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ITEM 2. OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS — Mark Twain
Elementary
Hayek: Would the students from Mark Twain please come up. Well, hi, everybody! My
name's Matt Hayek and I'm the Mayor, and this is your City Council, and this is
City Hall! We're really honored to have you guys here. Um, throughout the
school year we invite leaders from all of the Iowa City elementary schools to
come, uh, and talk to us a little bit and uh, we have a little award for you, and we
also want to recognize your ... your parents and teachers. Um, so I see that you've
each brought a, uh, piece of paper to read from and if you wouldn't mind, I think
we'll just kind of hand the microphone down and if you'd, uh, you can speak into
the microphone, I can hold it for you and you can (unable to hear, away from
mic). Want me to hold it for you? (laughter)
Yauk: Hi, my name is Savannah. I help rake leaves for our church near our school. I've
also helped frost cookies for kids at the Ronald McDonald House. In my class, I
help kids with their work and to stay on task. I also help my grandma cook. One
time I helped clean up around school. I help kindergartners (mumbled). I help to
serve food at the Wesley House free lunch. I love helping people. (applause)
Schweer: Hi, my name is Lynn Schweer. A student in my class has trouble sometimes
staying on task, so I help him stay on task. I also did Girls on the Run in fall of
2010. I've (mumbled) couple of teachers' classrooms. Before school started, I
helped label boxes of books. There were a lot! I did four boxes, even though that
is not that many boxes, it helped out a lot. Each book ... each box took about ten
minutes to do. I help serve food at Wesley House free lunch. It is great to help
people. (applause)
Smith: Hi, my name is Escalade. I'm glad for this award because I get to represent Mark
Twain. I want to help other students by being a good role model. (mumbled) stay
on task at school. I also have served free lunch at the Wesley House. I hope to
continue to be a good student when I go to Southeast. (applause)
Hayek: Well those are really nice, and it's great for us to see great students coming
through our school system, and you may not realize it, but what we are doing up
here is what you may be doing in a few years time, and one of the reasons we try
to bring student leaders from the various elementary schools in is so that ... so that
you can see that it takes people leading the community to make it a better place,
and you've gotten off to a great start by being such role models in your school,
and we know that you're here representing Mark Twain because your teachers
have nominated you for that position, so that tells us that they have a lot of faith in
your skills and ... and your interest in helping others, and clearly from what you've
read you do a lot of good in the community and we appreciate it! I want to
recognize your parents and ... and your relatives and ... and your teachers. We, uh,
suspect you've had a little bit to do with their success, as well! We have what's
called the Citizenship Award and I have one for each of you, and it reads as
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of October 18, 2011.
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follows: For his or her outstanding qualities of leadership within Mark Twain
Elementary, as well as the community, and for his or her sense of responsibility
and helpfulness to others, we recognize you as an Outstanding Student Citizen.
Your community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council.
(mumbled) Well congratulations, everybody! (applause)
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formal meeting of October 18, 2011.
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ITEM 3. PROCLAMATIONS.
a) Food Day — October 24, 2011
Hayek: (reads proclamation)
Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Bethany Bender representing Slow Food Iowa
City. (applause)
Bender: I actually will say a couple things. Just, uh, thank you very much for this
proclamation. Um, we will be at the Farmers Market on Saturday with, um, a
variety of organ... organizations, um, promoting health and sustainable farming,
and we'll be having, uh, kids' activities and uh, fun, healthy snacks for
everybody. So I hope that we will see you all there. Thank you. (applause)
Hayek: Appreciate it! We have other proclamations for Extra Mile Day and
Toastmasters, uh, but representatives are not here so we'll just enter those into the
record.
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ITEM 5. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
Hayek: This is the opportunity at each City Council meeting for members of the audience
to address the City Council on items that are not on the agenda. So if there's
something, uh, that you'd like to bring to our attention and it's not on tonight's
agenda, I invite you to step forward, um, and when you get to the podium, uh,
please sign in and give us your name over the microphone and uh, we ask you to
limit your comments to five minutes or less.
Honohan: It's that pest again! Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Members of the Council, Jay
Honohan, Member of the Senior Center Commission. Here to make a short
report, and an invitation. I hope you all know that this is the last month we
celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Senior Center. We had a lot of different
programs going on. Uh, the Friends of the Center, uh, sponsored a dance attended
by approximately 250 people, and we even had host dancers just in case the ladies
outnumbered the men! (laughter) You know, the host dancers like on cruise
ships? Well, we had (laughter) of those.
Champion: Were they young and cute?
Honohan: Always! (laughter) Always! And it was a great time. The Dale Thomas Band
performed and everybody enjoyed it. We've had a, uh, art gallery on both the
second floor and around the assembly room where art was, uh, paintings
and ... and photographs from the seniors of Iowa City and the Senior Center
presented their, uh, work product. And, uh, I'll make it very brief. The invitation
is we're going to have a mac n' cheese dinner the night of the Homecoming.
Now if you got any wee -ones, like my granddaughter, they love mac n' cheese,
but the mac n' cheese we're getting is coming from Blackstone's, and if you're a
carnivore like me, you can have bacon in your mac n' cheese! If you buy your
tickets early they are $5.00 and if you wait til that night it's $7.00. We hope to
see everybody there and we're planning on this being an annual event for the
Center every homecoming night, starting at about 5:00, just before the parade.
Finally, I'll just get one small item and then I'll get out of your hair ... uh, in...
around Veterans' Day, we're going to, the Senior Center is sponsoring a drive,
Candy for the Troops, and we're going to have booths set up at the grocery stores
to collect candy to send to the troops overseas. We're partnering with the Iowa
Troop Pantry for that. We really appreciate the support of the City Council over
the years. Hope it continues, and Red and I'll take a good time — we'll see you
all! Goodnight!
Hayek: Thanks, Jay! Would anyone else like to address the City Council during
community comment? Okay, seeing no interest I'll move on to the next item.
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ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
B) AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE
LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM SINGLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL STABILIZATION TO URBAN COMMERCIAL
FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 221 N. LINN STREET, 225 N.
LINN STREET AND 223 E. BLOOMINGTON STREET AND THE
MIDAMERICAN SUBSTATION LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE
OF LINN STREET. (CPA1 1-0003)
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. I'll open it at this time. (bangs gavel) City Attorney, do
I ... do you want us to disclose any ex parte on this?
Dilkes: No, the next one.
Hayek: The next one, okay.
Davidson: Uh, good evening, Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council, I'm Jeff
Davidson, the Director of Planning and Community Development for the City.
And, uh, if it's okay with you, I will, uh, in the presentation here cover both the
Comprehensive Plan amendment and the rezoning, which follows right after; your
actions will of course be taken separately. Uh, as the Mayor has indicated, there's
both, uh, compre ... well, I guess the Mayor's indicated about the Comprehensive
Plan amendment as well. Your following item will be conditionally rezoning, uh,
the property consistent, uh, with the plan that's approved, uh, should you feel
there are the merits to do so. Here is the location map of where the property is
located, uh, at the intersection of Bloomington Street and Linn Street, and you can
see here ... and I may even have a clearer ... yes, the aerial here is a little bit
clear ... you can see that there are three properties, uh, there are three homes, and
I'll show you a picture just a moment; a house here, a house here, and a house
here that would be taken down for the project that's proposed. Uh, the Comp
Plan amendment and rezoning actions also include a property located here, uh, it
is a MidAmerican Energy substation. Uh, it is, just for the consistency of the land
use plan, it is included in the proposed Comp Plan amendment and rezoning, but
it is not included in the property for the proposed redevelopment project. Uh, you
can see here, the property lines are a little bit confusing. Uh, this is actually a
single property here ... uh, there is what we initially thought might be a platted
alley, but it is not a platted alley. It's just a private easement that exists through
the, uh, property, so it's basically the ... the three properties then, in spite of the
fact that it looks like multiple properties down here. This is a property, and then
these two and the MidAmerican, uh, substation. Urn ... the Comprehensive Plan
addresses specifically the Northside Market Place and, you know, basically that's
the decision in terms of the Comprehensive Plan is if there is a majority of you
who believe there is merit in expanding the commercial aspect under the
Northside Market Place to this property, or if it should remain, um, with the
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neighborhood, residential classification in the Comp Plan that is there, uh,
currently. Um, there have been a number of very good issues raised at the
Planning and Zoning Commission, and I'm going to try and address a couple of
those. Uh, one was the nature of the properties, and I guess why don't we ... why
don't we take a look first. Here's the building, well actually I'm going to first
show you what's there currently. Here's what's there currently, uh, you can see
the MidAmerican substation, uh, and the home next store. These are the two
properties on Linn Street. Uh, this is the back of those areas. This is the back of
the house on Bloomington Street that would be taken out, uh, and then this is the
house at the corner. You can't see the other house that's shrouded right here. Uh,
these, uh, pictures were requested at the Planning and Zoning Commission, um,
just to show an indication of the residential, or non - residential, character of the
area, and there's a series of photos here that basically move you west up the
block. These are the rear of the units. You can see in spite of the fact that these
were originally, uh, single - family residential uses, uh, they have all, except for
one, uh, all of them except for one have rental permits now and have been split
into presumably student housing. Uh, again stepping to the west, you can see the
back yards, uh, are generally paved. Uh, here's a site plan for the area. It's a
little bit fuzzy, but basically shows the ... the dimension of the proposed building.
This is the MidAmerican substation property here. Um, now ... oh, excuse me,
wrong direction. Um ... this is the building that is proposed to be built, uh, at the
corner, and you can see the big change, uh, in both the Comp Plan amendment
and the zoning, uh, that ... that classification change as proposed is that it would
allow commercial uses, uh, on the ... the first floor, uh, in this area; residential
above. Um, the proposed mix of residential uses are six either efficiency or one -
bedroom apartments, nine two - bedroom apartments, and two three- bedroom
apartments, and the developer would be allowed to have those three- bedroom
apartments become two - bedroom apartments or one bedroom or efficiencies, but
that's the total, uh, mix that's proposed, and that was significant, uh, we felt it was
important not to have the four- and five - bedroom type, um, units that are oriented
more to ... well, there have been some issues in ... in some of those buildings with
management of those buildings, and we feel that this mix is much more respectful
of the neighborhood in terms of, uh, reflecting the development that's already
there. Uh, originally, and ... and what we're looking at here is the Linn Street face,
and the Bloomington Street face, and originally the, excuse me, the Bloomington
Street face was ... was designed similarly to the Linn Street face, and we
specifically asked and the developer responded to, you can see that the
Bloomington Street, uh, face is much more residential in character now. Um,
there will be parking provided subterranean for the apartments, uh, in the
building, and that would be accessed off of the alley. One of the conditional
zoning requirements is that the alley, which is in pretty rough shape right now,
would be reconstructed up to that access point. You can see then that there is also
a ... an opening right there, uh, where the ... there would be parking behind these
commercial units that would provide, uh, at -grade parking to the ... for the
commercial units, and the access, as you can see there, would be off
Bloomington. But this ... this side was designed specifically ... if I can get the
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arrow to come back, with no, uh, commercial entrances on that side. Those are
side windows that would be, uh, as part of the commercial spaces, but no...no
access points, uh, into the commercial spaces from this side, uh, and ... and you
can also see that the streetscape here is basically a continuation of this. This is the
half -block directly to the south, uh, in the Northside Market Place with our
recently completed, uh, streetscape plan, and that would be continued, uh, as you
can see, uh, up into this area, but then when you go around the corner, that would
be more, um, residential in character. Uh, and it was noted, uh, at the Planning
and Zoning Commission that this property, um, does not ... it would ... if the
proposed zoning action goes through, it would result in opposite sides of
Bloomington Street having residential and commercial, uh, zoning classifications,
and that is not a goal of the zoning ordinance. We always try and have uses that
are similar across the street; however, it was also noted that this property right
now across Linn Street has commercial and residential uses across from each
other. So it's simply unavoidable at times and this is one of those times. We've
tried to address this face of the building on Bloomington Street to be as respectful
as possible, uh, of the residential uses, uh, that are there. Um... so again, what
would be proposed then is to include this property, basically move the red line out
to this property line and have it be included as part of the Northside Market Place,
uh ... uh, designation in the Comprehensive Plan, of commercial, uh, development.
