HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-04-15 TranscriptionApril 15, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1
Council Present: Botchway, Dickens, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton
Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Nagle -Gamm, Andrew, Dilkes, Karr, Bockenstedt,
Boothroy, Howard, Fosse, Davidson, Miklo, O'Brien, Rackis, Yapp, Long
Others Present: Bramel, McCarthy (UISG)
Agenda Items:
Hayek/ Okay, we're going to get started. I want to welcome everyone to the ... work session.
Uh, packed work session, so let's get right into it. The first item is questions regarding
agenda items.
ITEM 4c(2) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES — RESOLUTION
ADOPTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES OF THE CITY OF
IOWA CITY AND RESCINDING RESOLUTION NOS. 07-39,09-343, AND 11-
394.
Throgmorton/ I'd like to bring up Item 4c(2), which is the economic development posse
...policies and changes to them.
Hayek/ It's not a posse, I can tell ya that! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ Uh, so ... I ... I really have two questions and then a ... a suggestion, but you know I
support it. I think it's a really good, uh ... uh, amendment or co ... combination of things
(both talking)
Davidson/ ... collection of amendments.
Throgmorton/ ...can't speak, I'm too tired I guess. I don't know! So anyhow, the two questions,
Jeff, are ... uh, let's see, the first has to do with the second sentence of the fourth
paragraph. Uh...
Davidson/ Of the actual policy, Jim?
Throgmorton/ Of the actual policy.
Davidson/ Okay, let me bring that (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Which says the City will not actively recruit business from other jurisdictions
within our MSA, unless a business is seeking to expand or considering relocation outside
the state. So my question is this — does this mean seeking to expand outside the state, or
does it simply mean seeking to expand? If it means seeking to expand outside the state,
I'd suggest kind of reworkin' the language there to be clear that that's what's intended.
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Davidson/ Um ... or con ... are considering relocation outside the state, yes, I think the intention
there, Jim, is that they would be considering a location outside of the state of Iowa, in
addition to coming to Iowa City.
Throgmorton/ As ... as one reader, I can tell you I ... I wasn't able to discern what the intent was
there.
Davidson/ Let us clean that up (both talking)
Dilkes/ I think that's an `or' because it follows the State code provision.
Markus/ Exactly! Yeah.
Throgmorton/ I ... I think some clarity would be helpful. That's all I'm saying! Uh, the other has
to do ... the other question has to do with ... the next paragraph, which says the financial
analysis process allows consideration of public financing that fills the gap and precludes
undue enrichment to the developer.
Davidson/ Right.
Throgmorton/ I understand the intent behind that. I wonder what the operative definition of
undue enrichment might be.
Davidson/ Varies from project to project, Jim. Um, for example, uh .... an easy example cause
it's one we're working on right now is we're working on a hotel project downtown, and
our, uh, financial experts at the National Development Council has indicated... have
indicated to us that hotel projects are riskier projects because you have the potential that
any ... any portion of that building on any given date may be vacant and generating zero
revenue, as opposed to an office or a retail space, which you get it on a ... you get it leased
up and then ... and then that lease follows and you know you're generating revenue on a
regular basis. So, the expectation is that there is a higher return on a hotel project,
because the risk is higher. So that's an example of how it varies from project to project,
and we would take our guidance from the National Development Council on that, and
then ultimately you guys determine if it's undue or not.
Throgmorton/ Okay. Reminds me of some language I heard in this room 20 -some odd years ago
from a businessman, uh, a local businessman. He said risk and reward go hand -in -hand,
by which he means the higher the risk the greater the return on investment. The greater
must be the return on investment (both talking)
Davidson/ ...much more succinct way of saying what I just said!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, yeah (laughter) well I'm not trying to one -up you, but I ... I just remember
that language and uh ... I ... I'm not sure how persuasive that would be for many people in
our town, but ... you've answered my question so...
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Davidson/ Yeah, and I... and I think you're absolutely right, Jim, in that that's going to vary from
person to person, but ... but in terms of the information you receive from us for your
decision making, it will be guidance received from the National Development Council.
Throgmorton/ Great! Thanks! Could I make one (both talking)
Markus / And I think it ... I think it also relates ... to the type of industry that's making the
investment, just as Jeff said ... the rate of return might be much higher for a hotel project,
uh, when they do their gap analysis so it, you know, that whole risk and return is related
to that same issue and ... you know, we ... I think we pay these consultants so we can have
`em in and have `em justify that, you know, and that kind of argument when ... when we
get to a specific project.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Davidson/ Anything else? Any other questions about the proposed policy?
Throgmorton/ I ... I want to make a suggestion — it's not a question. Uh ... and that is, I encourage
the staff to consider incorporating the social cost of carbon into our calculations about the
net benefit of specific economic development... actions. What I mean by social costs, if
carbon basically are negative externalities in... in economic language, and I understand
the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has proposed a dollar figure for federal
regulatory agencies to use when doing their benefit cost calculations. They estimate that
a ton of carbon costs about, produces about $38 per ton of...social cost damages. Uh,
and so they are considering using that figure when they do their calculations. So I don't
know if anybody else would really like that idea, but ... I ... I would encourage, uh, at least
looking into, um, the possibility of doing it.
Davidson/ So noted.
Markus/ So, Jim, what do you mean ... when you say doing the ... the calculations? What do you
mean?
Throgmorton/ Well when, uh, how much carbon's being produced by the economic activity
that's ... would be supported by City incentives. Carbon emissions either on -site or off -
site, but directly produced by the ... by the activity. So if...if one includes those, the
social costs associated with those carbon emissions, that would alter the benefit, the net
benefit calculation.
Markus/ Well I can see it as a subtraction from the ... the incentive that would be offered, but to
counter that, you might end up with a great incentive, because it would require a higher
level of, um ... well, the, for example, LEED - certification. So, that would require a higher
investment. The more investment, the greater the gap. The gap is what we base our
financing on. So are you willing to pay for that?
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Throgmorton/ Uh, this is the kind of thing I would like to see the staff look into (laughter) We're
not in any position to do that, right here and now.
