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ITEM 2. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
(recording starts in mid - sentence)
Hayek: ... Consent Calendar, and because of a couple of changes we discussed at our
work session, what we need is a motion to, uh, adopt the Consent Calendar as
presented or amended, including, uh, the deletion of Items 2e(1) and 2d(7).
Payne: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Roll call, please. Uh, item
passes 7 -0. And now, Jim, if you, uh, would make a motion, uh... (both talking)
Karr: To adopt.
Hayek: ...adopt Item 2d(7) which is the National...
Throgmorton: Well, I make a motion that we adopt 2 ... Item 2d(7).
Champion: Second!
Hayek: Moved by Throgmorton, seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Throgmorton: Yeah, Jeff, uh, I was wondering if you might be able to give us a sense of, uh,
who the National Development Council is, why they were hired initially, uh,
what's being proposed with this particular resolution and why.
Davidson: Yes, the...
Hayek: Let me interrupt. Why don't you ... let me just read the actual resolution itself and
then you can get into the background. It's 2...2d(7) reads: consider a resolution
authorizing the Mayor to execute and the City Clerk to attest an agreement
between the City and the National Development Council regarding Community
and Economic Development advisement.
Davidson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm Jeff Davidson, the Director of Planning for the City.
Uh, the item that has been taken off the Consent Calendar is a contract that we
have with the National Development Council. The National Development
Council is a non - profit organization that's basically been in existence for many
years to assist, uh, typically private, non - profit, uh, housing projects. Uh, they
have, um ... training programs then, which is how we first became acquainted with
them. We had two members of our staff, uh, that ... that took training programs in
financial analysis, uh ... it related to housing projects. Um, as we have gotten
more and more into financial assistance by the City being kind of standard
procedure for a lot of our projects, we realized that we were getting into situations
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that really required a level of expertise that, uh, we didn't necessarily have on
staff, and it was occurring routinely enough that we, uh, basically took it upon
ourselves to initially on an experimental basis, uh, used the services of the
National Development Council. We found that they were very, very valuable,
and have since formalized that, uh ... that relationship, and this would be, I believe,
the second or possibly even third renewal of our contract with them. And the
National Development Council, we ... according to our contract, we pay a monthly
fee. Uh, they are here for three days a month to help us, and they are available
basically throughout the month, and they are very good about... in... in the course
of them doing their training courses and whatever basically dropping what they're
doing and assisting us. Uh, we have found ourselves in situations with, uh,
financial analysis for, you know, basically a request for financial assistance where
we need a response very quickly, and we need a level of analysis that requires the
highest level of, uh, financial knowledge in order ... in order to ... to make that
analysis, and you have seen many projects. All of our TIF projects received
scrutiny from the National Development Council, and we have had projects where
they have determined that the financial analysis was appropriate, and some they
have, in fact, one just ... just recently where they have determined it is not
appropriate, and ... even the projects where our financial analysis, or our financial
assistance is determined to be appropriate, they ... by the time you see it, it has
gone through a lot of analysis where the developer's requested to change certain
assumptions, change certain factors, change certain things, so that by the time you
get it, it's a very, very tight financial analysis which you can then make a policy
decision on whether or not you want to implement a specific, uh, project. So I
think the City Manager would concur that although it's, uh, you know,
every... every, you know, we don't like spending money more than we have to,
but it is money well spent in terms of the amounts of, the millions and millions of
dollars, uh, that we are being asked to provide in ... in financial assistance, uh,
having this level of analysis is money well spent, we feel.
Throgmorton: Thanks, Jeff! That's very helpful. If I might, uh, just sort of elaborate a little bit.
Um, so if...if I'm understanding you correctly, um ... the National Development
Council has helped us do such things as do a gap analysis or a but -for analysis
with regard to proposed TIFs, and if I heard you correctly, recently they have
advised against a particular proposal, saying it didn't really meet criteria, right?
Davidson: That is correct.
Throgmorton: So you feel it provides us with a very, uh, skillful and objective analysis of, um,
of points having to do with the gap in financing and whether a TIF is, uh,
appropriate for a particular project or not.
Davidson: That is correct, Jim, and I also meant to mention and I forgot that they are also
assisting us in training up our staff, as well, and ... and we receive deeply
discounted rates for doing that. In fact, we ... we receive some of it for no expense
as part of our contract with them.
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Throgmorton: Great! Thanks.
Hayek: Jim, do you have any other questions (both talking)
Throgmorton: No, I don't.
Markus: I might just add that ... not only do they do the gap analysis, they actually look at
the financials of the corporation seeking, uh, the incentive and then making a
determination whether that company is ... they're looking into the books of the
actual company that may be applying for that incentive, as well, and then making
a determination, their credit worthiness and if in fact there is a real gap that does
exist there.
Hayek: Great! Uh, any further discussion on ... that item? Hearing none, roll call, please.
Uh, item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 3. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA)
Hayek: This brings us to Item 3, which is community comment. This is the opportunity at
each Council meeting for members of the public to address the City Council on
items that are not on the agenda. So if there's something not on the agenda you'd
like to bring to our attention, I invite you to step forward. Please, uh, sign in and
also verbally give us your name, and also please limit your comments to five
minutes or less.
Elliott: At my age it's difficult to talk and write at the same time, so I will write!
Hayek: No special dispensation, Mr. Elliott! (laughter)
Champion: At least he's not talking! (laughter)
Elliott: Hey! (laughter) I'm Bob Elliott. Uh, my wife Maggie and I have lived on Dover
Street in southeast Iowa City for more than 40 years. Um, we have talked from
time to time about why we stayed in Iowa City this long, and those situations
arise, and another one arose Sunday morning on the 22nd when, uh, Maggie got up
first. She looked out and said, oh, it's rained outside cause there's water, and she
said no, it doesn't look like it. So I went out. There was a water main that had
broke, so this was about 7, 7:30. Within a short period of time I found out that the
call had already been called in. Uh, a gentleman from the City came out. He was
looking at things. Short time later a truck pulled up. Within a very short period
of time an ... a, um, a backhoe, a huge backhoe was there. They identified where
the water main break was and it was right next store. They took care of
everything. We left for church. The street was torn up and the driveway and the
entrance to the driveway was torn up. By the time we got home from church,
about 11:00, everything was fixed, everything was done, everything... everybody
was gone. It was just another example of the City workers really doing an
outstanding job! Uh, they were helpful to us when I went out and asked them
how long the water would be off; they told me. We had a chance to take our
showers first, so it was just a great example of the City using our tax money in
good form. One little parting shot before I leave. My understanding is that urban
chickens are mutually exclusive terms (laughter) and I hope the Council will see it
that way! Thank you! (laughter)
Hayek: Thanks, Bob, and Tom, I hope you will pass on his comments, uh, to staff.
Markus: About the chickens? (laughter)
Hayek: No! About the, uh (laughter) I'll leave that up to you!
Markus: Okay!
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Hayek: And thanks, Bob, for the nice, uh, comments about, uh, the City being responsive
to that situation. Would anyone else, uh, from the audience like to address us
during community comment? Seeing none I will move on to Item 4, Planning and
Zoning Matters.
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ITEM 4. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
ITEM 4c AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE LAND -USE
DESIGNATION FROM SINGLE- FAMILY/DUPLEX RESIDENTIAL TO
MEDIUM - DENSITY MULTI - FAMILY RESIDENTIAL FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED NORTH OF BENTON STREET BETWEEN GEORGE AND STREB
STREETS. (CA12- 00002) [Discussion only at formal meeting
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: What I'm going to do here is ... this, uh, this item and the next couple of items all relate to
the Oaknoll project, um ... I'm going to open the public hearing on 4c, uh ... the actual ex
parte disclosure we would make would normally come under 4d, but I'm just going to
have everybody on Council disclose any conversations they've had regarding the
rezoning at the beginning of this first, uh, public hearing, just to get it out of the way. So
I will open the public hearing at this time (bangs gavel) and uh, let's start with ex parte,
uh, disclosures, if any.
Dobyns: I had discussions with City staff, uh, clarifying some of the various issues.
Mims: Does that include... conversations between Council Members?
Hayek: Yeah.
Mims: Okay. I talked to Rick about it. Rick and I had a conversation about it, and I think Matt
and I had a brief conversation about it.
Dilkes: You ... you should give just briefly the substance of the conversation. The ... the point
here is to enable ... the applicant or people opposed to the rezoning to respond. If you...
you need to give them enough information so they know if there was a concern being
discussed, etc.
Mims: Yeah, the concern, I mean .... what Rick and I had a brief discussion, and he was
expressing his concern about, uh, possibly the size and height of the building, um, was
basically the extent of our conversation and ... very similar with Matt.
Dobyns: Right, and that's what I clarified with City staff, as well as my Council colleagues.
Hayek: Um, 1, uh ... um ... talked briefly with Susan earlier today, um, and we both indicated to
each other, um, general support for the project. I also ran into Attorney Bob Downer, the
attorney for Oaknoll, couple of weeks ago about something else but he mentioned this
and suggested that I drive by the area, um, and I said I would and I did. Urn ... and I think
that's, oh, Rick and I talked briefly, um, and ... you just indicated that you were going to
contact City staff with some concerns you had.
Dobyns: Which I did.
Hayek: That was the extent of it. We didn't get into any specifics.
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Dobyns: Which will come up in discussion.