The Planning and Zoning Commission also expressed a desire, uh, to have these
three properties, basically taken out of the Northside Market Place, urn ... uh,
commercial designation and put into the residential designation for the Northside
Neighborhood. Those are, uh, potential landmark properties, uh, considered, uh,
historic in nature that could be landmark properties and uh, it was felt that it
would be appropriate for them to be reflected in the residential designation rather
than the commercial designation. Um ... there was debate at the Planning and
Zoning Commission about the, uh, historical significance of the three houses that
are proposed, uh, to be removed. Uh, the author Tennes ... Tennessee Williams
did live apparently for slightly over two weeks in one of them; one of many
locations he lived in Iowa City. Um, they have been not designated, uh, historic,
uh, in nature, and distinction made between those three houses and the three, uh,
directly to the north. Um, I cannot emphasize enough that the concerns of certain
neighborhood representatives about the negative impact and the potential
encroachment of commercial development, uh, into the Northside Neighborhood
is a very legitimate concern, and one that we share. Um, we may respectfully
come to a slightly different conclusion in terms of that, but it is definitely
something that you should consider in your consideration of both the Comp Plan
amendment, uh, and the zoning. Um ... you know, the City I think has a recent
track record of really taking initiatives to try and protect the character of the
Northside Neighborhood. We have designated three historic districts in ... in the
Northside Neighborhood, including the Gilbert-Linn District, which is our most
recently enacted one, um, our, uh ... I think we have been consistent in our
dealings with the School District about, uh, supporting Mann School and its
continuation as an elementary school, uh, we have the ongoing reconstruction
project, uh, in Market Square Park, and of course, uh, from my department, the
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UniverCity Neighborhood Partnership, Neighborhood Stabilization Program, so I
think, you know it's clear we don't want to have anything happen, uh, to the
neighborhood further north of here that would encroach further into it. Uh, the
Gilbert-Linn, uh, Historic Dist, uh, Historic District does start one -half block to
the south, uh, excuse me — to the north — and we do feel like that does provide a
protection to that further encroachment. It would basically, uh, require Council to
take action to, um, if you were to consider any kind of an amendment, uh, you
would be into the historic district and we didn't, you know, we felt that provided
an additional level of protection, uh, to that area, one... starting one -half block to
the north. Um, again then, the Northside Market Place, uh, policies in the
Comprehensive Plan are to reflect scale of the neighborhood, uh, to encourage the
Main Street character that's there on Linn Street. Uh, to preserve historic
buildings, and to have newly designed buildings be as compatible as possible, uh,
with the historic buildings, and of course right catty - corner across the street is the
Pagliai's building, uh, it was noted, uh, that this is a two -story building, but right
behind this building is a three -story apartment building that's attached to it, so it
was felt, uh, that ... that the building that is proposed was basically, uh, respecting
the scale. I mean, obviously it's a much larger building than the structures that
are there, but that... reflected the scale of the building catty -corner across the
street, and a continuation of the Northside, uh, Market Place up to this
intersection, uh, with Bloomington Street. Uh, it is recommended, uh, by the
Planning and Zoning Commission and staff for approval, and if you, uh, will
indulge me just real quickly, I want to, uh, state the conditional zoning conditions,
because obviously these are the important things that the developer, uh, will have
to adhere to, uh, if the proposed, uh, action is taken. The development shall
generally be consistent with the site plan and building plans that you've seen, uh,
presented. It shall consist of a mix of uses, commercial and residential, as
proposed, and that I, uh, went through with you. Uh, that it will con ... uh, consist
of the mix of dwelling units that I stated for you. Uh, exterior signage will be
limited to signs permitted in residential zones, uh, on the Bloomington Street side.
Uh, excuse me, on ... on both sides of the building. No, I'm sorry! On the north
side of the building only! Uh, the alley shall be improved from, um, up to the
access point, uh, into the building. And that the North Linn and East
Bloomington Street rights -of -way will be improved in the manner consistent with
what you see here. Those are the conditional zoning conditions, uh, for when you
consider the item after the Comp Plan, uh, that will be part of that proposed CZA.
Uh, before you continue your public hearing, are there any questions for me?
Bailey: (mumbled) ...how do you want to do this? Should we do staff questions now or
do you want to wait?
Hayek: It's whatever the Council wants to do. I'm sure there are people here in the
audience to speak on this, um...
Davidson: I will stand by!
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Hayek: Why don't we hear from the...
Bailey: That's fine, yeah!
Hayek: ...community on this and then (mumbled)
Dilkes: Yeah, I think since Jeff did cover the rezoning, and since the purpose of
disclosing the ex parte communications is to give people the opportunity to
respond to what you've heard; we should probably do them now.
Hayek: Okay. Why don't we start down here, Terry, on your end. Any ex parte?
Dickens: I had a meeting with John Thomas and we just discussed, brought in the
Comprehensive Plan and went over some of the... some of the issues that the
Northside Neighborhood has. That's it.
Bailey: I also had a meeting with John Thomas. His three points that he made in the
meeting, the Central District Plan, um, the concern and just speaking from a place
of concern regarding this. The compatibility in the neighborhood, the mass of the
building, and the den ... the residential density that this building provided.
Hayek: John Thomas made the rounds! He met with me (laughter) as well. Uh, and went
over the same points, uh, and ... and said he was working on I think a PowerPoint,
which I didn't see, um ... but he said he was working on one. Um, I then spoke to,
uh, Tom Markus very briefly, uh ... today or yesterday, and we ... just
acknowledged that there was going to be, uh, a crowd on this this evening, and
indicated that Jim Throgmorton would be speaking as well, with whom Tom had
spoken, and I think I just saw Jim, right over there, so ... that's the extent of my
communications.
Wright: John Thomas did indeed make the rounds. I spoke to John on several topics — the
zoning, the Comp Plan change (mumbled) etc. Um, but I have a much longer list
I think than (mumbled). I spoke to Bob Miklo about this, on staff, with
some ... just some general questions. I ... spoke, and if I'm naming somebody out
of turn, this was my recollection, so ... indulge me. Believe I spoke to Judith
Pasco, Chris Ponsler ... Matt Lagee, uh, some gentleman named Marlin, whose last
name I didn't catch, but he lives on Davenport Street. Um ... all about the
(mumbled) appropriateness of this (mumbled) particular intersection, uh, and I
also spoke to Steve Long just for some (mumbled).
Champion: I also spoke to John Thomas! We talked basically about (mumbled) the
neighborhood, the Comprehensive Plan, and the proportion of the building to the
neighborhood.
Mims: None!
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Bailey: I also neglected to mention, I did talk with Bob Miklo specifically about
something that was addressed later with the Planning and Zoning concerns,
encroachment onto Bloomington Street of the commercial. I had a specific
question about a concern, and urn ... indicated, his answer is very, um, very much
in line with what was provided to Planning and Zoning.
Dickens: I did have one other ... Jeff Davidson, just today, talked about the number of feet
the building was going to be from Bloomington and Linn Street, so (mumbled)
Dilkes: Just one more comment — I ... it's inevitable that these two items are going to get
mushed together. Um, certainly in people's comments, but I would just really
encourage you to try and separate the two in your mind, and deal with the Comp
Plan amendment first, and then the rezoning, as they appear on the agenda,
because the way this works is that your zoning actions are supposed to be
consistent with your, um, Comprehensive Plan.
Hayek: So, for the audiences', uh, benefit, the reason we disclose these conversations is
under Iowa law if there's a rezoning, uh, up for consideration the public is entitled
to know what input we have received, as elected officials, on a rezoning issue.
And so, um, we ask for what are called ex parte communications, which are
simply chats we've had with people on an issue like this, um ... uh, prior to us
actually considering it, and we disclose those at the front end of a public hearing
so that you know what we've been told, um, from other people, and have that...
you're benefitted by that as you weigh in on the issue yourself. So, now that
we've disclosed that, I just wanted to provide that brief explanation, uh, if there
are members of the audience who would like to speak during this public hearing
on this item, uh, we invite you to step forward, um ... and uh, you'll need to ... and
I see the applicant is there, and certainly speak ... hear from him as well. So we
just ask you to ... to give us your name, uh, and then we will ask people to limit
their comments to five minutes or less, uh, which is consistent with our policy for
everything else.
Allen: Hi, I'm Jesse Allen with Allen Homes. I'm the applicant here, uh, presenting the
building on Linn and Bloomington Street. Um... good evening, Mayor and
Commissioner, uh, City Council Members. Um ... Jeff did a pretty good job kind
of describing all the design challenges that we've kind of been working through
with, uh, Planning and Zoning staff members and ... and uh, P &Z people to kind of
make the building incorporated into the landscape and make it look like it fits into
the neighborhood. Um, some of the things that, uh, I kind of wanted to talk a
little bit about was the commercial space. We didn't really talk about that. Um, I
feel that with Pagliai's parking lot across the street, some day that potentially
could be developed and just in thinking about this project, it'd be a good fit to
kind of, um, think about the Comprehensive Plan of this project and what it may
look like across the street some day with two houses, you know, here as they are
now. You know, if we don't kind of incorporate these together and kind of think
in the future. Be a great opportunity to kind of, you know, get some commercial
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Page 11
space in the area, kind of have a landmark for the Northside Neighborhood.
We're also going to be creating parking for the commercial space that's there,
which being downtown Iowa City, um, some of you are business owners. That's
kind of a nice thing to have as a potential future business owner downtown to be
able to provide parking, you know, secure, you know, for customers and /or future
business owners, which would be kind of nice. Um, with the building design
we're also kind of cutting off some of the traffic to the Northside neighbors, um,
with that ... they'll be 14 spots that'll be commercial parking off of Bloomington.