Markus/ Oh I understand, but you... you have to understand that nexus.
Davidson/ Well, perhaps a future topic for the Economic Development Committee to give us
some guidance on and ... and, uh, and at your discretion, the entire City Council, but we
can... as Jim says, we don't have to handle it here. Anything else about what's under
consideration that's on the Consent Calendar this evening, any other questions?
Hayek/ Thanks, Jeff!
Davidson/ Thanks!
ITEM 4c(1) TEMPORARY WAIVER OF DELINQUENT ANIMAL LICENSE -
RESOLUTION TEMPORARILY WAIVING SELECT DELINQUENT ANIMAL
LICENSE FEES BY AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 97-233.
Payne/ Um, 4c(1), the temporary waiver of the delin ... delinquent animal licenses. I need to
recuse myself from that because I actually received one. (several talking)
Hayek/ ... an ... an animal? (laughter)
Payne/ A delinquent animal! (laughter) So, can we remove that from the Consent Calendar so
that we can vote on that separately and I can abstain?
ITEM 4d(5) 2014 STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS - RESOLUTION
SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 6, 2014 ON PLANS,
SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2014 STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE OF SAID
HEARING, AND DIRECTING THE CITY ENGINEER TO PLACE SAID PLANS
ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION.
Hayek/ Uh huh. And we are, while we're on the subject, deleting 4d(5) from the Consent, um...
which is a storm water improvements resolution. So we'll need a...
Mims/ Consider 4c(1) separately and delete 4d(5). Okay.
Hayek/ Thank you very much!
Payne/ I had (clears throat) question but I gotta figure out where I'm at here! (coughing)
(several talking) Yep!
ITEM 20. VICE -CHAIR SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE — MOTION NAMING A
VICE -CHAIR TO THE AD HOC SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE.
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Dobyns/ You want to talk about 20 while she's looking?
Payne/ Yep!
Dobyns/ 20 is the Vice -Chair for the Senior Service... position.
Hayek/ Yeah. Are there any other ... well, we'll ... we'll just take that up. Um, so the next bullet
point, but if there are any other questions on agenda item we can circle back. Next point
is, uh, the Vice ... what's that?
Dobyns/ Oh, I (mumbled)
Hayek/ Vice -Chair to the, uh, Senior... Services, uh, Ad Hoc Committee. This was embedded in
the resolution. We should have appointed the Vice -Chair last time, um, so this is ... this is
just a clean-up item. Um ... on...
Dobyns/ (mumbled) ...be a good choice. She's a member of the Senior Center. Not on the
Commission, but a member of the Senior Center. Um, has a good track record
(mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Rick... Rick ... I ... my sense is you really shouldn't be contributing to this, cause
you're a ... you're a member of the Commission. Is ... I mean (both talking)
Hayek/ It's just a suggestion I think. I ... I was going to say ... I was going to throw out
the... the... the three names Mercedes, Ellen, and Jane Dohrmann, as ... as possible Vice -
Chair names.
Dobyns/ If you disagree with me, Jim, go ahead, I mean, that's okay.
Throgmorton/ Well I was remembering, maybe incorrectly, that you ... you chose wisely I think
chose not to participate in the choice about Chair before.
Dobyns/ I thought this was minimal. (noises on mic) I mean (coughing, unable to hear speaker)
look at it, I mean, just uh ... but I mean I ... I don't need to (mumbled) myself completely.
I mean, this is a ... it's just ... this is just Vice - Chair. It's not a big deal. I didn't
recommend Chair. I didn't recommend any of the, uh, Commission members.
Mims/ I don't know any of `em personally, um, but looking back at the original applications, um,
I tended to be leaning more towards, um, Jane, I thought, in terms of her experience and
uh, some of the things that she had done. So I don't know ... I mean, thinking if
somebody does need to run a meeting, the kinds of experiences that she had had were
some of the things I was looking at.
Botchway/ Susan, was she the person that had like... experience outside of Iowa City?
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Mims/ Uh...
Botchway/ Is that one...
Mims/ Either she or Ellen did. Urn ... yeah, I think it was Jane, wasn't it?
Hayek/ Well I think ... I think actually they all do. I think all of `em have out... experience
outside of Iowa City. So...
Botchway/ One had, I mean, that's what ... one had particular experience where she had worked
in like a... some type of Senior Center commission in another county. That's what I was
focusing on. Not Senior Center commission, but Senior Center focused elderly group,
whatever the case may be. (mumbled)
Hayek/ Well, I ... I'd suggest either Jane or Mercedes. I ... I thought they both would make logical
Vice - Chairs.
Throgmorton/ I'm happy with either one.
Hayek/ Well...
Mims/ Go Jane. Move on! (several talking)
Hayek/ Okay. Everybody all right with that? Okay. Other agenda items?
ITEM 4c(6) HOUSING AUTHORITY ANNUAL PLAN - RESOLUTION TO
ADOPT THE IOWA CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ANNUAL PLAN FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2014
Payne/ I can't find the, um... item number, but it's a letter to Tom from Doug. Regarding
updates and amendments to the Iowa City Housing Authority's Housing Choice Voucher
Administrative Plan, dated April 18th. And in the recommendation, under #2, it says will
remain in effect ... the changes will remain in effect until the HUD - established deadline of
March 31, 2014. That's past.
Mims/ Yeah, I saw that too.
Rackis/ Yeah, that was a ... a, an administrative plan change from last year. HUD requires that
we put any plan changes in subsequent year into the annual report. Uh, they did not
release that deadline, uh, so those changes that we made are still in effect.
Payne/ Okay. It just seemed kind of weird that it had the past date, and I kept reading it and
reading it, trying to understand what the past date meant and I (both talking)
Mims/ Yeah, I looked at that too.
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Rackis/ That's... that's why I ... I tried to put in the actual plan itself, the full date, to try to show
that it was the past and, yes, I was looking at that and I thought somebody's going to have
a question (laughter)
Botchway/ Before you leave (several talking)
Throgmorton/ More questions!
