to what the communities
do outside, off campus, in those places?
O'Brien/ I did not get any ... I tried to look at the city of Columbus, city of, uh, Champaign, and
the data was sketchy.
Hayek/ Okay.
O'Brien/ Um ... once again, our recommendation for this was, uh, designated parking areas near
campus. We put 142 spaces, uh, with the locations being in the proximities of where
mopeds and scooters were parking anyway. Uh, so we're not ... we're trying not to
displace, but to create a more organized system for them to ... to park so that we can
remove them from where the bicycles are and the pedestrians, yet still provide the
capacity that they had prior to, and in most cases, exceeding that. Uh, to make it an
annual permit of $45.00, pro -rated from August 1 st to July 31St to coordinate with when
people are coming to campus. Um ... to start the school year, and then going year- round,
and it would be pro- rated, um, at the base $5.00 per month throughout, um ... and then
implementation, uh, was in January 2012. We're not looking to do it this fall semester.
We felt that would give us ample time to get word out, do marketing, get some education
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out there, um... so that come January, which would actually be probably more like March,
uh, when they started to really come into downtown, uh, everybody would be aware and
that we could go ... get the permits issued maybe even a little early so that when that
semester rolled around people ... were in the places they were supposed to park. Now,
any questions? And once again, John's here. His group performed the initial study, uh,
and they assisted with us in putting this to you.
Dickens/ What is ... what is the cost of say putting more bike racks in if we choose to do that
instead of using street space? Do we have a... ideas that ... I don't know whether that's
Parks or Streets or yours ... adding more off - street, next to the bicycle racks that are
already there? If that's how we choose to go.
O'Brien/ (mumbled)
Yapp/ Uh, one bike rack is approximately $500. Um, the other issue that comes to mind is that
we are running out of room to add bike racks to the downtown area without starting to,
uh, impact the, uh, pedestrian flow areas.
Champion/ They also take up more space than a bike.
Yapp/ They take up about two bicycle parking spaces, so about 80 scooters is displacing about
160 bicycle parking spaces.
Bailey/ And we need more bicycle parking downtown ... in some spaces.
Wright/ I had a question. I'm just wondering what the ... these things have to be licensed,
correct?
Champion/ Yes.
Wright/ Mopeds have to be licensed to be on the road. So why would we need to register them?
Why can't we treat them ... roughly the same way we would a vehicle, a car?
Yapp/ And essentially that is exactly what we're doing. Uh, just like any vehicle, they can park
at any metered spot, any available parking ramp spot, without a permit. Just like any
other vehicle. Uh, what the permit gets you, similar to permit parking for a vehicle, uh,
what a permit would get you is, uh, some V.I.P. scooter parking, designated areas,
essentially. You get to park in the special scooter parking area. You're not required to
get a permit, and if you don't have a permit you can still park at any... at any metered
spot.
O'Brien/ And I think part of it too is, some of that data gets difficult to come by, when it's
people coming from out of town, even though it is registered there is a lag from the time
that that information gets to the D.O.T., which then gets to us, assuming that we write it a
citation, urn ... we have that information up front as far as the permitting goes.
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Dickens/ How would it affect the, uh, if they already have a University permit? Well, that would
be City, they'd have to get a City permit as well then?
O'Brien/ It's much like we treat the parking with the University. They have their own permitting
system, as do we. Not to say there aren't... there's not an opportunity there to have a
discussion with them to see if there's a way to jointly do it, but what you run into is
the ... the separation of, um, do you base it on percentages... um, how does the revenue get
split, things like that. Do you honor each other's, those are certainly things to ... to
consider, but to have one joint permit, um ... my assumption would be they would have a
substantially more... substantially higher base of moped, motorcycle users due to the
Hospital than we would have in the downtown area, um, and that might be where you run
into some issues with the separation of the, uh, revenues.
Wright/ (mumbled) spots on campus where there are swarms of mopeds parked!
Champion/ Uh -huh!
Wright/ Uh, so that would be ... that might get kind of tricky.
Champion/ Well, I like this idea a lot. I ... I'd kind of like to see it be free, but I guess they're
going to be taking metered space away, aren't we?
O'Brien/ (mumbled) nine?