Hayek: Okay.
Throgmorton: I ... I must admit that you and I actually had a brief phone conversation today in which
you told me that you were going to drive by Oaknoll, and I said I'll probably do that later
on. I ... I'm completely mystified why it is we have to, uh, publicly acknowledge that we
in fact talked to another Council Member about some public issue, or that we talked to a
City staff member about it. It's just absurd! I ... I understand why we have to
acknowledge talking with members of the public, property owners, whatever, but City
staff? City Council Members? Ahh ... I don't get it! (laughter)
Dilkes: Did you want a response (laughter and several talking)
Hayek: It relates to rezoning only.
Dilkes: There are some city attorneys who will tell you you can't talk at all.
Throgmorton: Yeah, and that's ridiculous.
Hayek: (several talking) anyway, all right ... any more ex parte communications to disclose on
the part of Council? Hearing none, we're in the public hearing and uh, why don't we
start with Jeff Davidson from staff.
Davidson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning for the City. Um, you have
three items, even though the ... the first item that the Mayor has introduced is the, uh,
Comprehensive Plan amendment. There is also a rezoning action, and a street vacation
action, uh, that ... that is part of the issue tonight, uh, regarding the proposed expansion of
Oaknoll Retirement Residence. Since Marian's put the lights down, there is a picture of
the image, and we'll have a couple more images to, uh, go through. Um, I am going to...
as the staff report, uh, that you received did basically include all three issues together, I'm
also going to present everything together, so thank you for the ex parte communication
disclosure. We can get that out of the way. Um, you ... you'll obviously on your agenda
consider them separately in terms of votes, but let's just go through `em all at once cause
it ... it, they're clearly all related to each other. Um ... the request is from Christian
Retirement Services, better known as Oaknoll. Uh, the request is for as I mentioned three
items — amendment to the Comprehensive Plan, a rezoning action from RS -8 to, uh, RM-
20 with a planned development overlay, and we'll ... I'll go through real briefly the
significance of that, and vacation of the public right -of -way of Spring Street, and the
purpose is for the expansion of Oaknoll Retirement Residence, uh, located north of
Benton Street between George and Streb Streets. The size of the parcel for which all of
these actions are being considered is 2.7 acres, and the Comprehensive Plan currently,
and this is through the Southwest District Plan calls for single - family or duplex
residential in this area. So what you will be asked to consider with the Comprehensive
Plan, uh, action is... is the vision for this area still single - family, uh, duplex residential or
should it be a higher density as suggested by, uh, the applicant. Um ... I ... I also wanted to
mention, because there have been a couple of questions, I mean, Oaknoll is clearly a
senior housing, uh ... uh, facility. Uh, they are somewhat unique in the, uh, life -care
aspect of, uh, how they conduct their business, and the applicant is here and may wish to
elaborate on that, and you may have questions, but basically the ... the notion of that is
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that you can transition from independent living to assisted living to skilled care nursing
home -type care, within that facility as part of an initially agreed to expense, in that that is
somewhat unique in senior housing, and again, the applicant may wish to expand on that,
but I think it is worth, um... it is worth bearing out, or is worth bringing out, uh, so you
understand what the nature of this facility is. The services that are provided within the
walls of Oaknoll include, uh, as I mentioned, 24 -hour emergency nursing care, uh,
housekeeping services, transportation, wellness center, swimming pool, movie theater,
uh, dining facilities. It's a, uh, very much a ... um, complete community and ... and again,
you may have questions for the, uh, applicant about that. Um ... let's just real quickly spin
through the images here so we have a good understanding of...of, sort of the character
and the nature of what's proposed. Here you see, uh, a rendering, this is a view from the
intersection of George Street. What you see in front of you, uh, and Benton Street, you
can see the skywalk that is proposed, that would connect the, uh, phase 2 facility, which
was completed over here several years ago, uh, with the ... this is the proposed, uh,
facility. Uh, here's how it lays out in an aerial view. You see the existing, uh, Oaknoll
campus here. Uh, George Street, uh, Benton Court which was vacated. You have a
vacation action that you're being, uh, requested to consider of Spring Street, which is
right here. Uh, similar action was taken previously for Oaknoll with Benton Court right
here. Uh, you can also see the, uh, amount of property. Oaknoll does control all the
property, uh, that is, um ... uh, being, uh, used in the expansion project, uh, there is one
piece of property which ... which I think is highlighted here. You can see, uh, that they do
not own, uh, but is being taken into consideration with the proposed, uh, development
project. Uh, here's... here's a layout basically of the large building, and you can see it's
configured with a, uh, central courtyard area here which we'll show some images of that
in a second, and again, to orient you — Benton Street is here, uh, George Street is here,
vacated Spring Street would be here, and Streb Street which ... which would remain a
public street, uh, is located at the west side of the property. Uh, you can also see the
extent of the property that ... that Oaknoll does ... Oaknoll does own. There would also be
two duplex units, uh... constructed by Oaknoll here, so a total of four units. There's 69
units here, and then the four units here, for a total of, uh, 73. Uh ... the site currently...
well, I'll get to that in a second, uh, the number of units it currently contains. Um... the
...the project as envisioned would have access here to underground parking. Um, and
... and they are providing a significant amount of parking beyond what is required, a total
of 145, uh, spaces. Uh, you'll also note that there are two ... two homes here, which
would remain. Uh, they ... they are not going to be taken down at this ... at this time.
Oaknoll would ... would rent them as part of their ... their program, but they would remain
in the existing, uh, configuration. Um...the, uh, Spring Street, although it's vacated, it
will provide the main access to this. It will be reconstructed, uh, and provide the access
to the 145 spaces of underground, uh, parking. Uh, the applicant has indicated that they
did conduct a, um ... uh, neighborhood meeting, uh, which is not required but they did
conduct one and it was rather sparsely attended. Um... in terms of the analysis here. The
...the current, uh, RS -8 zoning allows for, um ... uh, single - family and duplexes, as I
mentioned. Oh, and I ... I'm sorry; I did have a few more images to go through here. Uh,
there's a, A... um... not exactly an aerial view but a... a view of... of what the proposed
building would look like and you can see the two, uh, the two, uh, areas here, separated
by the courtyard in the middle and then down here's where the ... that's a roof of one of
the new duplexes. Um ... and again, another view showing the skywalk across George
Street. Um ... one of the things that we'll be discussing is the scale of the building. Uh,
this corner right here is the tallest part of the building. It's a full five stories tall and
that's one of the things that (mumbled) has received a lot of discussion with the applicant
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and we'll, uh, go through some of the ... the strategies in terms of dealing with some of
the, uh, neighborhood issues with that. Here you see that corner that I was just pointing
out. You see the three, uh, access driveways here to the underground parking that
we'd... would be provided under the building. Here's Streb Street. Uh, Oaknoll owns
these two houses. They do not own these, and then there would be a house removed right
here, uh, that would provide what we feel is better emergency vehicle access via, uh, the
former Spring Street and Streb Street. Uh, this is the building that they do not currently
own and then here are the two new duplexes that, uh, would be constructed. Uh ... let's
see. There's the ... this is the courtyard and we'll get into one of the ... one of the
exceptions that's being asked for as part of the planned development process is to the
number of trees that are required, and one of the reasons that that, uh, was considered a
reasonable request is this courtyard area which will provide outdoor planted area that you
obviously can't plant trees in and so, uh, an exception is being suggested to that. Uh, any
questions about those images before I step through the staff report quickly? Okay. Uh,
as I mentioned, the current zoning is RS -8. The proposed zoning is RM -20 with a
planned development overlay. Uh, the R ... the key thing about the RM -20 zone, in
addition to the density that it allows is that it allows elder housing, and they are ... Oaknoll
is requesting, uh, a density bonus, uh, which is allowed in the RM -20 zone for, uh, elder
housing. Uh, there's a lot of information out there about elder housing being one of the
fastest growing, urn ... um, housing sectors, uh, and certainly reflected in our own
community and ... and this project is a ... is a response to that. Um... the planned
development is to allow flexibility in the application of our zoning standards and there
are several specific things that are being suggested by Oaknoll that you will be asked to
approve, and remember that will be in the zoning action that you will take after the
Comprehensive Plan. Um ... the ... the height of the building is one exception that's being
asked for — 35 feet, uh, is the, uh, limit in the RM -20 zone. They are asking for 52 feet.
Also an exception, as I mentioned, to the tree requirement based on providing the, uh,
central court like... courtyard area. Um, in terms of the Comprehensive Plan, which is
... is actually the item in front of you at this time, uh, the request is to change the
designation from, as I mentioned, the existing single - family duplex to multi - family, uh,
residential. So basically that's a question before you, is that vision for this area
appropriate. Um ... the Southwest District Plan does address some of the issues with the
neighborhood and the amount of multi - family housing, specifically the student housing
that's further east, uh, down Benton Street. And, Oaknoll has tried to address some of
those. I think the most significant one is with the provision of the underground parking.
Not...you can ... you can imagine the amount of surface parking that would be required to
park 145 cars, uh, in a surface lot, and that would have a real... significant impact, uh, on
the neighborhood. Obviously the size of the building is significantly larger than what is
there currently. Um, what Oaknoll has tried to do in response to that, you will see, one of
the things I wanted to point out — this large green area here is because, uh, Oaknoll has
granted the right -of -way for the eventual expansion of Benton Street. We don't have that
planned right now, but we do know that in the future, in particular the need for turn lanes
up here at the intersection with Sunset Street is something that we're going to have to do.