Botchway/ Yeah, more questions. Um, so ... I can't remember what page of the report this
is ... page 6, um, but basically ... it says, I just want to make sure I'm clear, it says... 1,265
available or just total for housing vouchers?
Rackis/ Yeah, there's, uh, 1,215 Housing Choice vouchers and then there are 50 veteran -
supported services vouchers.
Botchway/ Total.
Rackis/ So the total is 1,265.
Botchway/ And then the other question I had was going down to the, uh, I guess numbers, it says
for Iowa City it's 61- point, or sorry, 67.8% of total voucher utilization. Isn't that around,
er ... maybe, help me if I'm wrong, you know, before I think you talked about it being
normally around 90 %. Am I talking about two different things here?
Mims/ Yeah.
Rackis/ Uh, yes.
Botchway/ Okay. All right. All right.
Mims/ This is just the distribis ... distribution between the communities.
Botchway/ Gotcha! Okay.
Hayek/ ICHA handles more than Iowa City (several talking)
Botchway/ ...and so that's just talking about the total, you know, utilization between each of the
different cities.
Mims/ Yeah, cause you can see it breaks it down between how many of those that are being used
are in Iowa City versus Coralville versus North Liberty.
Botchway/ Okay.
Mims/ Not ... the percent of the total that are actually being used.
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Botchway/ Okay.
Rackis/ It ... it's run 65/7. It basically follows the general population trends.
Botchway/ Okay. Thank you. (noises on mic)
Hayek/ Thanks, Steve!
Rackis/ Thank you!
Throgmorton/ Matt...
Hayek/ Other agenda questions? Yes?
Throgmorton/ Item 4c(3), which is about Evan replacing Alec.
Hayek/ Uh huh.
ITEM 4c(3) UISG APPOINTMENT — MOTION APPROVING THE
APPOINTMENT OF EVAN MCCARTHY AS THE CITY COUNCIL LIAISON
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA STUDENT GOVERNMENT (UISG) TO
THE CITY COUNCIL UNTIL MAY 1, 2015.
Throgmorton/ Maybe we've already said this, but I'd just like to say our friend Alec has done an
absolutely superb job of representing students. I ... I mean, I've really been impressed,
Alec, so bravo!
Bramel/ Thank you very much, Jim! Appreciate it. (several talking) Thank you very much. I'll
be ... I'll say something here at the, uh, at the formal session so...
Hayek/ Swan song! (laughter)
Bramel/ The last one, yeah, exactly!
Hayek/ Okay, anything else? All right, let's move on to the Riverfront Crossings form -based
code presentation.
Riverfront Crossings Form -Based Code Presentation 06a):
ITEM 6a RIVERFRONT CROSSINGS FORM -BASED CODE — ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 14: ZONING, ADDING ARTICLE 14 -2G, RIVERFRONT
CROSSINGS FORM -BASED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, AND AMENDING
OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS OF TITLE 14 TO INTEGRATE THE FORM-
BASED CODE.
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Boothroy/ I want to make a couple comments about the process we're recommending that
tonight you continue the public hearing til May 6th. Uh, this gives us, uh, additional time
to consider any changes that come up, either at the public hearing or, uh, at the Planning
and Zoning Commission. We are looking at some, uh, changes with regard to the design
review process and... and those can be then, uh, incorporated in your conversation on
May 6th. Um...
Mims/ I think that's a great idea because that was an awful lot to read and attempt to digest since
Thursday, well ... yeah, since Thursday (both talking)
Boothroy/ Here's the good ... here's the good news. You'll get to see it twice tonight, the
presentation (laughter) so you get a chance to digest it.
Mims/ Well ... that's good, cause I mean, when I was looking, I mean, P &Z has spent, well, like
three -plus months on this.
Boothroy/ Long time!
Mims/ Yeah, and so to think of getting it on Thursday and kind of a crazy, busy weekend I know
I had, and then trying to read this and really understand what we were potentially
committing ourselves to, so I'm real happy to hear that suggestion! (laughs)
Boothroy/ Yeah, this is ... this is a major effort to rezone a large part of the community. It can
have a substantial po ... positive impact in terms of what Iowa City looks like, feels like...
Mims/ Uh huh.
Boothroy/ ...and uh, we just need to make sure that we're comfortable with it, so keeping the
public hearing open, I think, is a... is a good thing.
Throgmorton/ Doug, if I could spin off what Susan said. I've been... as I imagine others have
been doing, I've been keeping track of the P &Z Commission's meetings, minutes of their
meetings, so I knew what was going on with regard to form -based code, and all of a
sudden — bam — there's all this parking stuff, and I knew that they were considering but I
hadn't seen any minutes of the meetings, a ... about, concerning the parking, so for me it's
like a big blast of new stuff to ... to have to process. Too much! Yeah.
Boothroy/ Okay, and ... I don't ... we'll probably talk a little bit about that, as well, as Karen. I
also wanted to mention that I ... I think we should recognize that Bob and Karen have
done, I think, an exemplary job putting this together and ... and shepherding this through,
and in particular, Karen has been the lead on developing this code and it's very complex
to write, to integrate it with the existing code, uh, takes a lot of time, a lot of patience, and
uh, and I think she's done a great job. But with that, I will turn the presentation over to
her. Thank you.
Hayek/ Welcome, Karen!