They'll be at grade. All the ... all the parking will come out of the rear, to the alley
that I'll be improving for the potential residents that will live in the building.
They'll be underneath the building, which they'll come out a ramp in the rear and
they'll be exiting on Linn Street or Gilbert Street, which' 11 kind of enhance the
traffic flow for the neighborhood, and it'll also be improving the alley, which'11
be kind of a potential benefit for the neighborhood, as well as the added, you
know, green space and benches and outside the (mumbled). I think we'll kind of
clean up the neighborhood over there a little bit and enhance some of the natural
features with the building design.
Hayek: Thank you.
Allen: Are there any (both talking)
Hayek: Any questions for Jesse?
Bailey: (mumbled)
Champion: Just remind me, how many ... how many apartment units ... how many beds?
Allen: Um, there's 17 units total. That's the max that we can do based on the square
footage of the project, but when you're looking at the scale of the building, in CB-
2 zoning we could have gone another floor higher, up to (both talking)
Champion: That's not what I asked you. I asked you how many bedrooms.
Allen: Okay, how many bedrooms... there's... there's two three- bedrooms, there's nine
two - bedrooms, and then there's six efficiencies or one - bedrooms.
Dickens: I noticed the lobby comes off of...Bloomington Street. Was ... is that to go to the
upstairs or ... will that cause a problem with parking, people loading and unloading
there, or is that...
Allen: Um, there's also an entrance off of where the, kind of where the MidAmerican
station is (mumbled) south side of the building, there's a sidewalk that goes
around the south side, as well as the north side where you could get into the
elevator to go up or down between floors, or stair tower.
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Hayek: We may have more questions for you. I think ... my sense is the Council wants to
hear from the public, and ... but appreciate your comments, Mr. Allen. Okay, if
there are members of the public who would like to address us, uh ... now is the
time!
Thomas: Okay, thank you, urn ... (mumbled) I really enjoyed that experience. I appreciate
that. Um ... so we...
Hayek: (both talking) I'm just going to ask you to give us your name so that the viewing
audience hears your name.
Thomas: Uh, John Thomas. I'm with the neighborhood ... Northside Neighborhood
Association Coordinator. Um, we ... we do have some concerns, and I appreciate
Jeff's comments about the concern for the Northside Neighborhood. It's ... it's a
neighborhood that ... where integrity has been an issue for years. We view it will
be a continuing issue, just because of its location. It shall forever be an issue, uh,
preserving the integrity of the Northside. Um... so I've tried to highlight some of
the things that the City and the residents have done, and Jeff did mention a couple
of them. Uh, the zoning code was a critical one, because it introduced that RNS-
12 zone, uh, which addresses the destabilization in Iowa City neighborhoods by
preserving their predominantly single - family residential character. So that... that
was a really key decision to make that zoning. Um ... one former Planning and
Zoning Commissioner referred to it as the "endangered species act." I think it
was something that was viewed at the time that we really needed to stop the... the
bleeding in the Northside in terms of the loss of these single - family homes, and
the RNS -12 was ... was established for that. The ... the second program which I
think really moves the ... the issue of integrity in a different... and complimenting
direction, is the ... the UniverCity neighborhood partnership program, which is
investing $1.6 million in ... in the neighborhoods located near the Iowa City
campus, that retain a single - family character, and have an imbalance of renters to
owner- occupants. I think that was a key ... another key move with the City
identifying that balance between renters and owner occupants was a concern, it
affected the integrity of these neighborhoods, and that this program was
developed to try to address that. So fast - forwarding, um ... the ... the rezoning
proposal shows that the Northside's integrity requires as was stated in the
Comprehensive Plan's ongoing efforts, and that's multi - faceted as we were
talking about. And our feeling was that the Central District Plan, which was
adopted about three years ago, uh, does not recommend nor adopt the expansion
of the commercial business service zone to include the three properties at the
corner of Linn and Bloomington Streets. It does recommend the adoption of
zoning regulations compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
So our conclusion from that is that the expansion of the Central Business service
zone into the Northside Neighborhood, and the demolition of three houses is not
consistent with the spirit of the Comprehensive Plan or the zoning of the Central
District Plan. It ... it, thus we're here to amend the Comprehensive Plan. And our
feeling is ... is that this plan was developed three years ago. It's ... it's a relatively
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new document, and that the ... the most basic aspect of it being the zoning, which
provides the framework for the objectives and the goals, um, should be adhered
to. If...if there were concerns at the time to rezone these properties, that was the
time to do it. Um, but setting that aside and looking at the project ... uh, and the
neighbored impacts of the rezoning beyond the demolition of the three houses, I
think one ... one aspect of the project that isn't talked about. We hear about the
building height and its scale and how that's compatible with the neighborhood.
What ... what hasn't been mentioned is the density of this proposal, and how it
affects and dramatically increases the density. The ... the current, uh, density of
the existing three properties is 23.5 dwellings per acre. Uh, we have, as I stated,
eight dwellings on roughly a third of an acre. This project will, um, more than
double that density to 50 dwellings per acre, with the seven dwellings on the same
acreage. Uh, so we've moved from a moderate density to a high density. And
this ... this, um ... uh, as I mentioned in the ... the heading there, the rest of the block
of Bloomington is also roughly the same density of 20 to 25, uh, units per acre.
So, we're introducing a ... a project with double the density of the Bloomington
block. And that that could be very unstabilizing. Um, what seems to support that
is ... is a concern about the further erosion. I think that's one of the really the issue
we're faced with is, if this project were to go through, would it further erode, uh,
the block. And we have a correspondence from Prestige Properties who runs 228
Bloomington, which is directly across the street from the project, and uh, this was
a letter to the City of Iowa City during the Planning and Zoning phase and they
wrote, "We are concerned about the parking garage access and density for this
building in this area. City should consider zoning the north side of Bloomington
from Dubuque to Linn the same as they are doing ... going to do for this project."
So it...it really does suggest what ... what could happen, um ... that you introduce a
building with twice the density. You have ... all the impacts from that, um,
another aspect of that I'll mention in the next slide, but, uh, that density will
create an impact on Bloomington. We're presenting this ... the project has a ... a
Linn Street phase, which I think no one will argue with. It's the question of the
impact on the Bloomington side, which is in fact a longer frontage than the Linn
Street side (mumbled)
Hayek: John, you've got about a minute left. I'm sorry to be a stickler, but I ... I have
(both talking)
Thomas: ...one of the ways, uh, that the, um ... the current transitions between the CB -2 and
the residential zones are ... are accomplished, uh, currently, and I'll focus on the
one on the right. The Holub Apartments, which has been mentioned, uh,
transitions back to the RNS -12 in a way which, uh, addresses the density and the
impacts in terms of natural light and so forth by stepping back and stepping down.
So there's ... as you can see, a very clear difference in the character of the
building. I'm going to move very quickly because I ... I do want to introduce the
idea that there's another direction that we would like to suggest, and that is that
we feel would be compatible with the neighborhood. Um, I... don't know that I
have the time to go through all these qualities, but they basically translate into the
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concept of the row house. We feel the row house would, uh, provide a... a density
that would support city life, uh, it would attract a wider range of, um, occupants,
more likely to own the ... the build ... their property, and so we would be increasing
diversity and owner occupancy, which are two goals we have in the
neighborhood. Um ... so just last remarks, you know, the ... and I ... I think I've
made my case, but um, the ... the concern is is that we ... we want this project to be
consistent with the City's policies and programs, aimed at preserving the
neighborhood integrity. We want it to be compatible with the neighborhood's
architectural character, and we want it built at the appropriate density, offering a
range of (mumbled) and building styles. So we ... we do not dislike this building.
The issue really is where it is and its size. If it were ... where the T- Spoons
building is currently located, I think we would have no objection to it. Thank
you.
Hayek: Thanks, Mr. Thomas! Are there others who would like to address the Council?
Swensen: My name is Cole Swensen and I live in the Northside Neighborhood, and I
wanted to speak in favor of the row house option. Uh, it seems to me that the
building as planned is creating too much density in that area and does risk
encroaching into the Northside, but also I lived for many years above Pagliai's
Pizza in an apartment, and I decided I was going to become a permanent member
of the community so I wanted to buy and invest, and I would have loved to have
the option to remain in the downtown, and there is at the moment no way that a
faculty couple or a single faculty from the University, or any number of other
young people, couples, retiring couples can buy downtown and have a place. We
don't all want yards or, um, want to have to get out there and shovel the snow, so
to have that option to be in the downtown, to contribute to the downtown life, as a
buying, owner- occupying, uh, would be invaluable, and I think the row house is
an ideal way to do it. I also see another advantage in having more... customers for
those small businesses downtown. Um, we all know obviously that the student
population contributes greatly to, uh, the customer bank of downtown, but it's a
different kind of thing and when I think of the many shops that enjoy downtown, I
think how they would benefit by having more adults down there buying things,
going to restaurants, etc., etc. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Reynolds: Thank you for giving us this opportunity to give, uh, input on this issue. My
name is Chris Welu Reynolds and um, I have been living and more recently
raising a family in the northside of Iowa City for the past 15 years. Um, when I
first heard about this proposal I was excited to think about possible storefronts
that could inhabit our northside neighborhood. Of course, storefronts may give
way to office spaces. Office space may not be as desirable as storefronts, but
offices would fit into the neighborhood and could bring new people into our area.
Then I began to think about the sheer size of the proposed unit. Given the style of
the building, the number of units, and the size of the units, my guess is that
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undergrad college kids will inhabit the complex. Now Iowa City wouldn't be
Iowa City without college students. I was one myself. But too much
concentration in one area generally is not a good rule to follow. Perhaps a smaller
complex, a two -story with a diverse style, such as row house that has been
mentioned today, would attract a more diverse population of renters. Perhaps
renters with a vested interest in their surroundings, or have longer rental plans.
Perhaps grad students, professionals, or maybe even a family. Then I started to
think about the increase in traffic. Noise levels of people coming and going,
friends visiting, and parking in the nearby neighborhoods. And then I began to
question how such a proposal would add to the cohesiveness and integrity of the
Northside. I understand that a bigger complex means more money. If I don't like
it, I can move. But then what? Stabilization fails. I can understand the interest a
developer would have in the Northside. I live there myself. But proposals and
plans should be in keeping with the intended use of a neighborhood, not changing
it or making exceptions to it. Eyebrows would raise if such a complex were
proposed in many of the neighborhoods we live in. Let's not make an exception
for the Northside. Stabilization to the Northside is paramount, and is part of Iowa
City's Comprehensive Plan. One could say, `So what, only college kids will live
there,' so it doesn't matter if a view is blocked or the integrity of the
neighborhood is lost, because college kids simply don't care about that. But is
this the standard that we want to set? The standard has already been set by the
City's Comprehensive Plan. And making exceptions now will lead to more and
more exceptions. The precedent will be set. As is, the current proposal should
not be approved by the City Council. Thank you for your consideration.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments! Is there anyone else who would like to address
the Council?