We have been, uh, granted that right -of -way and so the setback of the building that you
see there reflects, uh, that, uh, right -of -way that they would be dedicating. Uh, you can
see the sidewalks provided, uh, on the site. It would have good pedestrian accessibility.
Um ... the Comprehensive Plan does support providing group living options for seniors, so
that's another aspect of the Comprehensive Plan, uh, that the proposed project does
address, adding the 73 units of, uh, senior housing. Um... in terms of compatibility with
the adjacent neighborhood, in addition to the, uh, parking ... uh, being provided
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underground, uh ... the ... the courtyard that's being provided breaks up the massing of the
building. Uh, you will see that the fagade of the building, you know, even compared to
some of Oaknoll's existing buildings is significantly, uh, broken up in a manner that does
make it not quite as monolithic as it would be, uh, if that was not present. Um... in... in
...in summary in our view ... you know ... Oaknoll has done pretty much what can be done
with a building of this size, and the Planning and Zoning, uh, Commission did concur on
a 5 to 1 vote, uh, that they had ... that basically the strategies for trying to be a good
neighbor to the degree possible with a building of this size, uh, did merit the change in
the Comprehensive Plan, uh, from low- density to medium - density. Uh, I mentioned, uh,
Benton Street and the need for additional right -of -way, and we did, uh, get that granted to
us. Uh, elder housing is not a significant generator, uh, of traffic and the, uh, MPOJC
Transportation Planning Division did take a look at the capacity of Benton Street and felt
that this could be, uh, as ... the net traffic increase with this could be accommodated with
the existing roadway and that wouldn't be an issue, that the access points had good sight
distance. The Streb Street access is at the bottom of the hill, has good... good sight
distance in either direction. Uh, the skywalk, uh, as proposed meets our requirements. It
will have to go through a permitting procedure, uh, but it is designed, uh, consistent with
the other sidewalks. The most recent one has been between the, uh, County HHW
building and the County Admin building, um, and this would meet those ... those same
requirements. Um... in terms of storm water management and sanitary sewer. There
were some issues that, from a design perspective, have had to be ... had to been worked
out. Our Public Works Department has looked at those and feels that the design is a good
design in terms of accommodating a building of this scale. Uh, there are some fees,
basically fees in lieu of open space, 2.7 acres that they will be, at the time of site plan
approval been, urn ... uh, be required to provide. Mentioned the vacation of Spring Street.
Uh, we went through the normal evaluation and I've been through this with you several
times. I won't go into any great detail unless you'd like additional detail, but we
basically looked at the factors that we look at whenever we're, um ... uh, considering any
vacation and we feel that, uh, everything has been met satisfactorily, uh, by Oaknoll. Uh,
in ... in this, uh ... drawing here, the way ... the way this duplex is set up is that one of the
units has access from Streb Street, one of the units has access from Spring Street, so there
will be an access easement provided for that. There's also a parking place at the rear of
this lot and so the person in this unit will again have, uh ... uh, rights to use Spring Street
via an access easement for that parking area in the back here. Otherwise, the access is all
to, uh, Oaknoll's property. Uh, in summary, as I mentioned, the Planning and Zoning
Commission, along with staff, does recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan
amendment. The planned development rezoning. Uh, and the vacation. Um ... I would
be happy to go through the zoning approval criteria in more detail if you'd like, but
basically it's, you know, the traffic issues, uh, trying to address the neighborhood, uh,
compatibility. Um, the three ... I'm ... I'm just going to real briefly, uh, mention the three
specific modifications that the planned development rezoning will accommodate — is the
height, uh, of the building; the, uh, requirement for the tree standards to be reduced from
97 trees to 74 trees, and that was a concern of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
They did talk about the landscaping of the property, and did actually vote for a provision
that at the time of site plan approval, the Director of Planning has to approve the, uh,
landscaping, uh, that will be provided on the site, and especially that tallest corner, uh,
we'll look at how that's accommodated. I think the applicant has developed a very
satisfactory, uh, landscaping plan, and you may want to ask them to elaborate on that,
uh ... uh, when you continue your hearing. Um... so as I mentioned, the recommendation
was for approval ... and I think ... oh, I did want to note here. This slide — I didn't point it
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out at the time. Here shows the landscaping that is proposed, or at least was proposed at
the time Planning and Zoning saw this. There are ... there are additional plantings that
you see here on these properties, which provide, uh, quite a bit of additional screening,
uh, to the ... to the side of the building here. So we did want to note that as well (someone
speaking in background). Existing trees. Yes. (someone speaking in background) Um,
my understanding ... this was provided to us by the applicant. You may want to ask them
to clarify that. My understanding is these reflect the existing trees. Do you have any
questions about any of the three items you'll be asked to consider, uh, this evening,
before you continue your hearing?
Payne: This ... so that's the vacated Spring Street right there?
Davidson: Yes.
Payne: Okay.
Davidson: As I mentioned, it will be reconstructed. Any other questions? Quite a bit of information
here.
Dobyns: Jeff, I was wondering if you or the developer could provide some justification for the...
the height of the building. I mean this is the interface between a purely residential zone
in Iowa City and University Heights, um, and ... uh, what is now a long -term, you know,
(mumbled) residential complex campus.
Davidson: Right.
Dobyns: Um ... you know, the rest of Oaknoll has sort of grown in size, but also in height, and I
think ... is ... is this the highest that Oaknoll is compared (both talking)
Davidson: I believe this is the tallest building they have, yes.
Dobyns: This is the tallest building (both talking)
Davidson: This would be the tallest building, I believe (both talking)
Dobyns: There's shaking of heads here! (someone responding from audience)
Davidson: Same as the last project.
Dobyns: Yeah. Um ... and ... and Oaknoll is a knoll. I mean, it is the tallest area on, you know, this
part of Iowa City. So it sort of...just, to build that extra height is ... is .... appears abrupt.
Davidson: Yeah, there ... there was a lot of discussion, Rick, between staff and the applicant, and my
understanding is that the Planning and Zoning, uh, Commission, with the applicant, about
the scale of the building and certainly the applicant should respond to the need for it to
be, uh, the size that is proposed. Um, you can see that there are some stepped -back areas,
uh, for example, this height here is stepped back twice so that it... it reflects, you know, if
you're standing down here on the street it would be, h, really just reflect a three -story
building, although in fact it's five stories with the ... with the stepped -back. You know,
with the courtyard introduced, um, that I think became a significant factor in the
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remainder of the building being taller, uh, so that they could accommodate all the features
that they wanted to see accommodated in the building and again, the applicant can
elaborate on exactly what those features are.
Dobyns: And I appreciate the courtyard, especially from being (mumbled) visible from, uh,
Benton Street, um, I mean in terms of frontage and appearance, um, but I just... it's be
nice to hear a commentary justification from the developer and see what the rest of
Council thinks.
Davidson: Any other questions for me?
Hayek: We may need you to come back, Jeff.
Davidson: Sure! Thank you.
Hayek: So it sounds like there may be a question or two for, uh, the applicant.
Seabold: Hi, I'm Mark Seabold. I'm with Shive Hattery, design architect for the project. Um, I
would like to respond to that height because it was something that we've been struggling
with, um, just in order to make the site a usable site. Um ... let me see here where I am.
Um, mostly because right here (mumbled)
Davidson: Use the mouse.
Seabold: Oh, there you go! Uh, George Street... in between Oaknoll's existing campus and the
properties located to the west, and then Benton Street here at the bottom — there's about
22 feet of fall, right in through here. So there's that ... it's that significant hill that goes
down there, and that's one of the reasons why the building tends to grow kind of... that's
the highest side would be as it falls down. Um, what we were looking at here was, um,
was providing a building that is in scaled with the existing building. So these two, four
heights are at the same. The skywalk is actually at the fifth floor level and then this has a
sixth floor, and I say sixth floor, um, only because the building also cascades to the north,
down. So it's a very kind of rollie site and in order to accommodate that, um, we were
looking at providing, um, you know, basically a ... a building reflective of the size here,
stepping that down a story as we start to go down Benton Street; we have a three story
building here in the back, again, kind of responding to the neighborhood to the north, but
again, with the slight sloping condition, um, it tends to work its way around. Uh, the
other main factor was trying not to have any on -site parking, you know, no hard surface
parking. Trying to accommodate that under the building; again with the 22 -foot high, uh,
grade change we're able to get two levels of parking in there. So with that 100 to 45
spots that Jeff was mentioning, um, we're accommodating that in here, and again, uh, as
Jeff has mentioned, you know, we're stepping this back again to try ... to preserve that
kind of three -story fagade here, as well as, um, you know, beginning that here so this is
still, it's just at three stories. It's really just in this lower corner as it comes down, where
we do have these mature trees and where we're responding with landscaping in the... in
the area there, and finally, um, you know, choosing to develop and maintain Spring
Street, holding this back from the residences off of Streb, and buffering that area with
these duplexes was our other strategy to try and mitigate that and blend, um, into the
neighborhood.
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Dickens: What is the height of the duplexes that'll be right across ... the vacated Spring. Is that
going to help...