Yapp/ Yeah, most of the proposed scooter parking areas, we ... we had mapped would not
displace metered spaces. They'd be in, oh what I'd call odd spaces leftover on the street
that, uh, we could not fit a full parking space, but can fit, uh, several scooter parking
areas, but um ... what we've mapped so far, we would displace between five and seven
metered, uh, spaces and then replace those with 140...142 scooter parking (both talking)
Bailey/ Can you go back to the map and show us where the displacement is? (mumbled)
O'Brien/ It's at the ... the corner of Clinton and Iowa Avenue. And the corner of Dubuque and
Iowa Avenue.
Bailey/ Where?
O'Brien/ Right in front of Phillips Hall, directly across the street, um, the first stall's right in that
intersection.
Bailey/ Yeah.
O'Brien/ And then same with, uh, on Dubuque Street at Iowa Avenue, the very first stall off
Dubuque Street. The rest are loading zones. (both talking)
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Bailey/ Very first... stall on ... more downtown or more near University buildings? North or
south?
O'Brien/ Closer to Iowa Avenue. South. On the...
Bailey/ Closer to stores or closer to a University building is my question.
O'Brien/ Right. Closer to the University buildings.
Bailey/ Okay.
Hayek/ Looks like the northeast corner.
O'Brien/ Van Allen Hall.
Bailey/ Okay.
O'Brien/ Phillips Hall, and then the two fours right here on Dubuque Street are those ... that long
loading zone.
Bailey/ Uh -huh.
Champion/ I ... I think...
O'Brien/ We tried to stay away from the ... the stalls, especially on Washington Street which
they're limited anyway.
Bailey/ Yeah.
O'Brien/ We tried to stay away from those.
Champion/ I don't know how everybody else feels, but I'd just like to encourage people to use
their mopeds instead of their cars, and I think we're going to create a lot of work for staff
if we have a permitted ... I would like to see ... provide the moped parking. Make it free.
Bailey/ Well and that's another question I had is you provide direct costs, but you don't estimate
sort of your indirect cost, increased staff time, and the education, I mean, do you have
any sense of what that's going to take or what that's going to look like or who, you know.
O'Brien/ We already have a permit system implemented.
Bailey/ Okay.
O'Brien/ Um, we already have those ... that information that we have to put out. We already have
permits that we have to sell, urn ... we're talking... 3,000 permits that we ... we put out
already.
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Hayek/ So, make the case in counter to Connie's comment, why not just have some designated
areas, get `em off the sidewalks, no permitting?
Bailey/ Yeah.
Wright/ Yeah.
Bailey/ I mean, my objective is to get `em off the sidewalks and get the bike racks freed up.
I'm ... unless there's a horrible cost to it.
O'Brien/ I think what you ... what we would worry about is ... the storage of vehicles, the ... the
people leaving them long -term, not turning over those spaces, if they weren't permitted.
Um...
Markus/ What about University, would they move from the University parking over...
O'Brien/ And you would have some overflow of University permitted into ours.
Champion/ Oh, because they're free.
Hayek/ But if...
O'Brien/ But once again, we are already free.
Hayek/ But if you prohibited overnight parking, take care of the storage issue.
Bailey/ Right.
O'Brien/ That's a possibility.
Champion/ Oh, yes! No parking after ... what is it, 2:00 A.M.?
O'Brien/ 2:00 to 6:00. (several talking)
Bailey/ I just want to get 'em ... I don't want motorized vehicles on sidewalks, and I think we
have some bike rack crowding downtown, especially this time of year. I'd like to clear
those up. I mean, let's go the simplest route possible.
Champion/ I would like to make it free, forget the permitting, but make it, uh, you have to be out
of the racks at ... from 2:00 A.M. to 6:00, just like we do cars!
O'Brien/ Once again, the reason ... one of the reasons we liked the permitting was the gathering
of the data of those ... of those individuals. We ... we do get a high number of violations
out of those ... those types of vehicles that we have a hard time tracking down the owners.
Having them register, and that's once again what we ran into with University of Iowa
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forces them to register, even the other places that were free force them to register. You
gather that data so you have name, address, ways to send bills, ways to send, uh ... for
example when they have citations, otherwise they just sit on the books, unable to collect
until you're able to gather that data.
Markus/ What's the cost of implementation?
O'Brien/ If ... if all we do is have to stripe and no permits we're talking $1,000 probably.
Markus/ Total cost?
O'Brien/ It's just striping. Loss of a few metered ... few metered spaces, some signage.
Dickens/ And how valuable is the ... the information you're getting from the permits?
O'Brien/ Depends on...