Throgmorton: Hi there, I'm Jim Throgmorton. I live at 714 N. Linn Street, Apartment A. I
gotta tape this thing down ... uh, I want to express my support for the neigh...
Northside Neighborhood Association's views as skillfully articulated by John
Thomas and the two previous speakers. I believe the Planning staff and the
Planning and Zoning Commission are right in advocating higher density
development in the area north of Linn and Market Streets, but with all due respect
to them and the applicant, I think we can do better than what we've, uh, you've
been asked to approve. In my view the proposed development is excessively
dense and if approved, as the speaker before me just said, initiate a series of
incremental changes that will transform the surrounding area in ... in a way that is
neither desirable nor currently envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan. I would
strongly encourage you to deny the proposed rezoning, and then think through
your vision for the area, uh, think through, uh, let's see now ... the more carefully
you do this, think through the vision, the more you'll see how important edges
are. That is the transitional zones between the Linn and Market area and the
residential area just to the north. And you know I come down Linn Street all the
time, been doing it for 16 years, so kind of got a sense of that particular space.
The more you think about the transformation of these edges over time, the more
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you will see that the ... that approval of the proposed development will create
incentives for nearby property owners to disinvest in their existing properties and
to seek rezoning of their properties so as to permit equivalently high density
redevelopment. I think we can do better. So when I envision a desirable future
for the area, I, like John and the two previous speakers, end up thinking that row
or townhouses would be best. They would enable higher density redevelopment
of the property, which I think is a good thing, establish a more urbane streetscape,
create an incentive for similar redevelopment of nearby properties, yet it's similar
to the row houses, not to the proposed structure. Establish a pleasing transition
between the commercial properties and single - family structures farther to the
north, and, create new homeownership possibilities for retirees, or staff at the
University or Mercy Hospital, who want to live close to their work places and
downtown amenities. I just went recently to the livable communities event that
Bob Welsh organized, talking about aging in place and the importance of retirees
being able to find good places to purchase and live in, so that they can actually,
you know, walk to things they want to do, which sounds to me like a pretty good
opportunity. In brief, developing the site with row or townhouses would help
enhance the quality and long -term sustainability of the whole. Moreover, I would
also strongly encourage you to remember something you already know, and tell
me if I'm wrong about this, um ... uh, the applicant does not have the right to build
at the density he proposes unless you agree to rezone the property. That means
you have the power to negotiate something better. Uh, you could for example
introduce something new here. You could for example, um ... uh, encourage, uh,
require the developer to incorporate advanced energy- efficiency technologies into
his project. Maybe they are; maybe I missed it, Jeff, I ... (mumbled) that particular
point. If you negotiate well, you can produce a development that would,
urn ... that would be satisfactory to all stakeholders — the developer, the nearby
property owners, the residents of the Northside, and so on. If you do decide to
support the particular project without qualification or of further, uh,
um ... conditions, uh, I ... of course urge you to amend the Comprehensive Plan to
clearly state that it is your intention to encourage high density mixed use
development throughout the area, but if you do that, uh, you need to indicate how
you intend to manage the transition of the edge over ti ... over time, because that
will be an issue (mumbled) deal with it. Thanks!
Hayek: Thank you, Jim. Are there others who would like to address us during the public
hearing?
Rapson: My name (both talking) is Beth Rapson. I live on the Northside and I have not
prepared a statement, but I would just like to say also that I don't really
understand why we are even entertaining changing the Plan, just because a
developer wants to build something bigger. I just don't understand why that's an
option, and if that's an option on that one piece of property, then where else will it
bean option? And ... and what is the benefit beyond his own ... if...I just ... I'm
really frustrated that we're even considering changing the zoning. I think he
could have started by building something that worked within the context of the
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lots that were zoned for it, and not ask to expand it to something bigger. That's
all I've got to say.
Hayek: We appreciate your comments!
Michaud: Hi, I'm Pam Michaud and I live in the College Green Historic District. Um...
I'm ... I'm at the same point as Beth Rapson. I thought that, uh, zones were
established so that ... I'm at 109 S. Johnson, which is, uh, kitty -corner to the
Synagogue right now, and I just see a big domino effect here, because the
Synagogue is changing over. They want to increase the density too, and then
there's the 500 block of Washington, across (mumbled). Um ... it just seems like
if you've got the money to buy up property, then you can talk the City into
changing the zoning density. Um ... that does not make a reliable, secure
environment for single- family owners. Or people that have been there on
my... my square for 40 years. Half the people on my square have been there
longer than me. I've been there 21 years. Sixteen families' houses (mumbled)
been there for over 20 years (mumbled).
Hayek: Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to address us during the public
hearing? If Council has questions for, uh ... the applicant or staff, we could do so
during the public hearing before we close it (mumbled).
Dickens: Yes, I have a question for Jesse Allen, um ... not to put you on the spot, but uh,
there's been a lot of talk about row houses. Is it economically feasible to try to do
this on that site plan?
Allen: Um, it wouldn't meet the current ... it wouldn't be economically feasible, no. But
the way the site plan is laid out and the square footage of the lot, unit's would be
very narrow. Two ... two or three row houses maybe.
Bailey: (mumbled) up there, um, heard a lot about the residential. I myself am really
interested in the commercial and ... and think that that is a potentially a very nice
addition, um, to the area. If I fully understand the sizes of these spaces, can you
talk about the square footage of the commercial? Looks like three spaces,
correct?
Allen: Yep! Correct. I believe total there is just under 3,300 square feet ... in the
commercial, and we have it divided to where there could be three spaces.
Bailey: Okay, and so they're... they're relatively smallish (mumbled) a thousand
(mumbled) so when you were conceiving this project and I ... I'm not typically one
to second -guess somebody's development project, but this ... did you have the
opportunity to talk about the possibility of office on the second floor. It's
something we talk about a lot downtown, um, just that commercial potential ... I,
you know, I know that office can be somewhat speculative, as we know, but did
you explore that possibility?
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Allen: Um ... we really didn't. We did, I don't know if you guys know this, but there's a
two -story unit on the corner that we kind of looked as a ... a live - work -play option
for somebody that wants to work like an artist or studio, where they'd have that...
like a loft capability to build (mumbled) so it's one thing we kind of looked at.
Bailey: And, so there is the opportunity to own units, not just rent, or that's not been fully
explored at this point?
Allen: Correct. The reason that we kind of downsized a lot of...we didn't do all three -
bedrooms or all fours or all fives is ... we kind of wanted to make it affordable for
people to live downtown. If we did put `em for sale, there's efficiencies, there's,
you know, they're handicap adaptable and accessible, all the units are. So it'd be
something... where I heard one lady made a comment, something to purchase for
retirees (coughing, unable to hear) perfect for that. Option for people to live close
to downtown and ... and be able to walk to the shops and have access. So they're
not really highly marketable for rent because, you know, rent is based on how
many bedrooms you can get, and that's how you make the money. These aren't
really feasible in that ... that aspect.
Wilburn: I just want to make sure I'm clear about something that you had just said, uh, the
questions I have are more about, uh, land use, but since you mentioned this,
you ... you said that ... was it your intention to make this universal design or just
some of the units accessible?
Allen: Um, there is ... there has to be one bathroom in each unit that has universal design
standards, um, so it will be all handicap adaptable and accessible.
Wilburn: Okay, thank you!
Wright: One last question for you, um ... there are how many units again total in the
building?
Allen: Seventeen total.
Wright: (both talking) Seventeen... how many parking spaces underground?
Allen: I think there's 34.
Wright: Thirty -four total? (mumbled)
Hayek: Any questions for Mr. Allen? Okay. Thank you. Are there other questions for
staff?
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Wilburn: I ... I have one, uh, just to help reflect... refresh my memory. When we had looked
at this three years ago, uh, I ... in this area, um, did this part of the property ... was
that explored, was that part of the, uh, public hearings, can you refresh my...
Davidson: I'm sorry, when are you referring to, Ross? I missed the first part (both talking)
Wilburn: Urn ... this particular parcel...
Davidson: Uh -huh.
Wilburn: ...uh, three years ago when we looked at this, uh, this portion of the
Comprehensive Plan, this district plan ... was this property part of that discussion
or not, uh, do you recall (both talking)
Davidson: ...apologize, Ross, I ... three years ago, I really can't remember that discussion. I
mean, obviously the issue here, because it's a Comp Plan amendment, is your
broad vision for this. Does it ... is, do you ... is there a majority of you who feels
the vision should be changed from what it is now, and what is was decided I guess
three years ago with the Central District Plan (mumbled) and that's... that's really
the question, if that character's appropriate.
Wilburn: Right, and I ... I was trying to ... a couple things, or at least the one thing I
remember ... in this area, conversations about height, I'm just trying (both talking)
Davidson: ...apologize, Ross, I'm just (both talking) with the Central District Plan.
Wilburn: That's all right.
Bailey: Jeff, I have a traffic question. Um, with the access with the alley, um, do
people ... and the alley will be improved to the entrance point, but usage of the
alley...
Davidson: From the east, up to the (both talking)
Bailey: Right, and I'm ... I'm interested what happens to the west because that seems like
that would be, well, if I lived there that's the direction I would go out.
Davidson: As proposed with this Conditional Zoning Agreement, nothing.
Bailey: Nothing.
Davidson: But, that would ultimately be under your jurisdiction, you know, as the overseers
of a City alley to determine, I mean, that ... that alley is I think probably could be
classified in ... some of our rougher conditions, but it is passable. And ... and the
reconstructed portion of it will obviously have to tie in with it so that it's still a
through alley.
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Bailey: But you anticipate ... I ... I'm assuming you anticipate that it will get increased
traffic with this development, to the west.
Davidson: Uh, you know ... I guess given that the east half of it would be the improved half, I
guess to the degree to that would encourage traffic, I mean, I've taken my vehicle
down the entire alley and you just have to go very, very slowly.
Bailey: Okay!
Davidson: But it is ... it is passable. I ... I really couldn't, with any kind of assurance, tell you
that it will increase or decrease. It ... it is certainly though, as you all ... you all
have noted and some of the speakers have noted, an increase in the density of the
property, uh, with this, uh, proposed project.
Bailey: Thanks.
Davidson: So that will generate more traffic!
Hayek: Jeff, can you clarify the zoning on the south side of Bloomington, west of Linn?
Davidson: Uh, let me see if I can get the image back here ... Jerry's watching upstairs. He
may need to come and rescue me. Let's see ... (laughter) ... nope! There it is! And
what was the image you were looking for, Matt?
Hayek: From... (both talking)
Davidson: Zoning you said...
Hayek: ...clarify what the zoning is ... uh, on the south side of, well, frankly on both sides
of Bloomington, west of the, uh, proposed project.
Davidson: It is currently RNS -12.
Hayek: So it's a ... both north and south, along...