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Howard/ Now hopefully some of this will be a little bit familiar because we did a presentation a
couple of months ago and so you have a... sort of a basic idea of what the form -based
code is, but we wanted to get down to the nitty gritty a little bit about what exactly is
happening in Riverfront Crossings. And just to step back a minute and think about it, the
implementation of the Riverfront Crossings' district plan, um, there's a number of tools
that we can use then to implement the plan and so the adoption of the form -based zoning
code is just one of those tools. Um, there's lots of things — the urban renewal district, the
financial incentives. Also what we're planning to do with the public infrastructure at the
new park, um, streetscaping, that sort of thing all is part of making Riverfront Crossings a
reality. So keeping all that in mind, and that this is just one of those tools. Um, there are
certain elements that are in the form -based code. Uh, just a list of those. There's a
regulating plan, which is the map that shows things, and I'll go through each one of these
elements. The sub - district standards, which are the different parts of Riverfront
Crossings. Uh, frontage type standards, building type standards, parking, and then all the
general requirements, and I'll go through each one of those separately in their
presentation. So a little bit about the regulating plan. Um, the regulating plan specifies
the sub - district boundaries. So the different areas of Riverfront Crossings, um, and also
what an important element of a form -based code is the primary street frontages. That's
the streets that the ... uh, are the main streets, and the buildings will front on those streets,
will face those streets, and be oriented toward those streets, and then of course things like
parks and open space, and any specific, uh, specific conditions or special requirements in
the district are on this map. Uh, we also in the ... in the code include a building height,
um, diagram, and I even superimposed these numbers on here so it's a little easier to read
without the key. Um, the maximum height is specified in each one of these sub - districts.
As you can see, the maximum height in the base, uh, sub - districts is eight stories in the
south downtown area, and along the west riverfront. Um, along the park edge, um, is six
stories, maximum four stories in those central Crossings area, which is more residential
in character, and then along the edges on west Riverfront, and then the far east would be
three stories to interface with, uh, with the neighborhoods to the east.
Payne/ So that is the max with a bonus?
Howard/ Without bonus.
Throgmorton/ Without a bonus.
Payne/ Oh, it's without!
Howard/ (both talking) So this is ... this is the (both talking, coughing, unable to hear speaker)
...that have been granted with this code.
Payne/ Okay. So that was confusing to me. I kept flipping back and forth, trying to see ... to me
max means max. Not max except. (laughs)
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Howard/ This the maximum that somebody, if they were rezoning their property to Riverfront
Crossings, this is what they would have the rights ... to do if they had enough space for
parking and that sort of thing. This is the maximum. The bonus provisions are
something that's above and beyond, um, the base requirements, and those you don't have
a right to, but you can be granted through... through bonus provisions.
Payne/ Good explanation. Thank you!
Howard/ Um, the ... the heights also... establish a minimum height, which establishes a street wall
that makes it very comfortable for pedestrians, and I'll describe that in just a minute.
Um ... and then there's something called upper floor step- backs, which is something that's
a little bit different and I think, um, take a little bit for people to get used to that idea and
um, and then of course the bonus height provisions at the end of the code. So what do we
mean by a street wall and a step -back? The street wall, um, in an urban area is what
makes it comfortable for people to walk. If you have a ... a, if you think about the streets
as a... as a room, you want a certain wall height that makes it very comfortable for
walking, and that wall height is generally thought of to be two to three stories. Um, and
then each one of the sub - districts will have different building heights that'll be generally
the scale of the buildings in the neighborhood. So in the more urban areas closer to
downtown, you'd expect the buildings to be taller. Um, and there may be occasions for
bonus height and for extra -tall buildings where you want to step -back the upper floors, so
that you don't get the shadows on the street, so it's a little more open, um... so in this
illustration, I don't know if you can see it very well, but this is a illustration of the idea of
a street wall here, and then the upper floors you can see are stepped -back, and here's the
diagram of what that would be. So that's... that's what we're talking about when we're
talking about step- backs. Um, and while it doesn't ... it poses a little bit of a challenge to
developers to do the step -back, it does provide some opportunities too to do some
interesting things on the upper stories, like upper floors, terraces, a little bit different kind
of units on those upper floors. So some opportunities that may take a little bit used to...
getting used to. Land uses are less of an important aspect of a form -based code, but there
are still land uses listed in the code. So we have a broad range of uses allowed in
Riverfront Crossings that are based on what's allowed in the CB -5 zone. There's some
additional uses in some sub - districts, based on the character of those areas, and if you
have questions about that, I certainly can answer those. You can mix the uses both
vertically, meaning urn .... residential above commercial, or you can have a totally
residential building next to a mixed -use building, next to a commercial building. So
that's a little bit different, as well. Different than downtown. And then we have special
standards for auto - oriented uses, such as gas stations and drive - through facilities to make
sure that (coughing, unable to hear speaker) urban way, um, and doesn't interrupt the
pedestrian- oriented nature of the streets. Um, parking requirements, little bit about the
parking requirements. We thought this was a real good opportunity to take a look at all
of our downtown parking requirements and make sure that they made sense together.
Over the last few years we've had a pack... patchwork of different amendments to the
parking requirements downtown and in ... in the south downtown area, um, and some of
them didn't quite make sense. So this was our opportunity to take a... a whole look at all
of those, and so that's what we're trying to do here is establish some parking
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requirements for Riverfront Crossings, um, and review the minimum requirements for
multi - family so that they are consistent across those zones. Um, and then we're deleting,
uh, the near southside parking impact fee district. Um, it's become obsolete with the
adoption of the Riverfront Crossings code, and in its place, we're establishing a new
downtown and Riverfront Crossings parking district. Um, this would provide the
flexibility for ... for the City to reduce parking requirements for projects that are designed
to achieve public goals. So for example if you're granting bonus height, you might need
to adjust the parking somewhat, but in ... in (noises on mic) in lieu of that, we would
expect a payment to compensate the City for the cost associated with then the City having
to provide structured parking in centralized parking facilities. Um, and wanted... one of
the things is the near southside parking impact fee was set at about a third of what it
actually cost the City to build a structured parking space. Um, our feeling was that we
needed to increase that fee so that it was ... that cost was internalized to the development.
So the fee is then set at about 75% of the cost of what... so a substantial increase in the
fee, um, and then along with that, um, deleting the option to satisfy private parking
requirements within public parking facilities without any compensation to the City. Um,
there was a provision adopted a number of years ago where you could get, um, go to the
Board of Adjustment and have your parking satisfied in the parking ... the City's parking
structure. But there was, um, and you were required to pay, uh, for the permits, but there
was no payment to the City for setting aside that parking so that nobody else could use it,
but it cost the City a lot of money to construct the parking spaces. Uh, so ... uh, we had
even questions from some developers saying, well why is the City giving away its
parking for free? So, this would substitute then for ... for all those policies. Uh, little bit
more about the minimum parking requirements. We tried to adjust, um ... so that similar
zones had similar parking requirements for multi - family, with the idea that we didn't
want to, uh, create a disincentive to do the smaller units, the one - bedroom units. So the
CB -5, CB -10, and in Riverfront Crossings and the south downtown area, um, the
standards would be set a... about the same, and then similarly a little further south in
Riverfront Crossings in the other sub - districts, and the CB -2 zone, and then in the PRM
zone outside the University impact area. There's only a small part of PRM that's outside.