Dickens/ I mean is it (both talking)
O'Brien/ ...they may also have an automobile that we can ... that has citations on it, that...
Hayek/ But you're .... I mean, you're pulling the tag, the license plate on that, as you would an
out -of- town.. .
O'Brien/ Absolutely!
Hayek/ ...vehicle parking in a metered space. And you send a ... a fine to that address.
O'Brien/ Once we find them!
Hayek/ Once you find them.
Wright/ Why is it more difficult to find those than it is cars?
Bailey/ Yeah, that's what I was ... yeah.
O'Brien/ Just information coming back from the D.O.T.
Bailey/ Why is it...
O'Brien/ I mean, there's a lag anyway. We try to gather as much data as we can up front,
anyway, and the permitting allows us to get that right of way.
Markus/ I think the question, Chris, is what's the difference between a motor vehicle and a
scooter (both talking)
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O'Brien/ No, there's no difference. Any vehicle, we have trouble sometimes tracking down that
information.
Markus/ That's what they're trying to...
O'Brien/ Right, it's not just the scooters so I apologize if I gave that impression. It's any vehicle
that we don't have the ability to gather their information right up front. There's a process
to gather their data long -term.
Dilkes/ Well you are going to have the cost of displacing the five ... five to seven spaces, right,
and the revenue that those generate.
Bailey/ Do you have any concerns, downtown business owners, do you guys have any concerns
about that displacement of those five to seven?
Champion/ Well, of course I do, but I think my biggest concern is to keep the mopeds off the
sidewalk. I think they ... they tend to drive up on the sidewalks and, you know,
there's... there's a lot of people downtown just strolling down the street, who aren't
looking where they're going, cause they're looking ahead, and um, for the same cause I
don't like bicycles driving on the sidewalk. I think mopeds can be a little more
dangerous, but I'm not sure. People have been really hurt by bicyclists, but I just ... I
think if our idea is to get them off the sidewalks, my only problem that you brought up
with not permitting them in some way is that instead of paying the University they'll just
use our parking. But ... I don't know if that's such a bad thing, but I ... I don't know. I
guess my ... I would say let's do it free and see what happens and if it doesn't work out
you can always go to permitting the next year.
Dickens/ Is there a way to use more of our ... the commercial, especially I see on Washington
Street there, it's very rarely is it used by commercial vehicles. There's always cars that
are pulling up in there.
O'Brien/ The ones on Washington Street are just regular loading zones.
Dickens/ Dubuque Street, going ... going down.
O'Brien/ Right, and that's a half -and -half, that one is. Um...
Dickens/ If you used two spaces there for (both talking)
O'Brien/ Right. I think one of the issues with that is we don't want to take away any opportunity
for a commercial vehicle to provide service to those...
Dickens/ Right.
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O'Brien/ ...so we did take some of it, but we still wanted to make sure there was ample
commercial parking, cause that was one of the things that's been pointed out as being a
deficiency.
Dickens/ As I gaze out the window cause I don't rarely do a lot of work during the day I watch
(both talking) (laughter)
O'Brien/ Well and I think what you'll see ... one of the things we're going to be talking about too
is the two -way on Washington Street.
Dickens/ Right (several talking)
O'Brien/ Which is going to, you know, significantly impact commercial parking in that area.
Potentially.
Hayek/ How much, um, University provided V.I.P., uh, moped parking is there on the other, on
the west side of Clinton, which is really the ... the closest campus location, visa vie where
our areas would be?
O'Brien/ (mumbled) they do not allow parking in bike racks. They do not allow parking in their
parking facilities. They do not allow parking in their parking meters. It has to be a
moped.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Wright/ There is some parking in the ... the big lot (several talking) river.
O'Brien/ Over by the radio...
Wright/ Some right by the Van Allen, between Van Allen and Biology. Um...
O'Brien/ I don't know what their total space count is off the top of my head.
Hayek/ And the reason I ask is I'm intrigued by Connie's approach, but mindful that if we create
an incentive to leave University facilities to find free City facilities does that do
something we don't want to ... have happen?
Bailey/ Well, we can track it and then institute a permit system next year, as Connie suggested. I
mean, this seems to meet the objectives that we set out. Get them off the sidewalk and
free up the bike racks.
O'Brien/ One of the other concerns that was raised by the University was that if one is permitting
and one is not ... the confus ... trying to limit the amount of confusion. It's okay to park in
the City's without a permit, but it's not okay to park in University. It's what we ran into
with the bike racks, for example, was one of the concerns, um...