Seabold: Absolutely! That...that's the goal is to help blend it into the neighborhood, um, they...
it's a single -story d ... um, design, you know, to ... to respond to the, uh, elderly housing
component and has a little bit, um ... I ... you know, the peak of the roof, it's probably like
a (mumbled) slope, again, responding to the architecture of the neighborhood.
(mumbled) any additional questions on the height aspects? Again, just balancing, uh,
working closely with City staff in order to kind of try and step back the facades and really
relate to ... Oaknoll's done a good job of relating to the neighborhood, I think, um, pretty
consistently. In our past additions we'd worked with City staff, even on the George
Street building I think we had the same types of strategies going into here and just kind of
a... a lot of back and forth. (several talking)
Dobyns: So the transition from Oaknoll is those...the ... the ... apartments on the north side, that's a
six -floor, um, apartment, the ones on the ... the slope, on the north side?
Seabold: Uh, over here?
Dobyns: Um, of the new building.
Seabold: This would be six floor, and then this is actually fifth floor, and this is the main
community area, um, of this building, and actually it will be the main community area of
the entire campus, which is why, um, we have kind of the, uh, sloped roof condition here.
Uh, basically you know in order to provide that community aspects of Oaknoll, um, there
was a, uh, we recognize the fact that the existing Oaknoll campus really has a fairly
small, uh, community room. We're, uh, providing a larger, kind of column -free setting,
um, at this space, and to provide it at the fifth floor here makes it, you know, very easy to
access via this. It's on the same level as the skywalk so the community can really flow in
between these buildings very, very well. And really just, um ... again, this... this... this
stepping back but bumping up here, responding to this, uh ... you know, we thought that
that was in scale with ... with really with what Oaknoll had done in the past, as well as
kind of the scale of the... of the buildings going, uh, east on Benton.
Hayek: Jim, did you have a question?
Throgmorton: Yeah, um ... there's a pretty dramatic difference between the proposed building and the
existing buildings on the south side of Benton Street, and to the west of the proposed
building on Streb, if I remember rightly. Uh, pretty dramatic difference. Uh, I... so
dramatic I'd say the proposed building is highly incompatible with those existing
buildings. So I wonder how you would respond to that, or anybody else with, uh, with
Oaknoll.
Seabold: Um ... I can just give a brief response. Yeah, we did have a neighborhood meeting. Uh,
we've been very, very public about what ... what Oaknoll's goals were, as we were in the
last, um, project, which was really about the same relationship, uh, with Benton Street,
um, to the neighbors to the south, and in general, you know, Oaknoll gets very favorable,
uh, comments from the neighborhood and really works very well with them. Um... you
know, I ... I guess I haven't ... I haven't seen any... any concern, um, any of those concerns
from the neighborhood, but I'll let (mumbled) ... I don't know if you've heard of anything
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or ... would you like to hear from someone else now? (laughter) (several talking and
noises on mic)
Throgmorton: Well, I'm ... oh, I'm sorry! (noises on mic) Did my Connie, uh, Champion imitation!
(laughter and several talking)
Hayek: Them's fghtin' words! (laughter)
Throgmorton: Sorry! Um, yeah, well if no... if no neighbors are here objecting that's a strong signal,
um, of...of, uh, silence is the equivalent of support in ... in this particular context. I ... I
wonder though if, uh, this is a question, I don't know if you're the best person to an ...
have answer it but I wonder if any neighbors spoke at the Planning and Zoning
Commission's public hearing, and if so, whether any of those neighbors expressed
opposition, and perhaps John Thomas with the Commission could respond to that or uh,
you know, somebody else.
Roe: Hi, I'm Steve Roe. I'm Administrator and Chief Financial Officer at Oaknoll and I
attended the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Um, there were a couple of
neighbors at the... at the meeting. Uh, really the only concern from the neighborhood was
the one property that we were not able to acquire and their concern was about garbage
pickup. Uh, so there was really no concern from the neighborhood about the ... the size of
the building or how it fits into the neighborhood.
Hayek: Why don't we ... we're in a public hearing, so if, uh, if there's anyone else in the audience
who would like to address us on this item... invite you to step forward, Mr. Downer.
Downer: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, uh, Members of the City Council. I'm Bob Downer. I'm the, uh,
attorney for, uh, Oaknoll and uh, have, uh, been... privileged to serve in that capacity as
well as, uh, as an advisory director, uh, for many years. Um, I wanted to, uh, say a few
words to more or less flesh out the ... the picture of Oaknoll, what it is, what it does, uh,
what it means to the community, and the persons who live there and the like. Uh, I think
Jeff has ... has done an excellent job of describing, uh, this addition and I'm not going to
spend a lot of time, uh, repeating, uh, what he said, but I do think having some
background on Oaknoll helps, uh, complete the picture. Uh, Oaknoll was established in
the, uh, early -1960s as a result of a group of community, uh, citizens banding together
because they felt that there was a need for more, uh, housing facilities, uh, that included,
uh, the possibility of health care and other needs for, uh, senior citizens in this
community. Um, the .... group, uh, established a non - profit corporation, Christian
Retirement Services, Inc. Uh, this was established in the early -1960s and in, uh, the fall
of 1966, uh, the first portion of Oaknoll opened. Uh, that ... portion included 54
apartments at that time, and a 32 -bed health center. That has expanded over the period of
time since then, uh, to 172 independent living, uh, apartments, 33 assisted living
apartments, and a total of 48 nursing beds. Uh, the proposed expansion would all be, uh,
independent living, uh, apartments, although it is envisioned that the, uh, entire facility
would function together and with ... that those persons who resided in the new units at
such time as they needed a greater level of support or care that they would go into
assisted living or the health center, which would be in the existing part, uh, of the
Oaknoll campus. The estimated construction cost of this facility is in excess, uh, of $38
million, uh, without regard to contingencies, professional and permit fees, and the like.
The financing for this project is going to be provided by banks. Uh, this was also the
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source of financing for the addition that was commended in 2004, and most of the
participating banks in this are either local or have a presence, uh, in Johnson County.
The architects, general contractor, and most subcontractors for this project will be local,
and the economic impact of this project during construction, uh, will be substantial. Uh,
in, uh, 1982 the, uh... uh, present Mayor's father and I faced off in the, uh (laughter) main
courtroom of the Johnson County courthouse for a week to determine whether this
facility, um, would be subject to property taxes or not. Uh, Judge Robinson, uh, took a,
urn ... uh, view that, uh, part of it, uh, justified the tax exemption and part of it did not.
The portion that is independent living units, uh, has not since that time been property tax
exempt, and the proposed units are all in that category, so this new facility, uh, would be
on the property tax rolls, uh, in its entirety. In addition to the substantial expansion that
has occurred, uh, over the past 40 -plus years, there are other manifestations of the strong
demand for this type of facility in our community. There're presently more than 160
individuals or couples on the waiting list for Oaknoll, and it is anticipated that the new
units, uh, in this, uh, structure, uh, 73 in total with the duplexes, would be fully
subscribed by the time that, uh, construction is completed. Uh, you, uh, have, uh, already
heard from uh, Mr. Roe and Mr. Seabold. In addition, uh, here on behalf of Oaknoll and
this project are Nick ... Nick Thorn, uh, who's also with Shive Hattery, and the Executive
Director, uh, of Oaknoll, Pat Heiden, and uh, if any of us can, uh, answer any questions,
uh, with regard to this, we'll be happy to do so. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Throgmorton: Could I ask him a question?
Hayek: (mumbled)
Throgmorton: Bob, uh, thank ... thank you. That was very informative. There's lots of background there
I really didn't know. Uh, but...
Downer: Well as I oftentimes tell people, I've been associated with this facility for so long I feel
like Milton Berle who used to say that nothing was before my time (laughter) uh, and uh,
so I...1, uh, went on the board about six months after it opened so, uh, I wasn't quite there
at the beginning but uh, nearly so!
Throgmorton: (mumbled) there are only like two or three of us in the room who know who Milton Berle
was (laughter and several talking)
Hayek: See if the minutes pick that up when we see that written form! (laughter)
Throgmorton: So my question is not one that Milton would ask but...
Downer: Okay! (laughter)
Throgmorton: ...but um ... uh, the most recent expansion was in 2004.
Downer: That's when it started, yes.
Throgmorton: Started, yeah, and it was a significant... significant expansion.
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Downer: Yes!
Throgmorton: With all the new buildings and so on. Wh ... where's it going to stop?
Downer: Uh ... it would, uh, be anticipated that this would be the last, uh ... expansion for this
particular facility. There ... there had been plans at...at one point, uh, looking at, uh,
perhaps going further, uh ... that, uh, I don't think is consistent with the board's present
thinking. Uh, because of the importance of cohesion among the residents and... and
things of that nature, uh, I think it's the board's feeling that, uh, you can't get too large.
Uh, this would also involve more expansion of... of, uh, the health center, more
expansion of assisted living. With a health center you have to get a certificate of need
and things of that nature, so there are lots of complications if this would go further, and
uh ... um ... I don't feel that there's any appetite for going beyond this, in this particular
location.
Throgmorton: Uh -huh. Thank you, that's very helpful to hear.
Hayek: Other questions for Mr. Downer? Okay, thank you.
Downer: Thank you!
Hayek: Would anyone else like to address us, uh, during the public hearing?
Throgmorton: And ... and we're really focusing on the Comprehensive Plan revision at this moment,
right?