Those standards would be the same. And then for the rest of the city where multi - family
is and those concerns about the interface with the lower density neighborhoods, um, we
would keep the parking the same as it is now, with one per bedroom.
Hayek/ I think this explanation's in there, but it ... those 200+ pages and I can't cite chapter and
verse. Why ... can you explain why you drop on the ... for the three- bedroom, drop from
a... a three -space requirement to a two and a half? What was the rationall... rationale for
that?
Howard/ I think it was the idea that it is downtown, and that probably the parking... we're trying
to set the parking requirements at the actual parking demand, and at the same not ... time
not given an incentive to do the three ... the larger bedrooms, cause we have kind of a glut
of those right now. So keeping those two things in mind, um, we felt that we could lower
the three- bedroom requirement slightly, but there's still an advantage to do the ones and
twos. Downtown. So if there are few units, I mean you're going to get dinged for the
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parking on a three- bedroom unit any way you look at it. Um ... but, uh, it does provide
some opportunity for some larger units and if, you know, in some of the projects.
Payne/ So hopefully having enough parking, but not incentivizing people to build...
Howard/ Just three, yeah (both talking) and then also keep in mind that in... in Riverfront
Crossings and in the Central Business zones, no more than 30% of any particular building
can be three- bedrooms.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Howard/ So there's a maximum number of units as well.
Throgmorton/ You think the location and the form -based code provides an incentive for people
really not to use cars?
Howard/ Well hopefully over time, as the district develops, the idea is that ... it becomes more
urban, it becomes more conducive to biking and walking and transit, um, we can increase
the ability ... and people may have fewer cars, and so we can look at this over time and
say maybe ten years down the road our parking requirements are too high and ... and we
need to adjust them even lower, if...if fewer people are driving. So it's something that
you're trying to set your parking based on the actual parking demand. So now onto the
basics of the code. Each one of the sub - districts has a set ... a section in the code that's
related to that particular sub - district. Um, and most of the ... so ... so just going one by
one, the south downtown, the area's really the most urban sub - district, similar to
downtown, so lots of opportunities for a mix of uses and businesses and ... and apartments
and condos. Um, there's also some opportunities for high - quality student housing, right
close to the campus. On the regulating plan there's a ... there's a map of the edge of the
campus, so we've given some opportunities for both the private dormitory idea and also,
um, opening it up for sororities and fraternities, um, in that part of...of the sub - district.
Um, the ... the buildings are very close to the street. Minimum setback two feet,
maximum setback eight feet. Pulls all the buildings toward the street, similar to
downtown. Building height, two stories minimum to create that street wall, eight stories
maximum, but there are a possibility to do bonus height above that, up to 15 stories. The
step -back that we talked above, upper floor step -back, 10 feet at the fifth story, given the
idea that, um, if you go above five stories, most of that stee ... uh, that has to be, uh, steel
construction, so that break is a logical break. A lot of the buildings are only going to be
five stories because people won't want to do the steel construction. So that ... that makes
a logical break. Uh, fagade continuity means how much of the frontage has to be taken
up with building. So it's very urban. So 75% of the frontage would have building space.
Um, and then the parking, of course, has to be located behind the building, or within the
building.
Payne / So...can someone build lot -line to lot -line, or within...
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Howard/ Yes. Yes. Now if you're doing ... if you're not going to build lot -line to lot -line, if
you're not going to be built to zero, you have to set it back at least 10 -feet. That means
that then there is some ... uh, minimum space between buildings so that you don't get
those really narrow spaces cluttered with trash and that sort of thing. So if you're going
to set it back, you gotta set it back 10 -feet or you can set it at zero.
Payne/ So...I, just because of where I work I'm going to ask this question. How would you
propose those people get electricity and gas when they're lot -line to lot -line? I mean, did
you think about that when you were making these regulations?
Howard/ Well it would be similar to what we do downtown. Where it's built (both talking)
Payne/ The power company doesn't like to do! (laughter) You know, we don't want
transformers inside of buildings! And gas meters inside of buildings. So ... just a
question. Comment (laughs)
Hayek/ Fine line sometimes! (laughter)
Payne/ Well and I mean downtown you end up with transformers in ... in ... in the green space
because there's no place to put them.
Howard/ Right. Right.
Payne/ And it kind of detracts then from the look.
Howard/ Yeah, and I'm guessing that a lot of the buildings in Riverfront Crossings (coughing,
unable to hear speaker) the main commercial center, of course, is going to remain
downtown. And so we're ... we're guessing, we're predicting that most of Riverfront
Crossings will be largely residential. All the multi - family buildings have to be setback
10 feet. So there's going to be some space between... because you need the window
coverage and need to have that livable space, um, it's when you get to the places where
you want the storefronts that it...it will be lot -line to lot -line. Uh ... moving south then,
the University, park, and south Gilbert districts are all treated similar, um, they're also
very urban. Also these districts all interface with the river and the park, the new park.