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Markus/ So what is the average, do you have any idea of the revenue ... of course you do, on a
parking space? You're talking about giving up five parking spaces. What do they
generate in revenue, to Eleanor's point?
O'Brien/ Just under $6.00 per day is what you'd be looking at. Um ... unless you, you start
tagging in citations, uh, people that feed over the top, you're probably in the ... $7.00 per
day per space.
Markus/ That's the only charge or income that's coming off that?
O'Brien/ Uh -huh. There's no permits. It's 75 -cents an hour. Very reasonable parking rates.
Hayek/ But 200 days a year times seven bucks is $1,400 a year.
O'Brien/ Right. It's per space.
Hayek/ Times five or seven...
O'Brien/ So we're at $35 a day...
Mims/ You know, I understand people's interest in wanting to make it free. On the flip side,
$5.00 a month, I'm sorry, that's peanuts! It's $5.00 for nine months out of the year, I
mean...
O'Brien/ We charge $80 right now for a vehicle to park.
Bailey/ I don't care how we get to the objectives, I mean, you know, I'll just...
Mims/ (both talking)
Bailey/ I don't have a strong feeling either way. Just get them off the sidewalks and get `em out
of the bike racks!
Wright/ I think that's right where it comes down to it is well, off the sidewalks; I don't ever want
to have to lift my bike up and over a bunch of mopeds again!
Bailey/ Well...
Champion/ This isn't just for you, sweetie! (laughter)
Wright/ I know, but I had a selfish interest in (laughter)
Markus/ It's anecdotal (mumbled)
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Yapp/ And again, just ... just to reiterate, the $5.00 a month for the permit is optional. If you're
someone who only comes downtown occasionally, you can park at a metered parking
space like anybody else. (several talking)
Hayek/ P.S., it's not $5.00 a month. It's under $4.00 a month the way you've drafted it. (several
talking)
Mims/ Right, but I'm saying like for the nine months. They go home for the summer. If they
literally are here for the nine months or...
Hayek/ Sublet their moped pass (laughter)
Mims/ Or they're not driving in January and February (laughter)
O'Brien/ Give the scooter to the roommate!
Hayek/ Well, which kind of brings us back to what's before us.
O'Brien/ Right, this will be on the agenda this evening too ... for the public hearing and first
reading.
Hayek/ Yep.
Wright/ I'm fine — permit it and register `em!
Hayek/ Okay.
O'Brien/ I'll be here in case you have other questions later.
Hayek/ Yeah, let's ... let's get moving here cause it's 6:15 so thanks for, uh ... your insights on
that. Why don't we move to Washington Street two -way traffic proposal.
Washington Street Back to Two -Way Traffic (IP3):
Yapp/ Good evening. Uh, we do have some information in your Information Packet, uh,
regarding the concept of converting Washington Street between Clinton Street and Linn
Street back to a two -way, uh, facility. Uh, this concept was first, well we first start
discussing it a couple years ago when we were developing the Metro Area Bicycle Plan,
and had the comment from bicyclists that, you know, boy it would be a lot easier to
navigate downtown by bike, uh, if Washington Street were converted back to two -way
traffic. Uh, right now a westbound bicyclist has the option of either using Iowa Avenue,
or Burlington Street. Uh, because of the one -way designation on Washington, and
because of the restriction in the pedestrian mall. Uh, so we started talking about that
concept with some downtown business owners and the Police and Fire departments, and
in general have gotten positive feedback, uh, about the concept. Uh, we met with the
Downtown Association formally, uh, last week and they did endorse, uh, the concept, and
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we also received an endorsement from the President of the Bicyclists of Iowa City. Uh...
the positive aspects of converting Washington Street back to two -way traffic is it's easier
to understand the street network in the downtown, especially for out -of -town visitors.
Uh, some of the stories we've heard about vehicles going the wrong way on the one -way
street have been ... have been interesting! Uh, Washington Street would likely increase in
traffic volume, but not tremendously. Uh, right now it's between 2,000 and 3,000
vehicles a day, fairly low for a commercial area. Iowa Avenue in contrast is about 5,000
to 6,000 vehicles a day. Uh, and we would imagine those streets would balance out. Uh,
and each would have between 4,000 and 5,000 vehicles a day. Uh, so it would increase
visibility for downtown businesses. It would improve emergency vehicle circulation.