Davidson: Right, and remember that was what I noted before, is that this would ... for the
frontage of this property, it would put a different zoning classification across the
street from each other, for the frontage of this property. Further to the west, Matt,
it would remain the RNS -12 zoning on both sides.
Hayek: And then my second question is, can you go to the slide that shows the out ... the
footprint of the district, uh...
Davidson: Footprints... this?
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Hayek: Yeah! Okay, so the three homes, urn ... uh, that you mentioned across from Holub
Apartments there, um, are RSM -12, but they are within the district?
Davidson: Yes, and designated as you can see, um... commercial right now. And the
Planning and Zoning Commission requested that we subsequently, not part of
your action tonight, but we subsequently take action to include those in the
residential classification, and out of the Northside Market Place. Basically into
the Northside Neighborhood designation, and out of the Northside Market Place
designation.
Hayek: What does it mean to be an RS -12 but be designated commercial as it relates to
that plan?
Davidson: Well, that according to the Comp Plan it would be appropriate to redevelop. I
imagine that was done, Matt, because of the Pagliai's building and the Holub
Apartments, the notion that across the street from each other you would have the
same type of buildings. I would imagine that was the thinking of the Comp Plan
being structured (coughing, unable to hear) but because they've been noted as
potentially, um, landmark structures in terms of a historic designation, that's why
the Planning and Zoning Commission felt that they should appropriately, uh, put
in the residential classification, but that's the reason I imagine it was ... it was this
way designated in the Plan.
Hayek: And ... and then through that process, the comm .... that commercial designated...
designation was not placed on the three, on the properties in question, or at least
the two that are within the district...
Davidson: Right.
Hayek: ...okay. Okay, thanks!
Dickens: (mumbled) single - family dwelling on that entire block?
Davidson: Yeah, I believe, Terry, if you're interested, I (coughing, unable to hear) actually
maybe I don't have the lot line ... oh, I think it's ... I believe it's this property here.
Dickens: Okay, so it's across...
Davidson: Right, and I'm told there are rental permits on the other homes in the block.
Dickens: Okay.
Davidson: Any other questions for me?
Hayek: (person speaking away from mic) Sure! Yes, why don't we ... you have to come
up to the podium, please. Thank you, if you'd give us your name, please.
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Park: Jiyun Park. Thank you for allowing me to say a couple comments. Um, when
Mr. Dickens asked about the number of row homes, um, all due respect to the
developer, I lived in a row home neighborhood for ten years, and I'm an
architectural designer, and I think just by looking at the plan, I can imagine nine
row homes across the front of Bloomington, and then nine additional row homes
along Linn Street. The row home I originally lived in was 8 -feet wide, when I
moved ... when I had two children, I went to the 10, 12 -feet wide. Um, my
neighbor across the street lived in an 80 -inch wide row home. He was a large
man, and I think his Oldsmobile was longer or wider than his row home
(laughter). So I think that that's a kind of density that may be welcomed by both,
um, the commercial, the City, the residents, and could be a really wonderful
compromise, and um, also I think then that's just the front side so on the rear end
of that there could be ample parking to, sort of (mumbled) density issues of
parking issues for residences there. Um, and then also with row homes you can
have mixed, you know, lower level commercial and then upper level, um,
efficiencies, and all of this can be sort of be mixed in without this sort of monster
sort of, you know, block taken up, and I think the thing that I keep seeing in the
diagram is this red line that encroaches on Linn Street where there's yellow
residences, and if you just nudge that line backwards that stays back, then it sort
of maintains the integrity of those two blocks, and you know, I think that that's
what I'm seeing is this red line is encroaching. I think without know, pardon me,
I don't know all the specificity of the original zoning ordinances, but if...if it
stays, I mean, we're really discussing where that red line, that moves back and
forth. Is it currently Linn Street is the ... cause Linn Street is a really significant
divider between residential and commercial properties, the way I see ... the way
I'm reading it. So ... yeah, there you go. Thank you! So it's ... as far as I can read,
and then I ... I may be not reading it correctly, but... so that yellow block is
residential. The, um ... above and below Bloomington Street. Is that right? Those
are all residential? So I'm ... I'm confused by why would ... you would take that
red line and nudge it over, I mean (mumbled). So, um ... that's ... thank you.
Hayek: Okay! Thank you for your input! Okay, I'm going to close the public hearing
unless there's anybody else who wants to weigh in on the issue. Okay.
Karr: Motion to accept...
Mims: Moved.
Champion: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Champion. Discussion? Those in favor say aye.
Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7 -0. Okay, I'm going to close the public
hearing. (bangs gavel) So now the Council...
2. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
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Bailey: (mumbled)
Hayek: The Council will, uh, yeah, we haven't even taken it up yet.
Bailey: Move adoption of the resolution.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Mims. Discussion?
Champion: Well, I'll start. I think it's a great building. I think it looks fantastic, but I'm not
going to support it. You know, it reminds me of when I was looking for a house
in Iowa City, I don't know what it was — 35, 38 —1 can't remember how long ago
it was, but I wanted to live close to downtown. My husband wanted to work and
be ... in between the office and the hospital. We were really limited on where we
wanted to live. We were very specific, and at that time ... we live on Summit
Street. We live in the Longfellow Neighborhood. At that time, there was
a ... really a gross apartment being built on Court Street and the possibility of the
house on the corner of Summit and Court being turned into an apartment building
like this, uh, not as nice. And when the Council finally decided to take a stand on
that neighborhood, remember the University was growing like crazy. Apartment
buildings are being built everywhere in town, and the City Council at that time
took a stand on making Summit Street a historic district. Doesn't sound like
much, but I tell you what happened. It stopped the intrusion of Longfellow
Neighborhood. And we bought that house on Summit Street and put a fortune
into remodeling it and fixing it up, and you know what happened? All of a
sudden people on Clark Street were fixing up their houses. People on Court
Street were fixing up their houses. Because they felt very safe about putting their
investment in that neighborhood, that was deteriorating at a pretty rapid rate
because people were afraid of apartment encroachment. Now I grew up in a city
where apartments were mixed in, but that's not the Midwest idea. I ... I think this
neighborhood is fragile. I totally support neighborhood preservation. It's so
important. It's the most important thing that Iowa City has. We don't have the
Coral Ridge Mall, but we have great neighborhoods! And I think it's imperative
that we preserve them, and if you start with this building, which I like! I think it's
incredibly well designed. I don't want it there! It will be the next step. There'll
be another step; there'll be another exemption; there'll be something else going on
and I totally want to save the Northside, to preserve it, make it better, and so I'm
not going to support changing the Comprehensive Plan. Thank you for coming
tonight!
Wright: I have to admit I have some serious reservations about changing our document
that we signed off on almost exactly three years ago. Uh, and that was the result
of a process that got input from the folks all over the Central District. It was a
very deliberative process. I take issue with changing it so rapidly when it's
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something that may well have long -term ramifications for the Northside
Neighborhood, uh, particularly in that ... that border area between the ... the
residential and uh, the commercial districts, um ... these properties were seen as
viable residential, uh, properties a scant three years ago with no thought given to
rezoning them, uh, or changing the land use designation, in terms of the
Comprehensive Plan, uh ... and I'm willing to support the original intent and not
support this change in the Comprehensive Plan. I don't think we've had enough
deliberation, uh, and I ... I think there are ramifications and uh ... precedence that
could be set by doing so that might be ... end up being very detrimental to the area.
Hayek: Well, I ... I'll jump in if no one else will. Um, I ... uh, in some respects there are
some very good design elements to this project and ... and I'm excited about the,
uh, interest in redevelopment throughout Iowa City and... and this is a
neighborhood I would include. Um, but I ... I too can't support this. I, uh, there's
a reason we passed RSM -12, um, almost 20, or ... almost 20 years ago, um, after
years of de ... destabilization of...of the Northside Neighborhood. Like you said,
Mike, the process we followed in 2008 to pass the three -year old, uh, Central
District Plan was a pretty thoughtful one as I recall. You and I were both on the
Council at the time. Um, and ... I'm not ... I don't know that I'm opposed to the
essential concept of this, um ... um ... uh, I think, uh, I think there's some logic in
...in following that commercial line up to Bloomington as ... as commercial, um...
but this wraps around and heads west on ... on Bloomington. Um, there is no
resolution of the three homes north of Bloomington, um, which ... which has been
mentioned, and I think would be, uh, something to ... to consider. Uh, I ... the scale
of this, um. ... is ... is too much for this, uh, fragile neighborhood. Um, and ... and
certainly the scale is big enough to remind me of the intent of RNS -12 which is to
proceed carefully. Um ... and uh ... (mumbled) anything I wanted to add ... Jim
mentioned the ... Jim Throgmorton, you know, this is a rezoning and ... and when
there is a rezoning, the City has an opportunity, if it agrees to rezone, to
uh ... affect the outcome or the product, uh, through what's called the Conditional
Zoning Agreement, and um ... those can be very good opportunities to
accommodate a desire to do something, but at the same time, um ... impose
some ... some conditions, um ... on a project that the City otherwise would not be
able to, uh, impose, if the project were being built consistent with the, uh, current
zoning. So, um ... continue to work on this; I hope we do, and I don't want to
discourage the ... the applicant, um, but this particular, uh, approach, this particular
project, um, gets me beyond my comfort level, uh, based on, uh, our current
zoning and the plan we worked very hard to create three years ago.
Wilburn: Well I think the ... the comment, you know, I was trying to reflect back on any
discussions around this three-year ... because it was so recent, whether or not
there's something I'm willing to modify because, um, I've historically said ... you
know, within our Comprehensive Plan, if there's opportunities for, uh, in -fill
development, to looking at you know those (mumbled) increase in those densities,
urn ... that we should do that to try and discourage (mumbled) other areas and
services (mumbled) etc., etc.
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Bailey: I want to take a little bit of a different approach here. Um ... I'm a Northsider.
I ... I use this, uh, area quite a lot. One of the things that I've seen, and hasn't been
mentioned and noted in our community is this interest in, um ... business startups
and entrepreneurship, and one of the opportunities I see with this is some
incredible commercial opportunities in the Northside, which does a great job of
supporting its ... its commercial entities. And so ... I've been very excited about
this project. I ... I understand some concerns about density, but I've never been a
person who believed that the word `renter' means `bad person' or `bad for our
neighborhoods.' Um, that's one of the things I love about the Northside, and
that's one of the things I love about Iowa City. I mean, we're not so Midwestern
to believe that everybody has to own their own residence. So I see some real
opportunities here and I don't want to overlook them because it's new and it's
different. Sure the row house is a great idea, but I don't see the opportunities that
it provides for the commercial spaces to the degree that I see in this building. We
talk... economic development talks, um, I hear ... I work with small businesses
looking for small spaces. Affordable small spaces in this community is a
challenge, and this may provide those opportunities that live -work idea, um, in
this, uh, in this residence on the corner is just the kind of innovation that we need
to start seeing in our community. So ... um, my inclination here is ... it makes a
certain degree of sense, um, right across the street from a parking lot. The
current, um ... the current residence there are, quite frankly, any one of my
neighbors would complain about their condition on most weekends, and so
they're no paragons of residential living, um, and so the tradeoff seems a little bit
more favorable from my perspective, especially given the opportunities that it
offers. So ... I'm really quite excited about some of, I mean, sure ... I could second
guess a million things with this as I do with most things, but um ... I think that this
can offer some interesting opportunities to the Northside that we look down the
road 20 years and ... and we're happy to have those businesses there. So ... I'm...