Uh, similar setbacks as south downtown. Um, maximum height in this, uh, sub - district is
six stories, um, this is the sub - district, particularly in the park district, which is this area
here, um, where the ... where, that we're going to need some extra right -of -way for this
new street, and... some dedication of parkland, we're hoping, so that would be a place
where we would hope to be able to use that transfer development right, so you'd be able
to get the bonus height by transferring the development rights from the parkland or from
the street right -of -way. The central Crossings sub - district is right in the middle. It's the
place where, um, it's right along Ralston Creek, has the historic rail depot, and has some
small -scale businesses in that area, but we anticipate will be largely residential in
character. So, given that, the minimum setback is a little more generous, 10 -feet, um, to
allow those residential frontages, maximum of 16 -feet. Maximum building height four
stories, could do some transfer development rights to get up to eight stories maximum,
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um, the step -back in this, uh, district is above the third story. Still a very urban fagade
continuity. And parking is behind. In the Gilbert district, which is on the far eastern
edge and does interface south of the railroad tracks with, uh, a single - family
neighborhood. Um, so keeping those things in mind, it's low to moderate intensity, has a
real eclectic mix right now of...of, uh, nice local businesses. Uh, south of the railroad
tracks it's mostly student housing, north of the railroad tracks, uh, again a residential
setback 10 -feet, maximum 20 -feet. Um, three stories maximum height, um ... uh, the
transfer development rights and bonus height up to five stories, uh, but the ... the Planning
and Zoning Commission recommended that ... that any bonus height not be granted along
that edge, that eastern edge next to the single - family neighborhood. So that's also in the
code that's a prohibition against bonus height there. Little lower, uh, little less, um, of
the fagade continuity, so maybe only 50 %, so little more space between buildings
basically. Uh, west Riverfront, urn ... is a totally different character, obviously, right now.
The idea here is that we'd want it to sort of transform from a very auto - oriented area to
more pedestrian- oriented. So what we do along Riverside Drive in the public right -of-
way is going to be pretty important. Um, but then the code will allow a mix of uses. So
you could have multi - family and not ... wouldn't have to all be commercial along this
stretch, but we'd anticipate that a lot of it would remain, um, commercial. Sto ... four
stories maximum, eight stories ... or four stories max with eight stories maximum along...
if you have river frontage. That's the idea that you could have some residential that
would overlook the park and the river. Um ... also a little bit less, uh ... uh, more space
between buildings. There was a lot of discussion at the Planning and Zoning
Commission about maintaining sort of these view corridors and good access between
Riverside Drive and the river. Um, in the river ... uh, riverfront trail, and so there's some
standards in this particular district that are related to separating buildings that are tall
from each other, making sure there's ... and that ... making sure that there's, um, good
access over to ... to the river.
Throgmorton/ Karen, could I interrupt for a second? In... in a way that would connect back to
something that Michelle asked about. Uh, the ... the language...of...having a maximum
height of eight floors and ... and, for this district and maximum for the other districts.
Urn ... is ... is a little bit, what's the word I'm after? Um ... a little bit misleading though...
though I don't mean that in any real critical way. It ... it's misleading in the sense that
because of the bonus provisions and the TDR, the use of TDR, actually the heights could,
the maximum heights, could be substantially higher. So ... there are all these... and... and
it seems like there are other requirements but in fact, there are all sorts of moving parts.
So for any one development, it seems to me as I read the draft code, that a dev ... it
appears as those there are maximums and requirements, but with the moving parts, things
could actually be quite different... for any one particular development. So that ... that's a
little bit... confounding.
Howard/ So ... so the interface, the way most people experience the urban environment is what
you see in the first 35 feet. So you're walking down the street, so the form -based code is
really related to how the buildings meet the street, and the frontage... frontage conditions
and how that first floor is really treated. That's probably the most important part of the
form -based code. The building heights, step -backs and that sort of thing, is supposed to
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be related to what this kind of out of your view and ... I think ... there was a lot of
discussion about building height at the Planning and Zoning Commission, urn ... but the
point was made that ... that the ... the bonus height is only intended for things of public
benefit. So, so for example in the west Riverfront area, where we want ... perhaps we
want a pedestrian street that goes ... more green space that goes from Riverside Drive over
to the Iowa River. That takes up development land. So any developer's going to have to
tear down buildings, build something new, and to create the incentive to do the kinds of
elements that we want to create that open and ... and inviting pedestrian -way over to the
river, we transfer that ... that to allow the density to be in perhaps taller buildings. That
would be one way we could use those provisions to create the kind of environment that
we would like to create for the area. So not everybody might agree with that, but that...
that's the principle behind that.
Hayek/ And ... I guess I would add, that it allows us to pursue or promote things of public benefit
without financial incentives. Means that it's a low -cost way for the City to effect the
kind of change we want to see, at no cost to us because we incent it through...
Howard/ Right, it would be one more carrot, one more thing to add to the ... to the, um, to reduce
the cost of the development. So ... urn, there's trade -offs and there's disagreement about
what's... whether those costs are worth the trade -offs, um. ... but, uh ... that's how we
discussed it at P &Z. The way the bonus provisions are set up, it gives the City the
maximum flexibility to grant things, and to consider proposals and how much benefit the
City's getting compared to the cost. (both talking) So...
Payne/ So at the beginning, the ... the explanation you gave when I asked the question I
(mumbled) was really good. You know, this is ... this is what you get if you ... if you're
just going to build something, and you can get this much more ... as an incentive. Is there
some way you can explain that in some paragraphs at the beginning, or ... because if it
was in there, I didn't catch it.
Howard/ Yeah.
Payne/ I didn't get it.
Howard/ There ... there is some slides... some slides at the end that talk about the bonus
provisions, but...
Payne/ Okay!
Mims/ But I think Michelle makes a really good point in that ... when people are working with
this stuff day -to -day, you understand the ins and outs of it. And when somebody else,
whether it's the general public, probably more than just developers, cause developers are
gonna ... kind of get into the nitty gritty as well ... my concern is, and it kind of goes back I
think in a way what Jim was saying too is people look at this and they say, oh, that's the
maximum, and then the next thing we know we've got, you know, something in front of
the Council that is 12 stories, and the maximum for that is only eight stories...
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Howard / Right.
Mims / And the community's going nuts saying, how in the world can you possibly do this? It
says eight stories.
Howard / Right.
Mims / And then we're having to try to explain to them, oh but there are... incentives and ways
for them to go above what is supposedly a maximum. So I ... I ... I agree with what
Michelle's saying, some way to, I mean, the standard's probably using the term a
maximum, but... (both talking)
Payne/ ... even if it has, you know, like (both talking)
Mims / An asterisk!