Uh, it becomes easier for wayfinding in the downtown, again especially for out -of -town
visitors, and it would enhance bicycle access. Uh, the main negative, uh, that we've, uh,
that we expect and that we have heard about is that right now commercial vehicles are
allowed to double park on Washington Street and do loading and unloading because it is
two lanes of one -way traffic and other vehicles can get around them. Uh, there actually is
a provision in the City code that allows double parking on one -way streets with two lanes
of traffic. Uh, that, uh, practice would ... could no longer be permitted, and commercial
vehicles would have to go to commercial vehicle loading zones, which are designated,
uh, in the downtown area. Uh, another concern is from, uh ... the event centers,
specifically the Englert, concerned about again double parking of buses, both tour buses
and school buses, uh, for loading and unloading people, uh, in front of the Englert, uh,
they have events approximately six times a year where they invite multiple elementary
schools, uh, to the event and, uh, I think that's something we can certainly work with
them on and temporarily allow parking, uh, on Washington Street during those events.
Uh, I think we have a ... as a organization a long history of being very accommodating for
downtown events, as evidenced by the Jazz Fest, uh, this weekend. Uh, what we are
asking you to give us direction on tonight is to, uh, pursue the concept further. Currently
it is a concept and with, uh, approval we would begin the, uh, design process. Not a real
complicated design. Uh, the main aspect is the, uh, diagonal parking in front of, uh,
Restaurant 126 on that block would need to be switched the other direction, uh, for
westbound vehicles. Uh, and that does include some concrete work on the ends of the
diagonal parking row, including some potential storm sewer work. Uh, and that would
all need to be designed and looked at and considered for drainage and so forth. Uh, the
rest of the corridor simply involves flipping some signs the other direction. Uh ... and
possibly some pavement striping. Uh, the traffic signals are all already in place. Uh, so
those would not need to be modified. Um ... and with that I'd take any questions.
Dickens/ Is there any way to put some, uh, a commercial zone right at the end of the ped mall,
because that seems to be ... we've got `em at both ends. Most of the commercial zones
are at both ends. There's (both talking)
Yapp/ Yeah that is ... that is something we could address during the design process. There is
a ... a bumpout area there for pedestrians to wait when they cross the street and there's
some planters and benches and things. Um ... that's something we can look at.
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Dickens/ Cause I ... I talked to a lot of the people that are commercial, that are in loading and
that's one of their things, that they have to park so far away to go anywhere down in the
pedestrian mall. There just isn't any commercial by that area.
Champion/ There's that whole block of commercial on Dubuque Street.
Dickens/ Right.
Champion/ I mean, that's really not (both talking)
Bailey/ Is the alley, any commercial or loading?
Dickens/ Usually the alleys are always blocked.
Bailey/ Yeah, I think if we could do a better job of not allowing some loading in alleys too that
would help the plaza... businesses.
Yapp/ Um ... commercial vehicle loading right at the intersection might be a concern just with
turning movements, but that is something we can investigate with the design process.
Dickens/ Well if the alleys were freed up that would pretty much take care of that. Because right
now there's a lot of vehicles that are parked there on a regular basis.
Yapp/ Yeah, and that's an enforcement aspect that we've talked about internally, as well. Um...
Chris, do you want to address the alley parking?
O'Brien/ Currently we allow for stand ... brief standing in the alleys to allow for loading and
unloading. That's personal vehicles or commercial, urn ... for extended periods, I mean,
our ... our practice has been as we go through we chalk, and then after 15 minutes, once
we're back, that's when the citations start. Uh, so if there are areas I guess that are ... you
think you're seeing longer term, either commercial parking or, uh, currently that's
allowed under ... under code, to park in those areas for loading and unloading.
Bailey/ So if you're going west on Washington, if we do this, you still won't ... you still will be
unable to continue down the hill, across Clinton Street.
Yapp/ With this proposal, that's correct, and we talked about that with the Downtown
Association also. Uh, we are hesitant to recommend continuing the two -way all the way
down the hill to Madison Street at this time because of the transit interchange, and ... and
all the bus, uh, traffic, as well as the pedestrian movements between the Pentacrest and
Old Capitol Mall. Uh, but that is something we could look at in the future, especially if
some of the transit, uh, bus loading areas is transferred to the south of Burlington area.
Champion;/ But you do allow people to come east on that street, on that block. So what's the
difference? People are crossing there to go over to the bus too.
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Yapp/ The eastbound is a very low volume, uh, traffic movement. But yes, we do a lot of that.