Hayek: Well we're going to hold public hearings on all three, but ... but I'd get as much out now
as you can, and the reason is that when we close this public hearing and ... and set up 4c
for a vote, I'm going to need to take the Council's temperature on the entire package,
essentially. So I would ... I would encourage you to get your questions out as to all three
now.
Throgmorton: Okay. What's the plan for the mature trees?
Seabold: Um, you mentioned the 2004 addition, uh, during that addition we preserved, you know,
as many trees as possible... along Benton Street as well as up along George Street, and
unfortunately all those trees have ... have died, you know, as a result of, both age of the
trees as well as, you know, just from the significant construction effort. Uh,
with ... working with the City, um, and looking at the tree replacement ratios and things
like that, it's been determined that, you know, in order to get the ... the parking, the
below -grade parking, under - building parking, we're probably going to lose most of the
mature trees, and actually gives us a head -start this time as opposed to last time, because
now we have replaced the trees from the former addition, uh, and this case we'd just be
doing that right at the ... right at the beginning of the project. Unfortunately. I mean,
we've got a lot of residents we've been talking about that with... with... with, uh, you
know, the people living at Oaknoll currently, because that is ... that is a sore subject, but
we feel, you know, at least in this way we can get a head -start on the growth of those
trees.
Throgmorton: Thank you. I ... I figured that's what you'd say but I...
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Seabold: Yeah, it is.
Hayek: Any other questions from Council before I close the public hearing? Okay. I'm going to
close the public hearing at this time. (bangs gavel) Anyone want to tee up a resolution?
2. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING
Mims: move the resolution.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Payne. Uh, discussion?
Throgmorton: Well it's a land -use question, isn't it? So let me play out a way of thinking about
this. If it's a land -use question, the specific developer is not really relevant. The
question is, should that part of the city be developed at this higher density. And...
and what's the, Jeff, what's the proposed, uh, des ... Comp Plan designation for
this area?
Davidson: Change from low- density to medium - density.
Throgmorton: Okay. That's the question before us, isn't it? It's not should ... um, should
Oaknoll expand. So ... urn ... I, you know, Oak ... Oaknoll's a terrific facility and
I've heard all sorts of good responses from all sorts of people over the years about
it. So ... my views really are focused on ... on the land -use question. And it strikes
me that, uh, there's a long strip of Benton Street, uh, you know, going east there's
Seville Apartments and then east of that some other apartments, and across the
street some other apartments and so on. A long stretch of, uh, of, uh, pretty
...pretty high density apartments, some of which are really badly designed. This
is not a badly designed proposal, um, but it ... I'm dubious about the merits of...of
transforming ... of making the Comp Plan amendment, uh, in this particular area.
Uh, I ... I'm not convinced that it is a wise shift in the existing Comprehensive
Plan. I'm inclined to vote against it, uh, and ... and when I say that, uh, I'm
conscious of, uh, let's see, we'll do three votes on this? Or is this a one -time
thing? (several responding) Okay, all right, so ... so I'm inclined to vote against it
and I'd be really curious to hear how the rest of you respond.
Champion: Well I intend to support it but I ... when you drive up Benton Street, that particular
side of the street is high density, and a lot of it is on the other side of the street
too, and I ... right (mumbled) but also not well maintained. So I think this is kind
of a positive addition to this part of Sunset Street that is east of...Benton Street,
that is east of...is it east of Sunset? I get my directions... yeah, east of Sunset.
After that you really get into single - family, um, low ... or low- density multi- family
housing. So I ... I find this actually appropriate, and probably an improvement to
the street.
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Hayek: (several talking) Sorry to interrupt... would be one of my questions back to you,
Jim, I mean, because ... uh, you've identified that this is an area with a fair amount
of multi - family, multi - story, uh...
Throgmorton: Up ... up to a certain point. (both talking)
Hayek: Well, but in the area as well to the north, uh, not just to the south, um ... so it...it
would seem to me that there's a mixture of zoning in the area, um ... uh, in terms
of density and height, and ... and I guess I would throw that back to you. Does that
impact your thinking in any way because to use Connie's example, it's not a
purely single - family RS -5 area. There appears to be a mix in the broader
neighborhood.
Champion: I just wish they were going the other direction (mumbled) buildings.
Hayek: So I throw that out there.
Throgmorton: Yeah, well...
Dickens: I look at the loss of Roosevelt in that area as well as you're seeing less and less
being single families, you know, that school wasn't ... one it was in bad condition,
and two, there wasn't enough to keep it going. So it looks like it's moving farther
out, and it seems like a good ... use of that land in that area if we're going to be
losing families that are moving where the schools are, and that would be one area
that this would fill in ... in-fill that area.
Payne: And one of the, I'm going to say it — I might not be saying it quite right, but
general provisions of the Comp Plan is to have multi - family housing along ... well
traveled streets. I mean, Benton obviously is a well traveled street. I don't know
if it's a collector or what it's called.
Dilkes: It's an arterial, isn't it? (several responding)
Payne: Arterial? Okay, so, I mean, that is one of the objectives of the Comp Plan...
Davidson: Yes, Benton Street's an arterial. George is a local street.
Payne: I mean, that would be...it seems appropriate for the street that it's on to have
multi - family on that street, even though that's not what's there today.
Hayek: Other discussion? At some point here before we actually vote I'm going to... ask
for a soft showing of where people are inclined to go with this.
Payne: That wasn't soft enough?
Hayek: Yeah! (laughter)
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Payne: That soft wasn't hard enough or (laughter)
Hayek: You've spoken but not everybody else.
Mims: I'm going to support it!
Champion: I will too.
Hayek: And the ... the reason, so that the public knows, is if there's an indication that we
will not be supportive of it, we have to actually not vote on these three items
tonight, but instead confer with (mumbled) consult with the Planning and Zoning
Commission, and that's why we ask these questions.
Dobyns: Well I have a significant amount of paperwork on my desk attesting to genuine
interest, um, in citizens and people wanting to go to, you know, Oaknoll. So and I
think that this... recommendation from and request from Oaknoll is, you know,
them sort of attesting and appealing to this ... this concern. I think what Mr.
Downer mentioned is that hopefully this is it. This is, you know, they'll consider
another campus because these sorts of facilities are wonderful for the community.
Um ... and I think that was very important, you know, to hear that as, you know,
as ... a very strong possibility of intent. The fact that this is three considerations I
think is important. I plan to, urn ... vote for this, um, the fact ... (several talking) on
the first one (both talking)
Hayek: ...4d and 4e will be (both talking)
Dobyns: ...subsequent one is three considerations? On zoning?
Dilkes: That's right.
Dobyns: Okay. Um, I plan to vote for the Comprehensive Plan. Um, but there's an
opportunity and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of people, and the signs are up
on Benton. You can see that there are zoning considerations as per City
requirements, and so the neighborhood has had ample opportunity to know that
obviously something is going on, and the fact that not a whole lot of people
showed up at the forum. There are other opportunities for our zoning
considerations. Um, I will plan to vote for the, um, this today, and await public
comment, subsequently.
Hayek: Okay, so based on my very unofficial reading, there appears to be one likely no
vote and everybody else appears to be in support of...of the proposal. At least as
we sit here (several talking) Okay, is there further discussion, uh, of this? I... I'll
be supportive of this, I mean I guess ... um, you ... you're right, Jim. This is a land -
use issue, um, I mean, I think it's relevant that ... that this particular institution has
such a strong track record, um, and is so highly regarded in the community. It's
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clearly meeting a demand. Fact today about 3:00 there was a piece in the Press -
Citizen web site, uh, where the Milken Institute or some... some non - profit
institute just named Iowa City the number two place in the country for its ... for
our population size for, uh, retirement destinations. Um, and so ... it's something
we're ... we're known for and have done a great job of.. of exploiting. Um, and
you know it's clear from ... from the ... the various Planning and Zoning minutes
and the wealth of information that's in the packet tonight and the presentation that
this has been through quite a lot of staff analysis and quite a lot of Planning and
Zoning analysis, and that's always important to me because I, uh ... you know, my
...my confidence in a project, you know, grows the more I know that our staff,
uh, and then where applicable Planning and Zoning Commission has ... has
carefully vetted something, and I think that's ... that has occurred here. Um ... the
concerns seem to be size, scale, impact on... on... on the neighborhood, and as I
indicated before, it seems to me that this is a general ... the broader neighborhood
is marked by quite a lot of variation. Um, some single - family, some ... some
duplex, quite a lot of multi - story, multi - family, uh, and I think that's important.
Um, and I would say that a lot of the multi - family you see there is not particularly
attractive and clearly does not blend well with neighborhoods that are adjacent,
uh, to that, um ... to those structures. Uh, in contrast here, this seems to me to be a
...a attractive design and certainly one that is sensitive to how it blends as a ... as a
campus with ... with the areas, uh, across the street, and we went over and you can
see from that ... from that depiction, you know, the various things that, uh, that the
planners and the applicant have done to ... to mitigate the impact of a large
structure and to blend it well with ... with the area around it and frankly I think ... I
think it's a ... an opportunity to give that area a shot in the arm. Um, and so I don't
have those concerns about size and impact, because I think they are, uh, sensitive
to the areas around it, um, and so for those reasons I ... I'll be supportive of this.
Further discussion? Okay, roll call, please. Uh, Item 4c passes 6 -0; Throgmorton
in the negative.