Payne/ ...yeah, that's what I mean. A `1' after it and it sends you to a different page in the book
that explains the bonus for that area. A `2' explains the bonus for that area, or something
that tells you to go to someplace else to look at the `rest of the story!' (laughter)
Howard/ Right, yeah!
Throgmorton/ I'd like to check my understanding about one point. Uh, I ... I understand and
recognize that adoption of this code, with its density bonus provisions and with the
improvements to the public realm, would provide a very large incentive for developers to
build in this area. I mean, I get it (laughs) but that's not the only incentive, I ... I think,
that would potentially be involved.
Howard/ Sure.
Throgmorton/ So I mean I'm imagining, and I ... this is one of the questions I'll eventually want
to probe a little bit more, that for some particular projects, uh, TIF might be available as
an ... as a financial tool to encourage a particular project. So ... I ... just want to make sure
I'm understanding correctly that there are these incentives and then there might be some
other incentives, along the line.
Howard/ Right. The zoning is just one tool. One tool to ... to get what we want, I guess. Um, the
...the idea is we don't know the other side of the equation. We don't know the cost. So
for any given piece of property, we do not know, you know, one piece of property there
might be underground tanks to mitigate. There might be buildings to tear down. So
there ... we don't know, while you might be able to give an incentive for a couple stories
bonus height, it might not be enough to overcome the costs of redeveloping a site. So...
because we don't know both sides of the equation and we won't know until we have a
project in front of us, I think we have to keep ... the idea is to keep that open and flexible
for us to .... to do that.
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Payne/ Um, just a ... is this the same PowerPoint that you're gonna use at the ... at the public
meeting?
Howard/ That was the ideas. Should I do something different? (laughter)
Payne/ No, the only (laughter) asking, and I almost hate to say it because it's a typo, I think
(laughs)
Howard/ All right, well I can change a typo.
Payne/ The first section of the orange, where it says four stories max, eight stories max. Should
that be four stories min?
Howard/ Oh! Eight stories maximum if you just have river frontage. So the idea ... and I can...
that does, is a little confusing. For the ... for the larger part of the district (both talking)
Payne/ Oh, got it!
Howard/ ...it's four stories. Just if you're along the river (both talking)
Payne/ Got it! (both talking)
Dobyns/ I ... I'm sorry, four stories if you're on the river? (several responding)
Howard/ ... eight stories if you're along the river.
Dobyns/ (mumbled)
Payne/ I .... I ... it's a ... it's a four stories max, except eight stories are along ... I get it! (both
talking)
Howard/ ...I'll make it a separate bullet!
Payne/ (laughs) Sorry! (laughter)
Dobyns/ Karen, is there a reason why it's taller along the river? I'm just trying to ... my mind
tells me it should me the reciprocal of that. Uh, not so tall along the river. I mean...
Mims/ So you don't block other people's views.
Howard/ Well, we had this discussion at...at the Planning and Zoning Commission and we were
chuckling about this because it's not like we have ocean views here (laughter) It doesn't
go over the horizon. This is a river and it's down in its bank, hopefully most of the time.
(laughter) So ... a one -story building will block your views. So ... the idea with the taller
buildings on the river is that they're probably the ones that are going to be attractive to
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developers to say these are people that want to live along the river. They've got the trail
there. They can look across at the new park. They can see downtown, and so the idea is
to create the opportunity for ... for the ... where people would like to live! Probably over in
the commercial area along Riverside Drive, might not be quite as an attractive place to...
to actually live. Um, that would be the place for the businesses and that sort of thing,
but... so that was the thought behind it. (several responding) Moving on, the frontage
condition, and I went through this a little bit at the previous ... and this is a really
important part of a form -based code. Um, because the frontage condition strongly
influences the quality and character of the public streets and spaces, and if you think
about the public spaces in any particular part of the city, um, the spaces along the streets
are our biggest public spaces in ... in the entire city. It's the place where people
experience where they live and where they work, um, more than ... than parks or other
kinds of public spaces. So it's pretty important if we want to create a great place to
create, uh, a great interface between buildings and the public right -of -way. So there's
specific and very strict standards about the different types of frontages that would be
allowed in Riverfront Crossings, from storefronts that are open, inviting ... to office
frontages that have maybe less window coverage, but still would be pedestrian friendly.
Um, spaces where you can have front courtyards, um, to create those kind of elements of
interest along the street. Uh, for residential frontages, stoop frontages, uh, larger stoop
frontages like porticos for, uh, multi - family buildings. So that the frontages are in scale
with the building, and they interface with the public right -of -way. Um, this is another
frontage type that we don't have a lot of... of in Iowa City, but in a more urban area it can
be very attractive. A terraced frontage, the idea that you do have some separation
between what your ... is your private space, from the public space, along the street. Um,
and then your porch frontage. Um, we probably won't get a lot of lower - density housing
in, uh, Riverfront Crossings, but there is some possibility for it, so the porch frontage
would be appropriate in those cases.
Payne/ It's never going to snow in Riverfront Crossings, is it? (laughter) Sunny all the time?
(laughter)
Howard/ And then the building type section (several talking) marries together the frontage types
with the appropriate building types. So if you're ... if a developer wants to put up a multi-
dwelling building, they would have these frontage types to choose from, and then there's
a whole section that describes the building types — townhouses, uh, live -work townhouses
where you might have some commercial space on the ground floor, integrated into your
townhouse, urn ... uh, so this is a new type that we have ... don't have a lot of in Iowa City.