Wright/ I think in the westbound what we might want to probably see is there is an awful lot of
pedestrians crossing. You'd have traffic backing up into the intersection pretty quickly
and probably quite frequently.
Bailey/ It just ... it doesn't quite get to the not confusing situation, you know, that it might be.
Dickens/ They have a long ways to go around. Still, to get...
Bailey/ Yeah, but a bike ... if I were riding my bike...
Wright/ Bikes can go through.
Bailey/ Bikes can go through. (mumbled) sidewalk there. (mumbled)
Hayek/ What's interesting about this is that the one, the Washington one -way dynamic is a ... it's
an unintended vestige of, uh, a less than fully implemented urban renewal plan.
(laughter)
Yapp/ Yeah, that was interesting, some of the history that we learned when we were
investigating this project, that originally the intent was for a one -way loop, urn ... which is
kind of a 1950s transportation concept in transportation history, but a one -way loop
through the downtown that was only partially implemented, um, due to a change in
Council at the time, and the new Council did not want to implement, fully implement the
one -way loop, but what had already been implemented stayed in place.
Hayek/ And, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think at ... once upon a time a million years ago,
Washington Street was four lanes, two in each direction.
Yapp/ I've seen some older photos, yeah, and the sidewalks were much narrower at that point.
Hayek/ Well, okay, what, uh ... what's the consensus in terms of the direction we want to provide
staff on this?
Bailey/ So until we have design we won't know about the cost of the storm water and...
Yapp/ That's correct.
Bailey/ Okay.
Wright/ I'd like to see some designs.
Champion/ Sure! Me too!
Bailey/ I'd like to see some costs.
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Mims/ Fine.
Yapp/ And ... is there a consensus that there also, we would look at additional capacity for
commercial vehicle loading...
Dickens/ If that works...
Yapp/ ...through that process?
Hayek/ MidAmerican or other utility...
Yapp/ Oh, yeah.
Hayek/ ... at the end of the ped mall there, so you (both talking)
Yapp/ Oh, I can't ... the green box. (several talking) The big green box! (laughter) Thank you.
Hayek/ Okay, so you... you've... the input is that we're interested in looking at this. You're
going to get further design details back to us for consideration (several talking)
Yapp/ And we'll have a better idea on the cost.
Hayek/ Thanks, John.
Yapp/ Thank you.
Information Packet (6/30/11):
Hayek/ Okay. Uh, let's look at the Info Packet. Anything to discuss under that?
Bailey/ Nice fireworks, Marian! They were gorgeous!
Dickens/ How much trash was there?
Karr/ About an hour and a half.
Champion/ Less than my back yard!
Dickens/ I really wanted to wake up and help you! (laughter)
Hayek/ Uh, remember your KXIC assignments. Mike, you're tomorrow morning. I hope I
remember next week! (several talking)
Bailey/ And so it looks like passenger rail stayed? A little bit.
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Hayek/ By a hair!
Bailey/ $5 million?
Helling/ According to one newspaper, uh, article, yes, $5 million in FYI 3, um, and need 20, so
the opportunity would be there for the Legislature to ... to do the other 15 next year, but
it's a biennial budget so ... um, nothing for FY 12, as I understand it. Now that's just the
newspaper. We're waiting to get a summary from either the League or ... or our lobbyist
in the Metro Coalition, uh, they just haven't had time to put anything together yet. On
the whole ... the whole session, not just that one issue.
Markus/ I think the Chamber indicated that they have to come up with the remaining funding all
within the next, uh, appropriation period, so ... I think there's going to be the need for a
full court press from those that support this rail initiative. (mumbled)
Bailey/ Uh -huh.
Hayek/ Yeah, I mean, we ... we're ... we, uh, we managed to hang on for the time being, um,
which by many measures is considered a victory. We've got these federal funds hanging
out there that aren't going to hang out there forever. And, um, I think in the budget there
were funds set aside but not specifically allocated toward rail, um ... which, I think we're
trying to figure out how the feds perceive that. Is that enough of a commitment to
warrant sticking around with the federal funds, as opposed to moving elsewhere. But...
uh, we'll live to fight another day on this.
Bailey/ (mumbled) ... clarification about what we need to do. (mumbled)
Markus/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Any other items on the Info Packet? Okay. Council time?