I'm ready to move ahead on this and I support this.
Mims: From my perspective in ... in breaking this apart again into the Comprehensive
Plan change, and the zoning change, and focused just for a minute on what we
are, the step we are on right now is just a Comprehensive Plan change. Okay? I
support it, okay, and I understand, you know, three years ago before I was on
Council there was a lot of detailed work that was done on the Comprehensive
Plan. But the reason I support the change in the Comprehensive Plan is that I
think it makes complete sense, and you mentioned this, Matt, as well, to take the
commercial up to, um, to Bloomington Street. Okay? You've got that big
parking lot there that, I think it's been mentioned, some day that is going to be
built on. I mean, that just inevitably someday will happen, and it's going to make
sense to complete that entire two -block or ... or from Market up to Bloomington,
that block, um, completely as commercial on both sides of the street, and as you
mentioned, Regenia, you know, that concern that we keep coming back to of lack
of office space, lack of small, uh, space, whether it's for office or retail, and it
gives just a cohesiveness to that whole area, uh, that I think makes sense. Now,
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the... so really when you look at, you know, the Comprehensive Plan change, you
talking about, you know, straightening out that line in that one half of the block to
take in that one additional piece of property. Okay? And so from that standpoint,
I think to ... to do that, to be able to get some commercial on that half of the block,
makes good sense. I'll save my comments on the rezoning till we get there, cause
I've got concerns about the building itself and the size and going from 18
bedrooms in the three units that are there to 30 now but with ... 30 with this
proposal, but strictly from the Comprehensive Plan standpoint, I can support
making that change so that we could try to move forward on getting some sort of
mix of commercial, um, and residential in that half a block.
Dickens: I would go along with what Susan has said. I look at this project ... I look at the
Market Place where it's been designated, uh, I wasn't on the Council either at that
time, but I do look at the Pagaili's parking lot across from it. Pagaili's has been
my second kitchen for years cause kind of grew up with Pagaili's Pizza. You also
look at the Gilpin Building which is next to the blue parking area there. That's
another area that probably will have potential building at some time, uh, as the
Gilpin family decides to do what ... what they want to do with their building.
They ... that area will continue to grow ... I'm looking at it stopping at
Bloomington Street by designating the other parks of that market area, those three
houses, to remain residential. There is only one family -owned residential home in
that area, in that two -block area that's yellow (mumbled) uh ... it's ... it's tough to
argue that it's going to stay... single - family, that one house forever. It... it
probably will become a rental property at that point, as well. I know the Pagaili
parking lot will be developed. It may have the same thing across the street, uh ... I
think it's very ... we have to ... we have to set a limit of where it extends, and I
think the Bloomington Street would be the, the, uh, proper choice there.
Mims: I would agree with that, and to follow up with what Jim Throgmorton has said, I
think we do have to be very cautious about the edges of these kinds of zones
and ... and how we transition into others, and that's why as I say when it comes to
the zoning change, I've got some concerns about that and the design, etc., and the
size and ... and what that looks like in terms of going into the neighborhood, but I
think in terms of... strictly right now the Comprehensive Plan change to allow
hopefully a compromise, and negotiation still gets some commercial and
residential along that half a block, I would support the Comprehensive Plan
change.
Wilburn: I have another staff question if I could (both talking)
Hayek: Sure!
Wilburn: Jeff? Um ... where I was going... there's... there's art and science to this. Um...
Davidson: (mumbled)
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Wilburn: What's that?
Davidson: Tell me about it!
Wilburn: Yeah (laughter). Um ... where I was going, you know ... the one concern about
discussions... back then ... um, and it being recent as was pointed out and fresh in
our mind, but having trying to support things like increased density and some of
the issues that were brought up here about opp ... opportunities that might present
themselves, looking forward to economic development. If we ... if we don't agree
to the Comprehensive Plan change ... can you give us a flavor of what's feasible in
terms of, with the existing zoning, density ... uh, commercial, office (both talking)
Davidson: The RMS zone is a... is intended to preserve the existing... single - family housing
stock, basically, and to keep, I mean, I think one of the speakers noted that that
was put into place specifically by the City Council as a neighborhood preservation
zone to keep, um, you know, several parcels from being brought up and them all
torn down and a larger structure (mumbled) even referred to that, uh ... in earlier
days. That was a specific implementation of that zone by the City Council to
keep those teardowns and larger structures, which you now see spotted throughout
the Northside Neighborhood from occurring, and it's been successful.
Hayek: (mumbled)
Davidson: So ... so I guess to ... to get to your question, Ross, the three houses would remain
under the current zone.
Wilburn: (mumbled)
Bailey: (mumbled)
Wright: Yeah (several talking) ...for residential purposes though, correct? If you wanted
to put up some townhouses, for example.
Davidson: Uh, I believe it would ... under the...the neighborhood stabilization zone.
And ... and I'm doing that from ... from memory, um. I'm not the expert on the
zoning code, as you know, uh, Mike, but the intention there is to keep the existing
housing stock from being torn down, so I believe it would require some type of a
rezoning action to establish the...
Wright: ...it's not a preser ... a conservation or a historic district so you can demolish and
replace.
Champion: Yes.
Davidson: I ... I'm not going to speak to the specifics of what you can do, Mike, because I'm
simply not certain. Um ... let's see (mumbled) okay ... yeah, there you can see the
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RNS -12 zoning includes all the property that's under consideration. So when it
was explained to me, Mike, it was that the intent is to preserve the existing
buildings that are on the sites, and eliminate teardowns, I believe that would have
applied to these three homes. Three buildings. Any other questions?
Hayek: And, uh... Susan, your point is well taken that we need to, you know, and the City
Attorney reminded us, this ... of this as well that, you know, our focus should be
on the Comp Plan decision, but the Comp Plan decision before us is to, uh,
change the land use designation of those, of all those properties, including the one
heading west on Bloomington.
Mims: Right.
Hayek: Uh, to urban commercial, and um, if it ... if it didn't include that, and if we could
protect those properties to the north along Linn, um ... I think I'd be singing a
different tune. Um, because I'm ... I am open to that commercial concept along
Linn.
Mims: Uh -huh.
Hayek: Um, with ... with those two caveats that I mentioned. So, um ... I hear what you're
saying. I just ... I think that the ... the change to the Comprehensive Plan is more
than what I'm comfortable making.
Mims: But you're not going to get that commercial along Linn without the change in the
Comprehensive Plan.
Bailey: Exactly! (several talking) I mean, and ... and I think you stated it very well. It
makes a lot of sense right there, and it is an enhancement, not a detraction, from
the neighborhood. We've seen the commercial, um, this kind of commercial in
this neighborhood works so well, and people embrace it! The neighborhood as
well as others. Um, it makes it more attractive, I mean, as somebody told me, the
Northside is the only self - contained neighborhood in the community. You don't
...you can get everything there. You know, there's a grocery store, there's a
hardware store... with... all within walking distance. So it really enhances the
residential.
Wilburn: You know, I think, uh ... were you going to add something, Eleanor? Okay. I
think that, um ... because of the possibilities of the opportunity there with careful
looking... protection through the zoning process, I'm going to go ahead and say I
would be willing to open up the, um, open up the plan so I'll support it.
Mims: Like I say, I've got concerns about the rezoning, and ... and the design, just
because of the size and ... and the concerns that the neighbors have there. Um, we
can work on that, I think, hopefully to something that works for the developer as
well as works, you know, for the neighbors, but we can't get there unless we do
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the Comprehensive Plan piece first, and I think, again, I think having that
commercial fronting on Linn Street, when all of that is that way already up to
Bloomington and you've got that parking lot across the street. You've got
Pagaili's kitty- corner, I think it just makes perfect sense to do that, and again, I
agree with Terry or Regenia or whoever else has already said, I think
Bloomington Street makes absolute sense to be the end, and um, and we've only
got one home that's actually, uh, single- family occupancy, urn ... I just think we
can do it, and do a nice design that ... that is a good edge, as Jim mentioned (both
talking)
Wilburn: Well, and that gets to the art and science versus...
Mims: Uh -huh!
Wilburn: ... what's ... what's in reality on the ground and ... and the... protections we can put
in...
Mims: Right!
Wilburn: ...through the rezoning, so...
Bailey: (several talking)
Wright: ...heard that before.
Champion: Right! I mean, the protection was already built in by the Comprehensive Plan
and, I mean, you just keep edging into it, edging into it, and I'm not saying it's a
bad idea. I mean, it does look logical for the commercial to go to Bloomington,
and maybe they are rental houses, but I don't want to discriminate between an
owner- occupied and a ... and a rental house. Uh, but it's just another way to move
that intrusion in further, and maybe in ten years ... maybe the neighborhood will be
willing to look at this, but the people have bought houses there, knowing that this
neighborhood was protected with certain zoning and certain ordinances, and I
think it's ... does a disfavor to them to take any of that protection away, even
though I really like the project. But I'm not going to support it.
Bailey: Well, and you know, Connie, I know I'm not going to talk you out of this, but he
word intru ... I mean, there's opportunity here with commercial and I guess we just
see it so differently as what benefits the neighborhood, because I certainly
wouldn't want something that would intrude, but the clarity of the Bloomington
Street demarcation, as well as opportunity from ... I'm hoping entrepreneurs who
actually live in the neighborhood, for a 1,000 square feet, and you know how hard
that is to come by.
Champion: Very difficult ... to come by.
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Bailey: Yes!
Wright: I still just think this (mumbled) and it's still chipping away at the edge of the
neighborhood, and we're just going to keep chipping, and chipping, and chipping.
Sooner or later this has to stop or the neighborhood's just going to die a death of a
thousand cuts!
Wilburn: You know, I think that um, there are some other neighborhoods, uh, in the past
where we've looked at, um ... um ... the issues ... well, part of the issues here in
terms of, uh... of density and using the conditional zoning agreements to put some
protections in. Um, and without ... I won't make that comment. Um ... there are
some things that we can try and do with this CZA.
Hayek: Any further discussion?
Dilkes: I just want to, with respect to the question you raised, um ... as to what's allowed
in the current RNS -12 zone ... if this is significant to you we probably want to
confirm this (mumbled) ...just looking at it right now, but I think as I'm reading
this, it would not be limited to the houses that are there right now. It would be, I
mean, you could tear down one of those houses and build a different single - family
home.
Wilburn: Right.
Dilkes: Urn ... it looks like in the chart I'm looking here that you could have ... two family
uses. You could have duplexes, um, and attached single- family dwellings.