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ITEM 4d REZONING 2.7 -ACRES OF LAND LOCATED NORTH OF BENTON
STREET BETWEEN GEORGE AND STREB STREETS FROM MEDIUM
DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY (RS -8) ZONE TO OVERLAY PLANNED
DEVELOPMENT MEDIUM DENSITY MULTI - FAMILY (OPD- RM -20)
ZONE. (REZ12- 00010) [Discussion only at formal meeting]
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. (bangs gavel) The public hearing is open. Public
hearing is closed. (bangs gavel)
2. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Mims: (both talking)
Champion: Move first consideration.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Dickens. Discussion?
Throgmorton: Could, uh, could I ... I hope it's not too late to ask some questions of ..of Oaknoll
representatives about their particular proposal.
Hayek: It's okay.
Throgmorton: Yeah. Uh, so I'm not sure who to address my question to. Um, it's kind of hard
to tell from the renderings how the building ... the building's design would
facilitate interaction between Oakdo ... Oaknoll residents and residents of the
surrounding neighborhoods. Or the surrounding buildings and so on. So you
know when I think about, um ... um ... really good design, in my ideal world we
would not have places that con... concentrated people by age or sex or race or
anything else like that, so in principle I don't like the idea of having a big building
designed only for older people who are, you know, experiencing ... gradually
experiencing physical decline and so on. Uh, but ... that's an ideal world. When I
think about the practical world, I think okay, so people need to be able to get out
and walk around. And I don't know ... I don't know how Oakdale ... Oaknoll
operates with regard to that kind of interaction, uh, within the neighborhood. Can
... can somebody help me out with that?
Heiden: I'm Pat Heiden, Director at Oaknoll. Um, thank you for allowing us to be here.
Um, there ... there is a lot of living going on at Oaknoll. There's a lot of living
with that ... within the walls of Oaknoll, um, and also residents going outside of
Oaknoll and... and volunteering many hours within the community, and beyond.
Um, we don't have, um, we've always tried to be a very, very good neighbor over
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the years. I've been at Oaknoll for 33 years, um, and ... and it's really been
important for us to recognize not only, um, we're a community within Iowa City,
but also a community within a ... a neighborhood. That neighborhood is ... is a
very different makeup. There's multi - family, there's a lot of rental units, um,
with students, um, and ... and Seville Apartment and apartments on the, um, south
side of...of Benton Street. So ... so we don't have a lot of, uh, of activity there. In
the past we have welcomed the neighborhood to outside parties, uh, that ... that
we've been having, um, and... and actually one year we tried to, um, show, um,
movies, although we needed to wait until dusk and ... and for some of those, that
was just too late to ... to be waiting (laughter) but ... but again, we've tried to ... to
acknowledge that and to work with the neighborhood. Um, we do have a ... a lot
of intergenerational, um, people coming in ... in to Oaknoll, whether that's, um,
children from Lucas, children from Roosevelt in the past, and ... and those
relationships will continue. Um, RSVP, uh, will ... the Senior Center will bring,
um, activities and children in so that, uh, people can be pen pals throughout the
school year and ... and really have interactions like that. So within the confines of
the community in which we have, we certainly acknowledge and know how
important it is for all generations to interact.
Throgmorton: Thanks!
Seabold: (unable to hear) ... just the architecture of the building too, because that ... that's
connecting with the community is another, um, thing that we've been working on.
Um, the, uh ... the George Street addition, um, has a series of screen porches, sun
rooms, everything like that that open directly out into the lawn. All these lower
level units will have a patio right out onto George Street. They'll essentially have
a door that can spill them out and ... and create that kind of exterior neighborhood
as well as, you know, the internalized neighborhoods. So we've been trying to
blur that line, you know, and just really have access to nature, have access to the
neighborhood, and... and uh, and of course access to the, uh, to the different
buildings, not necessarily just by that skywalk but also across the, uh, across the
grass, so...you know, we're trying to accomp ... accomplish that with the
architecture as well.
Hayek: Thanks, Mark! Further discussion on Council? Hearing none, roll call, please.
Item 4d passes 7 -0 on first consideration.
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ITEM 4g CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE CONDITIONALLY REZONING
APPROXIMATELY 4.29 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED ON WALDEN
ROAD, WEST OF MORMON TREK BOULEVARD FROM MEDIUM
DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS -8) ZONE TO HIGH
DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS -12) ZONE. (REZ09-
00003) [Discussion only at formal meeting] (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Mims: Move second consideration.
Champion: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Champion. Discussion? Any ex parte since first
consideration? Okay! Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Second
consideration passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 5. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FY 2013 ASPHALT
RESURFACING 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. The public hearing is open. (bangs gavel) For the
public's, uh, information, this is an annual project regarding asphalt resurfacing
and chip sealing of various streets throughout the city. Estimated cost is about
$500,000 and will be funded with, uh, a variety of funding sources. Public
hearing is closed. (bangs gavel)
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ITEM 7. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 4, ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES, CHAPTER 5, PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS,
SECTION 3, CONSUMPTION OR POSSESSION IN PUBLIC PLACES
AND CITY BUILDINGS, SUBSECTION B TO ALLOW FOR
POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION IN CERTAIN PARK BUILDINGS,
PURSUANT TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULE; AND SUBSECTION C TO
ALLOW FOR ALCOHOL POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION IN CITY
BUILDINGS PURSUANT TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULE. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
Mims: Move first consideration.
Champion: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Champion. Discussion? Roll call, please. (several
talking) Oh, gosh! I didn't even see (several talking and laughing) Boy! Do not
want to cross this guy! (laughter)
Honohan: Well I'm a little confused! (laughter) I came here thinking I was a senior and
after listening to Oakdale, I find out I'm an elder! (laughter) I'm here for the
Senior Center Commission and the Friends of the Center Foundation to urge the
adoption of this ordinance. Uh, we plan on having various kinds of things, but I'll
give an example of one that didn't happen four years ago that we would like to
have happen now. Four years ago my son and daughter decided that they ought to
throw a party for the 50th wedding anniversary of an O'Leary and a Honohan, and
he thought ... my son thought the Senior Center assembly room, since I'm active
down there'd be a great place. But of course when he found out you couldn't do
alcohol. For O'Leary and a Honohan wedding, that would be sacrilegious.
(laughter) So we didn't have it, but if we could do those kind of things it'd raise
money for the Senior Center. We could have ... the Foundation could have galas
at the Senior Center. There's a lot of things that we could do which would not
only help defray the cost of the Center, but also ... invite people to see what the
Senior Center has to offer this community. Uh, I know we're going to have to
have, uh, permits. We're going to have to have rules and regulations. But I think
all this can be accomplished, and on behalf of the Commission and the Board of
Directors of the Friends, we would like this ordinance adopted. And then we'll
invite you all in for a glass of wine! (laughter)
Champion: Perfect! What time will that be? (laughter)
Throgmorton: Uh, 8, 8:30 (laughter and several talking)
Hayek: I'll support this as long as Mr. Honohan does, uh, discontinues his request that I
come to salsa dancing lessons at the, uh (laughter) at the Senior Center.
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Champion: There are some (both talking)
Hayek: I haven't taken him up on that yet!
Honohan: It was an Irish dance!
Hayek: Oh! Gosh! I stand corrected! Further discussion?
Champion: Well I like this rule. I wondered why it hasn't come up before, and I never really
thought about it until I went to a couple, uh, receptions and parties at the North
Liberty City Hall. They have a huge room, and it's one of the few places in North
Liberty you could really get a large crowd in, and there was always alcohol being
served there, and I never saw any problems. I mean, who wants a wedding
without champagne? Come on! So, I think this is a long time coming and I'm
sure it will be well controlled. You might want to take a look at the North Liberty
ordinance cause I've never seen any problems there.
Hayek: Okay. Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item, uh, first consideration passes
7 -0.
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ITEM 8. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 10, ENTITLED USE
OF PUBLIC WAYS AND PROPERTY," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED,
"COMMERCIAL USE OF SIDEWALKS," SECTION 3, ENTITLED "USE
FOR SIDEWALK CAFES," TO REGULATE SIDEWALK CAFES
PRIMARILY BY POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
Payne: Move consideration.
Champion: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Throgmorton: I ... I wonder if anybody from the Downtown SSMID is here? To speak on this...
I ... I don't know if any... anybody who has a business in the downtown area wants
to express a view. (unable to hear person speaking away from mic)
Champion: I think we have two separate things actually here and that's what's confusing us.
Hayek: Yeah.
Champion: One is ... once we get the rules down pat, instead of everything having to come to
us for approval like renewal of a .... of a cafe license or whatever, we won't have
to deal with that anymore, but the second issue is what are we going ... where are
we going to allow cafes, and I think that's the issue that's really in question
tonight.
Neades: Did I miss the vote?
Champion: No! (laughter)
Neades: Rebecca Neades, Chamber of Commerce, and although I don't represent the
SSMID, I ... I do represent the Chamber of Commerce and we're very supportive
of this project and of the change in how the policy would go through, um... staff
instead of Council. More of a policy instead of an ordinance, so thank you!
Hayek: Thanks, Rebecca.
Neades: You're welcome!
Hayek: Eleanor, could you or Tom ... remind the Council, because I think there was a little
confusion at the work session. What exactly are we voting on, and what exactly
would be left for future ... re ... resolution?