Council Time:
Champion/ I have a couple things: Rick, I'd like to ask you a question. I'm always putting you
on the spot! When I was driving from the radio show last week, whenever it was, and I
noticed some water, I mean, first the bridge across the .... Park Road bridge. Okay. I
mean, it is low to the water. And so I know the plans are to elevate that. But then as I'm
driving, what happens in the pedestrian bridge is just as low, and so is the next bridge.
So what good does it do to raise one?
Fosse/ The pedestrian bridge is a ... is a little higher than the Park Road bridge.
Champion/ Oh, it is?
Fosse/ The Park Road bridge is our lowest and most vulnerable bridge through there. The other
thing that happens is the Iowa River gets the ... the slope gets a little bit steeper at Park
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July 5, 2011 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 25
Road between there and the, uh, and the Burlington Street dam. So that's... that's where
that bridge is at a critical juncture. It flattens out upstream from there so the backwater
projects more easily up stream.
Champion/ Okay. Thank you.
Fosse/ You're welcome! (laughter)
Champion/ And then I'm sure you've all been contacted one way or the other, uh, but it's
something I would like to see if the Council's willing to discuss it, and that's our
restaurant exemption, um, for alcohol after 10:00 ... after 10:00. I think when we got the
PAULA report last month some of our restaurants who have restaurant exemptions had
very, very high PAULA rates, urn ... and so I'm wondering are they really in the
restaurant business or the bar business, and I think there's a lot of, um, minors drinking
after 10:00 in those exception places. And I ... I would like us to think about, I'm not
wording this very well cause I don't have the facts with me, but I would like us to think
about, um, tying that exemption to the PAULA rate, like we do the music venue, or
entertainment venue. (mumbled) amount of PAULAs in a couple of those restaurant
exemption places. (several talking) I don't know if anybody else is interested in looking
at that.
Hayek/ Well, just uh, for the Council's information, there is a group of bar owners who had
expressed those concerns, um, and some of them are members of Partnership for Alcohol
Safety, and in fact they're part of a subgroup that has looked at that and, uh, they're going
to be coming to the PAS with ... with their thoughts. Um, so we may see something
emerge from PAS that is forwarded to the Council.
Champion/ Okay. (several talking)
Hayek/ Yeah, if not on that very issue ... on similar issues. Maybe they are the same. So...
Champion/ Okay.
Wright/ Are you suggesting wait and see what comes from that process?
Hayek/ Well we're going to ... I think we're going to see something anyway. The question is
whether we want to ... get something on the schedule per Connie's suggestion. But I think
we will, uh, within a matter of a few weeks get something from PAS.
Champion/ I mean, I think it is a concern. They're skirting our whole idea.
Wright/ It's probably something we do need to look at.
Champion/ Yeah. Okay.
Hayek/ (mumbled) a little bit about that? (several talking)
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Dickens/ Yeah, they... they... there's a group of three or four that have gotten together and they
really are serious about keeping it on a level playing field for all the ... all the, anybody
that serves alcohol, especially in the downtown area that the exemption shouldn't be an
escape (several talking) yeah.
Champion/ Okay, so everybody just wants to wait till this comes... somebody else is going to
bring this to us.
Bailey/ This is the first I've heard of it so ... yeah, that'd be good.
Dickens/ Let them bring it to us and if they don't then we can move forward on it.
Hayek/ Yeah. Okay, other Council time? Budget?
Budget Priorities:
Hayek/ Pending work session issues?
Pending Work Session Issues:
Hayek/ That's IP2. You can see where it's up for the first of August and then there are a few
others that don't have dates dedicated to them. Okay. Upcoming events or Council
invites.
Upcoming Events /Council Invitations:
Hayek/ Okay. There's a, later this week or next there's a community youth leadership summer
camp thing that I'll... pop into and speak for a few minutes at.
Wilburn/ I'm likely doing the same.
Hayek/ Okay. Meeting schedules.
Meeting Schedules:
Karr/ Just a quick reminder, you'll be setting up, uh, two public hearings on your Consent
Calendar for a special meeting at 5:00 next Tuesday. I think I talked to each of you, but I
just wanted to point that out to be sure we're still a go on that. (several talking) We
could! (laughter)
Hayek/ And you have ... the schedule you put in, accommodates Regenia's trip. We've already
made that...
Karr/ Yes!
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Hayek/ ... change. Okay.
Karr/ We altered the November schedule, yes.
Hayek/ Okay. Okay. Unless there's anything else, why don't we, uh, disband and come back for
the formal.
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