Wilburn: And so residential, not the commercial?
Dilkes: Oh, clearly residential! Yeah.
Wilburn: Okay.
Hayek: Any other comments? We'll do a roll call. Item passes 4 — 3, uh, Hayek, Wright,
Champion in the negative. Can we get through C) do you think and... and take a
(several talking) yeah, let's try to do that. All right.
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ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
C) REZONING THE MIDAMERICAN SUBSTATION AND
CONDITIONALLY REZONING APPROXIMATELY .42 -ACRES
OF LAND LOCATED AT 221 N. LINN STREET, 225 N. LINN
STREET AND 223 E. BLOOMINGTON STREET FROM
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL STABILIZATION (RNS -12) TO
CENTRAL BUSINESS SERVICE (CB -2). (REZII- 00012)
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. Public hearing is open. (bangs gavel)
Throgmorton: Hi, I'm Jim Throgmorton again, 714 N. Linn Street, uh, I think some of the
comments I made earlier apply to the rezoning. I just wanted to ... make sure
they're part of the record.
Dilkes: But ... but I think all comments that are made will be part of both the record for
both items.
Hayek: Okay. Thank you, Jim. Anybody else? Okay. I'll close the public hearing at this
time. (bangs gavel)
2. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Bailey: Move first consideration.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Mims. Discussion?
Champion: What does this actually do now? Does this allow that building to be built?
(several talking)
Davidson: Yes. The proposed rezoning action would allow the building to be built, and
again, under the Conditional Zoning Agreement is what you're proposing, or what
you are being asked to, uh, approve, and I went through those elements early...
earlier. Do you have any questions about any (both talking)
Davidson: Thank you! (mumbled)
Dilkes: You have closed the public hearing now, so the CZA cannot be amended.
Hayek: Up or down?
Mims: I guess ... I don't know, this is tough, but I think I'm going to vote this down. And
my reason for that is, I ... I am concerned about the density. Um, in looking at the
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packet, based on the number of bedrooms it shows in those dwellings that are
currently there, and you know, forget units, look at actual bedrooms because
that's really how many people we're talking about. The current units, three
buildings, have a total of 18 bedrooms, according to our packet, and the proposal,
uh, would be for 30. That includes two efficiencies. Okay? That is a significant
increase in density! I'm ... I'm not quite comfortable with that yet. I'd like the,
urn ... I like the ... the commercial space, urn ... and I also ... I don't know. I'm
just ... it's just a big building, and I understand that, but it's big on that edge of that
zone, and I'm just ... I don't know.
Bailey: So are you talking... okay, clarify for me your concerns. Are you talking of the
mass of the building or the density of the possibility of how many people live in
it?
Mims: I would say a little bit of both.
Bailey: Okay. Because I had a question about that as it related to the building that's on
the corner of Market and Linn, which is ... residential above, with quite a few
residences, and would probably be of similar residential density.
Mims: Which one is that?
Bailey: There's a ... on, it's above the bookstore.
Mims: Okay.
Bailey: And so to me ... um, the residential density, urn ... seems coherent with the area
and... and... you know, at the edge of a commercial district, the residential density.
I was happy to see, urn ... the developer really pull back on, um, the kind of units
that are being built.
Mims: (both talking) ... like the kind of units.
Bailey: ...acknowledgement of concern for the type of residences in the neighborhood,
and I really was appreciative, or am appreciative, of that. So ... I'm not having as
many problems with ... I don't have any problems with residential density, I mean,
I think that we're very accustomed in the Midwest to living very far from one
another and it's not ... it's not the way that most people live in the world. So... so
I ... I think it's coherent in the area.
Mims: Okay.
Wright: I do have a concern about the volume of cars that this is going to be bringing in.
There's parking ... was it 34 spaces for 17 units ... urn ... I wonder about how many,
when somebody decides to have a party what that ... even just a peaceful dinner
party! How many more cars is that going to bring into a neighborhood where
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parking's already stressed, um ... it's an awfully dense, and I agree with Susan, it's
a ... it's a large number of people to add into a neighborhood that was never, ever
meant to have this kind of density.
Bailey: But, more in this area, Mike, I mean, as opposed to even where we live, I mean,
there's that wonderful ... I mean, there's... there's more parking in this area
probably than anywhere else in the neighborhood.
Wright: Oh, sure! But most of the parking lots that's there, the surface lot, is taken up by
the commercial for much of the day and the evening (both talking)
Bailey: ...but you know... sure, but I mean ... maybe! I think that there's more parking in
this area than there would be in, you know, corner of Church and Van Buren, for
example, if I had a ... I mean (both talking)
Wright: ...chip that far north what the parking questions are but...
Bailey: I'm confident that we have a vision here that's ... we're going to, you know (both
talking)
Champion: I, uh ... I ... I think there's plenty of parking. You can't build because you're afraid
about having six people over for dinner. (laughter)
Wright: I'm talking about adding stress to a neighborhood where it's ... where parking...
where cars already take up way too (both talking)
Champion: ...New York or Chicago (mumbled) think about that.
Dickens: Well it looks like there's...
Champion: That doesn't ... that doesn't worry me.
Dickens: Twenty... twenty spaces right now just roughly, trying to look from this picture,
that are in the back lot right now.
Champion: Tell `em to take the bus!
Dickens: So they're going to be putting them underneath and actually on two levels, partly
commercial, so you're going to be possibly taking some off the streets and
hiding ... they won't be on the street or visible, the way this is set up. So the... the
net gain, your 34 is both commercial and, from what I can see from the plan, it's
commercial and residential parking is 34 total.
Wright: Thirty -four is commercial and residential total?
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Dickens: Yeah, uh, from the one that we had, there's only ... there's 12 spaces on the one
floor ... I thought they changed the way the parking was. At one time there was
going to be ... 20 -some on the...
Bailey: I see 20...I see 20 in the underground parking level and 14, yeah, 14 on the
commercial level. So that's the...
Dickens: That would be total for both, commercial and so ... there's not that much more
being used, and actually it's ... I would say hiding `em a little ... a little better than
they currently are, and it would allow more ... more parking off the street, or
there'll be more room on the street.
Wright: (both talking)
Hayek: I'm sorry, did you want to finish your thought?
Wright: Well I ... I, uh, a separate thought.
Hayek: Go ahead!
Wright: Which is my other concern is that this rezoning, you look at the map on that block
that leaves three full lots and one small lot left in the RNS -12 zone, and dollars to
donuts, we're going to be getting applications to rezone those properties, as well.
Again, I think this sets a precedence I'm really hesitant to make.
Hayek: As to the first issue, the parking issue, I don't have concerns about the parking,
but when my concerns come in have to do with the footprint of this project and
the scale of it. The ... the architectural, uh, rendition of this does not include what
the adjacent structure on Bloomington, um, looks like, visa -vie that proposed
structure, and you're going to have, uh, an older historic, uh, small home on a
very narrow lot, very close to a ... a big structure. Um ... and I think that's part of
the concern that so many of the Northside have had for all these years, uh, and...
and you see that as you drive around. And there's no ... I would further add
there's... there's no transition from a building of that size to a residential dwelling
of...of that size. Further discussion on the ... on the rezoning? Ready to vote?
Okay. Roll call, please. Did I get this right? Item fails 5 to 2.
Karr: 2 to 5.
Hayek: Or 2 to 5, um, okay. Gosh, Mims, Champion, uh, Wright, Hayek, and Wilburn in
the negative. Okay. Okay, urn ... why don't we take a 5- minute break here, and
we will reconvene the meeting, uh, in 5 minutes. Thank you all for coming.
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ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
D) AMENDING THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY HIGH
DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY (OPD/RS -12) PLAN FOR 2.73 -ACRES
OF LAND LOCATED AT 2785, 2829 AND 2871 HEINZ ROAD.
(REZ11- 00013)
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. Public hearing is open. (bangs gavel)
Davidson: Good morning again, Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council.
Hayek: It's not that late, Jeff! (laughter and several talking)
Davidson: What did I... what did I say?
Hayek: Good morning! (laughter and several talking)
Davidson: Good evening!
Wright: The night is still young!
Davidson: Um, as the Mayor has indicated, the next item is amending the planned
development, uh ... uh, overlay plan development plan for Saddlebrook! Uh, and
here is the location of the property that is under consideration. Uh, in the 90s
when Saddlebrook was originally, um, and there's a location map. You can see
the adjacent, uh, just to orient you Bon Aire Mobile Home Park over here, uh,
Heinz Road, Highway 6 would be up at the top, uh, of the diagram that you see
here. Um, Saddlebrook development was originally, uh, put together in 1994 and
it ... I have to tell you it has changed significantly from what was originally
proposed, and the item that you're being asked to consider here goes back to the
original proposal for Saddlebrook, and it was originally thought at that time that
the buildings, which would be located on this property, and here you see them.
They've... they've been built, uh, the developer specifically asked for the planned
development to accommodate commercial uses, uh, in basically the, here you see
the three buildings as they're put together, in the slightly more than half of this
building, the front half, and slightly more than half of this building, again,
the ... the area's that closest to, uh, Heinz Road, and what the developer is now
asking for is for the, uh, amendment to be made, which you have before you, the
amendment to be made to allow commercial or residential, and obviously in the
short-term the intention is to perhaps get some residential uses in there, but in the
long term, and I'm just going to quick go down to a, uh, a diagram that's actually
for the next item. Here's... here's the, uh, the overall development plan. This is
McCollister, if I can get the arrow to come up, McCollister Boulevard that will
eventually, uh, come over from where it's currently, uh, terminated in, uh, the
subdivision off of Gilbert Street. It'll eventually come over and intersect the
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extension of Heinz Road that comes down here, and when that happens, there'll
obviously be a lot more traffic on Heinz Road and Highway 6, and it may at that
time be reasonable for commercial uses. That's why the designation for either
residential or commercial, uh, is the way the amendment is structured. Uh, the
other thing that was noted when this was, um ... uh, when this amendment was
suggested is that there was a requirement to construct 20, uh, garages in
conjunction with the three buildings that you see here. The three buildings here.
Uh, and instead surface parking was put in and it is the developer's request to
amend the agreement to allow the surface parking to stay. The garages were
originally intended to provide, uh, a screening or a buffer between the mobile
home park, uh, to the west and this development, and you can see that, uh, this is
an existing photo showing the arbor vitae, uh, hedge that's been planted instead
that does provide some buffering. Uh, the Planning and Zoning Commission did
not have a problem with the surface spaces with the ... the arbor vitae screening
remaining. So those are the two items that you're being asked to amend, uh, in
the plan. Uh, are there any questions? Thank you.
Hayek: This is a public hearing, so anyone from the audience can address us.