Dilkes: What you're voting on tonight is an amendment to the sidewalk cafe ordinance
that ... that takes most of the detail as to ... what, where and how you can do
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sidewalk cafes out of the ordinance. Um, and leaves that for administrative
approval rather... rather than Council approval. So it kind of gets the ordinance
down to a bare -bones ordinance. Um ... the next meeting on August 21St, uh staff
will be recommending that you collapse the final two readings of this ordinance,
and adopting, uh, rules that will govern staff in administering the ordinance, and
those rules will include things like ... all the things that were outlined in the memo
that you got, um, and that was discussed earlier.
Markus: And those would be adopted by resolution, which only takes one ... one vote.
Hayek: Okay. So tonight we ... if we vote in the affirmative, we're essentially enabling
that process to occur and then staff comes back to us with ... a laundry list, for lack
of a better word, that we take up, uh, in August.
Dickens: Which we'll have time to ... look over and comment and refine if we want to do it
at that time.
Hayek: Okay, thank you for that. Uh, by the way, I had indicated at... at, maybe when we
set the public hearing, I forget, a meeting or two ago I wasn't sure if I could vote,
uh, and the reason is that, um ... the individual who brought this proposal to the
City, Jim Mondanaro, is related to a... somebody in my law firm who does work,
uh, for him, but I've vetted this carefully with ... with our Legal Department and
there is no conflict. I don't feel that there's a conflict and so I ... I (several talking)
intend to vote on this.
Throgmorton: Uh, Matt, in our work session, Connie ... ex ... expressed her views with
considerable enthusiasm about why she thought it was, uh, the basic idea was a
really good one and if Connie's willing, I'd love to have her (both talking)
Dobyns: Replicate her enthusiasm? (laughter)
Throgmorton: ... kind of replicate it, I mean, and I ... you know, tell the people why ... why you
think this is really a good thing.
Champion: Well, I was reluctant to even think about this for a while but the more I thought
about it, as usual, I changed my mind, and now I've become a true enthusiast, and
part of the reason is I ... I'd like to see us move forward in new directions and try
new things, without being afraid. I think everybody's afraid ... afraid it's going to
change things. Well, I frequently love change, even at my age. I find it really
invigorating. So I encourage people to move forward. Let's try something
different. It can't really hurt anything. I mean, they're not going to tear up the
street or tear up the flower gardens or move the bricks or move buildings. So my
whole idea is: let's go for it; let's see if it works; let's not be afraid of change.
I'm willing to just go for it right now. I know I'll get a lot of criticism but I'm
used to it, and then six months later people will say, God that was a great idea.
I'll say it, thank you — it was mine! (laughter) But I just want us to move forward
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without being afraid. I'm not being afraid to try something different. I really like
this, and parking, I know that's a big concern. The parking division has been
fantastic about looking at different parking options downtown. They're looking
into even more ways now to improve that situation. So that is not a great fear of
mine, and ... and my daughter I thought would be here tonight but she's not. So, I
know she absolutely is very enthusiastic about this project too. It will definitely
affect her parking. I ... that's (mumbled)
Throgmorton: Thanks.
Champion: But I ... I don't like the idea of somebody having to approve it besides... besides
the City either, because people are afraid of change and I think they'll just
automatically say no. But they'll be jealous because they can't do it, or for
whatever reason, let's just do it! (laughter)
Hayek: You know you just picked up steam as (laughter). You ended on a high note!
That's (both talking) exactly what Jim was trying to get you to do (several
talking) I ... I, urn ... I'm supportive as well. I ... and I agree with you, you're right.
We should ... we should give it a shot, and ... and, because we can always undo it if
for some reason in a year or two it's not working. Um, but I think the fact that the
Chamber supports this is very important because those issues of parking
and... and the rights and interests of... of... of businesses up and down a street
where this would occur are ... are important, and we don't have an official, uh, seal
of approval from the Downtown District, but ... but the unofficial message we got
from at least a subsection of it, the ones who were contacted, was positive, as
well, and I ... and that ... that's important to me that the ... that the businesses who
would be impacted, uh, downtown, urn ... I'm sure not uniformly but largely seem
willing to ... to look at this as expressed by the Chamber and others. So...
Champion: Can I bring up one more idea?
Hayek: I don't know!
Champion: Well, since we're talking about sidewalk cafes, the other thing that I thought of,
places like the yogurt places (noise on mic). I mean why ... if they're not serving
hot food or alcohol, why couldn't they just have little tables out with a couple
chairs? I mean, why do they have to be fenced in?
Hayek: You know what? Why don't we, uh, take this up during Council time at the end
of the meeting and you can see if we can (laughter and several talking)
Champion: Right.
Hayek: ...cause us to, uh, place this on a work session item. So, is there further
discussion of this particular item? Item 8.
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Dilkes: Can I just clarify one thing about, um, where staff is going to go with the ... in
developing the resolution to adopt the ... the regulations, and that is essentially you
approve the recommendations by staff in the memo that we talked about, um,
during the work session. Uh, with respen ... with respect to the consent issue, you
did want to seek consent with respect to parking spaces, use of parking spaces, not
with respect to planters, but ... there would be consent, um, if you extend it beyond
your borders on the sidewalk. That's what I understood the staff direction to be.
Hayek: I think that's... that's consistent with the work session.
Dilkes: Okay.
Hayek: Good ... good clarification there. Further discussion? Roll call, please.
Mims: Oh, wait, Jim Mondanaro would like to speak.
Hayek: Oh, I didn't ... all right, yeah! Boy, I twice now looked down and not looked up!
Mondanaro: How did you miss this? (laughter) Urn ... Jim Mondanaro, I'm the owner of
Micky's. Um ... and I have Jan from Prairie Lights here, and it's been a discussion
that I've had with her over the last month about the viability of this being a part of
the Micky's reopening and ... and restoration. And it's a ... it is change, and change
is a tough pill to swallow, but a wonderful result when you finally get it down,
because it takes us to a new horizon, and that's what this is about. It is kind of a
little bit similar to what we approached when we did the Saloon... about four
years ago, in taking a planter and turning it into outdoor dining. It's been hugely
successful! Downtown Iowa City during the summer months, spring and fall, has
become very viable with outdoor dining, especially when we don't have weather
in the 100s! But that (laughter) that being said, when we have beautiful weather
there's... there's life, there's... there's a, just a buzz! We're going to do this the
right way, and Jan's concern, and I think it is for people on the Council, is that
what will the affect in the long haul be. Is it going to be a deterrent to people not
getting parking spaces? Well we don't know how to measure that. I mean, I see
people park (mumbled) I've been down there over this last month working on
that, and some people park there. I don't know where they go. They take off
walking. Some people go into Prairie Lights one time, then they'll go up to
another place. There's no way to measure that. But what I do believe is that by
putting this outdoor seating area there, it's going to be, as I would call it, a hook.
It's going to be a beautiful beacon as you drive down Dubuque Street to then
enter across Iowa Avenue of bringing another life type ambiance to the
downtown. And it's not inexpensive! We'll have a sizeable amount of money in
it and with the streetscape the way they done it with the architects with the lights
going over it, it's quite attractive. But Jan's concern is, and I'm agreeable to that,
and people say, well, why would you do that. Because I'm a team player and if
this doesn't work, and she doesn't like it, at the end of the two months, I'm going
to take the ... the bite and say fine, we won't do it again. But I really firmly
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believe that she's going to see this as an asset and a hook for her business, as well
as for ours. And, I'm willing to come out and publicly tell you that, but there's
one thing that I want to approach. You got to get rid of that getting consent from
people as your neighbors, because it's just... it's too difficult. I don't want to be
held hostage because somebody wants that trump card, and if alls they have to do
is say no, it stops the progress from moving forward. I just want you to be able to
trust the people that come forward to do this if they... on their merit, to do it the
right way and it's... like... as Matt said, if it doesn't work out, you can withdraw
it! So ... is that ... say what I want ... what you want me to say about ... at the end of
the term if you don't like it, she can some here and say I don't like what
Mondanaro did and he's agreed that he won't do it next spring. How's that?
Champion: Wow!
Hayek: Thanks for your comments, Jim. Okay, is there further discussion by Council?
Throgmorton: Well, I'd just like to say, um, what ... what I find most appealing about the idea is
that it enhances the walkability of the downtown, and it... and makes it a... is
likely to make it a much more inviting place, uh, for people to be, for people to
want to go to, experience being outdoors when it's not 105 degrees and so on, and
Jan, I gotta tell you, it's really great seeing you in this facility instead of me in
your place!
Hayek: Further discussion? Okay, let's take a vote, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 9. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE S. DUBUQUE
STREET STORM SEWER AND WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT.
Dobyns: Move the resolution.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Dobyns, seconded by Payne. Uh, discussion? Uh, engineer had
estimated, uh, this project to cost about $355,000. Uh, Public Works recommends
awarding contract to Schrader Excavating of Walford, IA, who came in at about,
uh, $313,000. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 10. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHWAY 1
TRAIL PROJECT - ORCHARD STREET TO SUNSET STREET.
Mims: Move the resolution.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Payne. Discussion? Uh, the engineer had
estimate ... our engineers had estimated this project to be, uh, a $1.1 million
project. Uh, fortunately Public Works recommends awarding the contract to
Schrader Excavating of Walford who came in at $937,000 and some change.
Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 11. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE U.S.
HIGHWAY 6 AND SYCAMORE STREET INTERSECTION
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Dobyns: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Dobyns, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Uh, the engineer had
estimated this at about, uh, not quite $1.8 million, and Public Works recommends
awarding the contract to Peterson Contractors out of Reinbeck who came in at
$1.845 million. Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 12. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC
WORKS COMPLEX — WARM STORAGE BUILDING PROJECT.
Payne: Move resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Uh, engineers had
estimated this at about $178,000. Public Works recommends awarding the
contract to Septagon Construction out of Cedar Rapids who came in at about
$209,000. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 13. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR RENOVATION OF FIELDS 1,2,3,4 AT THE
NAPOLEON PARK SOFTBALL COMPLEX.
Champion: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Uh, the engineer had
estimated this to be a $189,000 project. Uh, Pub ... Parks and Rec recommends
awarding the contract to Iowa Athletic Construction Company out of Webster
City who came in at about half of that amount, uh, $99,000. Discussion? Roll
call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 14. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN ASSESSMENT
SCHEDULE OF UNPAID MOWING, CLEAN -UP OF PROPERTY, SNOW
REMOVAL, SIDEWALK REPAIR, AND STOP BOX REPAIR CHARGES
AND DIRECTING THE CLERK TO CERTIFY THE SAME TO THE
JOHNSON COUNTY TREASURER FOR COLLECTION IN THE SAME
MANNER AS PROPERTY TAXES.
Mims: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Is there anyone in the
audience who wishes to protest, uh, being on the list? Seeing nobody... including
three members of City staff who I hope mowed their lawns (laughter). Further
discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
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ITEM 16. ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES.
Hayek: Should I announce the Youth Commission?
Karr: No. Why don't we defer this one to the next meeting and we'll have a resolution
on, uh... as a result of the discussion at your work session.
Hayek: Okay. So why don't we have a motion to defer Item 16 (both talking)
Champion: Move to defer.
Hayek: ...16a and 17j.
Champion: 16a and 17j. That's what I said.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Mims to defer, uh, announcement of vacancies
on the Youth Advisory Commission to our next meeting. Uh ... discussion? All
those in favor say aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7 -0.
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ITEM 17. COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.
Hayek: Uh, we have several to, um... announce. Uh, Council at its work session agreed
to, uh ... place the following individuals on the newly formed seven - person ad hoc
Diversity Committee. They are Joe Dan Coulter, Orville Thompson Sr., Kingsley
Botchway, Donna Henry, Bakhit Bakhit, Joan Vanden Berg, and Cindy Roberts.
Uh, on the, uh, Airport Commission, uh, we've agreed to appoint Christine
Ogrun. Hope I pronounced that correctly! On the Housing and Community
Development Commission we agreed to reappoint Jared Gatlin. On the Human
Rights Commission we agreed to appoint Dan Talon, and on the Police Citizens
Review Boar... Board we agreed to reappoint Royceann Porter. Is there a motion?
Karr: Mr. Mayor, would you also like to include the Chair and Vice Chair?
Hayek: Do ... do we want to do that when they ... when we don't have an answer yet?
That's fine.
Dobyns: You probably should ask `em.
Hayek: That's why (both talking) kept it out but...
Dilkes: I think it can be subject to consent (several talking)
Hayek: So let's ... let's include in the motion, uh ... uh,. the ... our plan to ask Kingsley
Botchway to serve as Chair and Cindy Roberts to serve as Vice -Chair of the ad
hoc Diversity Committee. Can I get a motion?
Payne: So moved.
Throgmorton: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Throgmorton. Discussion? All those in favor say
aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7 -0.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Mims: So moved.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? All those in favor say aye.
Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7 -0. We have a couple of other, uh, Council
appointments that we want to, or vacancies I want to identify. There are still two
vacancies on the Airport Zoning Board of Adjustment, and two vacancies on the
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Airport Zoning Commission. We encourage people to apply for those spots. I
think that takes care...
Karr: You have other appointments too. Seven ... g, h, and i?
Hayek: That was all part of the same motion.
Karr: Okay, alrighty, that's fine.
Hayek: And announced those names. So I think that takes care of everything.
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ITEM 19. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Hayek: Jim, why don't we start down on your end.
Throgmorton: Uh, just mention one thing, uh, a couple weeks ago I had a very interesting trip to
Madison, Wisconsin, uh, where I, uh, met with former Mayor David Cieslewicz.
No, (Sisowitz), sorry mispronounced his name. And, a few people, staff people in
the Economic Development department. We also walked through the
neighborhood northeast of the State Capitol building and looked at some really
interesting, uh, duplex, or not duplex but townhouse, uh, infill development that
was really deftly inserted into the neighborhood. Uh, I found that to be a really
rewarding trip, and enlightening.
Hayek: Great! Connie?
Champion: I just wanted to bring up that I think we should look at other options for smaller
sidewalk cafes, like that places that don't serve alcohol and don't have a stove,
like ice cream places. I mean, why does everything have to be fenced in? Is it a
safety issue?
Throgmorton: Isn't that for people with disabilities, that there was some moment when, uh,
somebody actually walked into tables that were, you remember this, Marian.
Somebody walked into tables, some, uh, sightless person and we decided we had
to do something about that (mumbled)
Champion: Oh (mumbled)
Karr: ... certainly take a look at it though and provide you a memo.
Champion: No, don't waste your time. It's not going to fly. Save your time! (laughter) I
don't always get my way! (laughter)
Mims: Nothing!
Dickens: Sand in the City's coming up in August between now and our next session, so it's
another event that, uh, all of Iowa City and the surrounding areas can enjoy.
Hayek: Michelle?
Payne: Nothing for me tonight.
Dobyns: Nothing!
Hayek: I've been asked to, uh, announce two things — first, uh, the Mayors of the Eastern
Iowa Corridor have proclaimed August 1 St as Corridor Goes Casual for Kids Day
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and this is directed at City employees. City employees who contribute at least
$5.00 to a children's charity of their choice may wear jeans to work on
Wednesday, August 1 st. Uh, and send your checks, uh, to the charity of your
choice to Human Services, or I'm sorry, Human Resources. The second (several
talking). What's that?
Payne: Can we have a casual day on Council?
Hayek: Yes, I encourage you tomorrow when we have no Council (laughter) meetings
whatsoever to go casual! (laughter) The second, uh, concerns Rummage in the
Ramp, which is an annual event. Uh, this year's event will be held in the lower
level of Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp from Friday July 27th through Saturday
August 4th. We encourage people to participate in this great event! And that's all
I've got. Oh, Happy Anniversary (mumbled and several talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of July 31, 2012.
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ITEM 20. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF.
a) City Manager.
Hayek: City Manager?
Markus: Well, you mentioned it earlier but the Milkin Institute, which is a non - partisan,
economic think -tank has awarded Iowa City the second rank in the, uh, category
of...uh ... best cities for successful aging! This is a new index that they put
together and for our size community we're ranked number two. We're actually
ranked number one for ages over 80. So I guess we have to get older so we can
keep that number one ranking (laughter). Um... and they... and we're going to
send this report out to everybody, but they talk about the things that we nailed and
then the things that we need a little work on. But uh ... obviously that's a ... that's a
growing segment of our population and therefore our economy, and it's
something that we should probably consider emphasizing in terms of... and then
having Oaknoll here tonight was just the perfect tie -in with all of that.
Payne: Does that help us with our Blues Zone application?
Markus: I would think so because one of the things that we ... maybe or maybe not because
one of the things that we really nailed was health care, in terms of the ranking,
and so ... they may take, you know, the Blue Zones committee may look at us and
say, well, you're already there. One of the things that we need to work on ... is it
says Iowa City has a large number of fast -food outlets per capita, and high soda
consumption, both threats to public health. So there's something we could work
on, at least through the Blue Zones application.
Champion: Maybe we can create an ordinance against all those things (laughter)
Markus: Well, and you know some places are doing that in terms of the big gulp and all of
that. The other thing I wanted to mention is the QR codes, uh, we reported
previously that they're posted here. They're now actually posted on your
television viewing so that cable and IT have ... have worked together so that these
QR codes are posted so you can flash your phone device along the television and
you can download everything that the Council is reviewing during their meetings.
Payne: Wow! Cool!
Markus: Technology, and I'm not sure, we haven't heard of anybody else in the country
that's done this yet, so ... um ... we hope it catches on.
Throgmorton: Tom, with regard to the report, does ... does the, uh, ranking apply to Iowa City,
the municipality, or to the Iowa City area?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of July 31, 2012.
Page 44
Markus: You know it...it lists Iowa City and (noises on mic) going into it in greater detail
it does say Iowa City, uh, it lists the other cities specifically too. It doesn't say the
general area so ... you know, I'd have to drill down to find out exactly what they
did evaluate but ... urn ... if it's us or if it's our metro ... I think it might even be the
metropolitan area. If it is, I think that's still a lot. That's quite a ranking! Uh, I
think there's over 350 communities that were evaluated in these categories to
make that determination so...
Dobyns: It mentioned health care but they didn't mention our legal professionals? Sorry,
Mr. Mayor.
Hayek: Great place for lawyers to grow old, I guess! (laughter)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of July 31, 2012.