Gordon: (mumbled) Um, good evening, I'm Steve Gordon with AM Management. We
manage the, uh, Town Square project, and um, I'm here to answer any questions,
but um, when we, uh, brought this to have it, uh, a planned development done
about five years ago, um, our original, uh, goal would have been to have all
residential in this area. We didn't feel this location on Heinz Road at this time,
um, was conducive to commercial, but ... but um, back to the original thoughts,
um, you know, 15 or 20 years ago when this whole area was annexed in, um, you
know, it was agreed to try some commercial, and there's 9,000 square feet of
commercial space on the, uh, on the ground floor, as Jeff mentioned, and we've,
you know, tried hard for five years to, uh, to get that rented. Part of it is rented,
and um ... and uh, a lot of it's never been rented, and a couple spaces have been
rented and then since... since vacated. So, a lot of it has set vacant for that whole
time. We just don't feel that's a conducive use. Um, the parkway's a long way
off. It's not in any, uh, future plans as of this point to come this far. Heinz Road
is, um, as of right now a dead end road into a residential area. And so we're
just ... we're just looking for an opportunity to put, you know, to put this space to
use, and um, so we ... we'd like to be able to, uh, convert some of that empty
commercial, that's empty right now, and put it into a, uh, into a use that's um...
that's feasible at this time. Uh, there was some concern ... about parking. Um,
actually the surface parking provides more parking opportunity than garages. Not
everybody that has a garage will use it for their car, as I'm sure you're aware, and
urn ... it's just ... it's just not a use that ... that um ... that people want at this point.
We have ... we have some garages in the development to the north, and um, you
know, 20 garages with only 34 or 35 residential units ... it's just not, um, you
would not rent that many garages to people living there unless you would end up
renting it for other uses, storage uses and things like that, which actually make
parking worse. So, um ... I think we've screened it very well. I think it's a...
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actually a nicer look than garages to ... to protect the residential uses at Bon Aire,
um, from these buildings. They're quite a ways apart, um, there's an elevation
difference, and uh, so we would like the opportunity to be able to put this space
to, um, you know, to a use right now and have the flexibility in the future if... if
Heinz Road becomes more traveled to ... to revert back to commercial if need be.
Champion: (mumbled) ...these trees on this side of those trees is where Bon Aire is?
Gordon: Correct.
Champion: I'm just confused. Okay.
Gordon: Yeah, if you look at the map, the ... those trees are those dark circles kind of on the
west side of the property, and Bon Aire (mumbled). Yes. You are ... you are
about the, the cameras about right here, looking towards the parking lot, those are
those ... those are those line of arbor vitas and there's a big green space there with
the big tree in the middle and then the same thing over here.
Champion: (mumbled)
Gordon: Bon Aire's over there.
Champion: (mumbled)
Gordon: Happy to answer any questions. Thank you.
Hayek: Thanks, Steve. Any further, uh, input from the public? Okay. I will close the
public hearing. (bangs gavel)
2. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Champion: Move first consideration.
Wright: Second.
Hayek: Motion from Champion, seconded by Wright. Discussion? Roll call, please. Uh,
first consideration passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
J) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO
THE SUBDIVIDER'S AGREEMENT REGARDING
REQUIREMENTS FOR ESCROW ACCOUNTS AND
SECONDARY STREET ACCESS FOR SADDLEBROOK PART 2.
Davidson: Eleanor, you wanted me to do this one (mumbled)
Bailey: Move adoption of the resolution.
Dilkes: Pardon me?
Champion: Second.
Davidson: You wanted me to do this one too, didn't you? Okay. I (mumbled) so, yeah, you
saw this (several talking) Jeff Davidson...
Hayek: Just a second. Uh, moved by Bailey, seconded by ... Champion.
Davidson: Excuse me, Matt. Uh, Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning again. You saw this
diagram earlier, just real quickly ... the request to delete the, uh, requirement for
the escrow, uh, from the subdivider's agreement is ... is related to two things. It
was put in place because we wanted to make sure, uh, that uh ... Heinz Road
would be constructed from this point where it terminates currently down to where
the new aerial will come across at this point. Uh, at the time that was put together
the development plan, which I indicated to you, has changed quite a bit in this
area, had development in this area ... uh, that did not have access to Heinz Road.
So it could have been constructed. It had ... it had access from ... other areas of the
development, so that it could have been ... that residential could have been built
without Heinz Road being constructed. What's proposed now as part of the
adopted development plan has access directly on to Heinz Road, so it can't be
constructed without Heinz Road being constructed, which we feel gives assurance
that Heinz Road will be constructed. The ... the secondary access issue has gone
away, uh, because of an extension right here, from Pinto Lane into this
subdivision, which you have already considered, uh, and it will connect here to
Whispering Meadows Drive, uh, and provide secondary access into the
subdivision. So we provide ... we feel that those two provisions, uh, justify
relinquishing the requirement for the escrow of the property, and our
recommendation is to amend accordingly. Thank you!
Hayek: Any questions for Jeff? Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 7. AUTHORIZING CONVEYANCE OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME
LOCATED AT 1208 EAST BURLINGTON STREET.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. (bangs gavel) Public hearing is open. Public hearing is
closed. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Wilburn: Move adoption of the resolution.
Bailey: Second.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Motioned by Wilburn, seconded by Bailey. Discussion? Yet another UniverCity
success! Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 9. DETERMINING THE RIVERFRONT CROSSINGS URBAN RENEWAL
AREA OF THE CITY TO HAVE CONDITIONS OF BLIGHT AND THAT
THE REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, REDEVELOPMENT,
DEVELOPMENT, OR A COMBINATION THEREOF, OF SUCH AREA IS
NECESSARY IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY
OR WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY; DESIGNATING
SUCH AREA AS APPROPRIATE FOR AN URBAN RENEWAL
PROJECT; AND ADOPTING THE RIVERFRONT CROSSINGS URBAN
RENEWAL PLAN THEREFORE.
a) PUBLIC HEARING (CONT'D FROM OCTOBER 4)
Hayek: This is a public hearing, which was continued from October 4th, and I'll reopen it.
(bangs gavel)
Ford: It was continued... hi, I'm Wendy Ford, Economic Development Coordinator, and
the reason it was continued was to allow the statutory requirements for time to
elapse, um, after a consultation with our taxing entities. That time has elapsed
and um, we are now ... we have now met all requirements needed for the State.
Hayek: Thank you, Wendy. Further input? Okay, I'll close the public hearing. (bangs
gavel)
b) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION (DEF'D FROM OCTOBER 4)
Bailey: Move adoption.
Wilburn: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Wilburn. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item
passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 10. APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COURT
HILL TRAIL — PHASE THREE PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT
OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY
CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND
PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing and I will open it now. (bangs gavel) For the public's,
uh, information this project will extend the Court Hill trail from Scott Boulevard
east through Scott Park along Ralston Creek and will connect to an existing trail
located within the Windsor Ridge subdivision. Also includes, uh, some trail
connections to the Dog Park, Court Street, Cumberland Lane, and an 8 -foot wide
sidewalk along Scott Boulevard and some other stuff. (laughter and several
talking) Is there any input from the audience during the public hearing? Okay. ]
will close the public hearing. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Champion: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item
passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 14. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AMENDED BY -LAWS
OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS.
Champion: I'd like to amend that motion to only include... only ... (laughter) only include on 1
and 2 of the By -Laws, and eliminate, uh, number 3, which opens up to non-
residents, um, to be on the Commission.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Motion from Champion, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Those in favor say aye.
Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7 -0. (both talking) ...feel like that jumped the
gun a little. Can we go ahead and...
Karr: Yeah! Yeah, why don't you go ahead and we'll just have a motion to adopt it as
amended.
Hayek: Yeah.
Karr: That's fine.
Mims: Move adoption as amended.
Wright: Second.
Champion: I didn't even notice that we skipped that!
Hayek: That's all right! Motion to adopt as amended moved by Mims, seconded by
Wright. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0, uh, as amended.
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ITEM 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2011 PARKING
RAMP REPAIRS PROJECT.
Mims: Move the resolution.
Wright: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Wright. Discussion? Uh, Engineer estimated
$176,000 for this project, uh, and Public Works recommends awarding the
contract to Western Waterproofing, uh, Company Inc. of West Des Moines who
came in at $107,000. Further discussion?
Champion: What is the average life of a parking ramp? I'm just curious. I know about the
elevators!
O'Brien: Roughly about 50 years.
Champion: Oh, wow! Okay.
O'Brien: Depending on how much maintenance you do, that can be extended to 70, 80.
Hayek: Thanks, Chris.
Champion: Thanks, Chris.
Hayek: Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 16. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE PHASE 1 OF
THE FIRST AVENUE STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
Wilburn: Move adoption of the resolution.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Mims. Uh, the Engineer had estimated, uh, this
project to come in at $353,000, uh, Public Works recommends awarding the
contract to Sulzberger Excavating of Muscatine who came in at, uh, almost
$282,000. (several commenting) Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item
passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 18. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE CABLE TV DIVISION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICES DEPARTMENT AND THE AFSCME AND ADMINISTRATIVE
PAY PLANS BY RECLASSIFYING THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMER
POSITION, AFSCME GRADE 9, TO MEDIA PRODUCTION SERVICES
COORDINATOR, ADMINISTRATIVE GRADE 26.
Bailey: Move adoption of the resolution.
Wright: Second.
Hayek: Motion by Bailey, seconded by Wright. Discussion?
Bailey: I think it should be pointed out that this will be paid from Cable TV and not from
General Fund.
Hayek: Good point! Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0. (several
talking) Hang on! We're almost done! (laughter)
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ITEM 21. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Hayek: Start down with you, Susan.
Mims: Nothing.
Champion: I just have one ... want to ask ... I have a comment. I really need to go home, but I
have to comment on something anyway! (laughter) Urn ... do you know, a while
ago when I first got on the Council, we had this big discussion about...
Wright: A while? (laughter)
Bailey: A decade ago! (laughter)
Champion: Big discussion about the City getting out of the housing business and selling more
of our houses, and I think we did do that for a while, and I was thinking about this
great program that we have with the UniverCity partnership, that maybe we
should talk about that again, about allowing those houses that are congregated
together in the southeast side, of getting out of the real estate business and selling
those to qualified, um ... income buyers.
Hayek: Well, it's my understanding ... our policy is to try to sell those, um...
Champion: But we've kind of gotten out of the habit.
Hayek: Well, and I don't know what the progress has been but my understanding is is that
that is the intent. I mean, I don't know how that jives with the UniverCity
program, which tries to (both talking)
Champion: It doesn't jive with it at all. I'm not saying it jives with it, it just...it's (mumbled)
and making them home - owned.
Wilburn: Perhaps request a status update from the Housing Department about where we're
at in terms of progression of sales of ... City-owned rentals. (several talking)
Hayek: Is that a good place to start, Connie?
Champion: Yes!
Hayek: Okay. (mumbled)
Bailey: Oh, I just want to wish everybody a Happy Halloween and we're taking that night
off for a work session and um, having our double -up meeting on November I", so
we'll see you back then. So in the meantime, have a good holiday!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of October 18, 2011.