Uh, multi - family dwelling buildings, we have a lot of these in Iowa City. Um, but some
more... specific standards for those. Mixed -use buildings, we're all familiar with;
commercial buildings that would just have commercial in them; and then liner buildings,
which is also a new type of building that we are introducing here. The idea that you
would have a shallow building that would line a parking garage to sort of hi ... hide the
parking garage from the street. Um, here's an example in a larger urban area, obviously,
and then a concept for, um, a liner building, uh, next to the new Midwest One Bank that's
going up right now; and behind this, these nice townhouses then, would be ... would be a
parking garage. Um, moving on to the last section of the code, which is the general
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requirements. They cover a lot of ground, uh, from streetscape, pedestrian street
standards, all these things. I'll go through each one of these separately. Um, so
streetscape and ... and setback improvements, this is the idea that here you have that
meeting of the private space with the public space. This is the private frontage area and
...and all those frontage conditions we just talked about, and then how it interfaces with
the public right -of -way and the public sidewalk and street trees, and ... and a commercial,
a more commercial area, you'd have the chance for your outdoor seating.
Payne/ And picture a green transformer box right by that tree. (laughter)
Howard/ You don't even see `em! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ I wonder, uh, to what extent is MidAmerican (laughter and talking in background)
Payne/ What?
Throgmorton/ To what extent is MidAmerican thought about how to design such things in a way
that fit ... they fit into a high quality urban (both talking)
Payne/ I don't ... I don't think that they're... it's... development by development. So ... there's...
it's not part of a design process. It's...
Throgmorton/ (both talking) ... good to get it into part of a...
Mims/ Can they be painted as artwork?
Payne/ We tried that. It was turned down. (laughs)
Howard/ So ... so the basic idea is that you have an unfriendly space for pedestrians, and the idea
is the code is supposed to create the standards that would ... would make sure that the
ground floor meets the street, and you have quality building, and then adding in the
public realm, along the public street, the street trees makes a much more pleasant, um,
experience, uh, for people along the street.
Throgmorton/ I'd like to say that's a great series of...of photos. It's really compelling. It helps
one understand what ... what's involved.
Howard/ Um, couple other elements that are in the code. Pedestrian ... the idea of pedestrian
passageways. If you've got the parking all behind, and the storefronts are facing the
street, how do people get from the parking to ... to the storefronts. So the idea if you're
filling the street, there needs to be some passageways so that you don't ... to get ... and
they need to be attractive and here's, of course, what we have on the ... on City Plaza, a
passageway. Um, also the idea of a street screen, meaning if you have those spaces
between buildings, you don't allow people just to see the unkempt... unkempt space, or
maybe you want to create some privacy for some side -yard elements, on residential
buildings, the street screen will keep the nice pedestrian, um, oriented street, uh, along
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the sidewalk, but then allow some privacy for the buildings. Also could hide parking,
side -yard parking, as well. Uh, then we've introduced also this idea of pedestrian streets.
There are some really deep blocks, particularly along the park, the new park, and
the ... and the Ralston Creek. There's some areas where the streets won't go through and
so it makes sense to have pedestrian streets. This would be... City Plaza is an example of
a pedestrian street. Um, so the idea, there's some standards in there. If you're going to
include a pedestrian street in your development, um, it does provide a lot of opportunities
for more development potential in a deep lot, um, but they are narrower than a vehicular
street, so it reserves more of the space for development and there's opportunities to create
some really unique and attractive areas in Riverfront Crossings with these ... this idea of
pedestrian streets. Um...
Throgmorton/ Can you hang there for a second? I love the images. Would the Fire Department
let us do that?
Howard/ Yeah, there's... there's... there's provisions in there for fire lanes, if it's necessary. Um,
so the standards are set up to allow that to occur, just like on ... on City Plaza. (noises in
background)
Throgmorton/ I mean ... what... what we're lookin' at there.
Howard/ I don't know. I'm sure that this ... these cities had some ... some rules about fire access.
This is a private pedestrian street. So this is private space; it's not public. Um, and it
could be that this block is not deep enough that the Fire Department... there's a street on
both sides, so it could be that they felt like they could fight the fire from both ends. Um,
if it's ... the block's only 300 -feet deep, and there's streets all around, so ... we've set it up
so that if there ... it's necessary to have a fire lane, we can ... we can ... the streets will be
designed ... a street will be designed to handle emergency vehicles. Uh, this is in ... one of
the main areas, the only area that we actually require the pedestrian streets. Other areas
it's optional. If a developer wants to come in with an idea for a place for a pedestrian
street, we'd take a look at that, but um, this was in the original sub -area plan. This is
south Gilbert Street, and this is the new park, the edge of the new park. Um, the idea
here is ... there's no reason to put a vehicular street over to the Ralston Creek here. So the
idea is that these buildings could have residential buildings that would front on this nice
pedestrian street, um, and it opens up the possibility to really develop fully those deep
blocks. Uh, one type of pedestrian street we've called the "Ralston Creek frontage."
That allows the buildings to be set up above the flood plain, um, here's an example right
up the street on Washington Street, um, where the buildings would interface then, uh, and
front on the creek. And there's a whole series of design standards from building
articulation standards, entrance... building entranceway standards. There's a table for the
different types of quality building materials that are ... that they can choose from, um, the
roof designs for the different types of buildings, and then signage standards that fit within
a... a mixed -use area, um... so that we don't get the sign clutter, but then we allow some
opportunities for pedestrian- oriented signage. Similar to downtown. Uh, there's also
some special provisions in this section of the code. Um, there was a desire... there's been
complaints that we have a lot of multi - family buildings that have been built with very
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little amenity space for the residents, whether it's outside or inside the building. And so,
um, there's a requirement here and the idea, this came from several other college, Big
Ten college towns, uh, in Madison they have a requirement, 10- square feet per bedroom
in its most urban area, and that just forces, uh, when you're designing the project to think
about how people are going to, um, use the building, so it can be in an... an urban fashion.
You can have your open space on the ... on the roof, on terraces. You can do it in
courtyards behind the building. You can have it in a rear yard. So there's lots of options,
but on ... on really small sites, there's an option to pay a fee in lieu of, and then those fees
would be used for public, um, green space.
Dobyns/ That would help with aesthetics, Karen. What would that do for developer interest?
Would that ... I'm trying to ... I can argue that both ways.
Howard/ Um ... well, it is an additional requirement that ... is that what you're getting at, that they
would have to (both talking)
Dobyns/ ...what does the requirement... the aesthetic value is real clear. It's very nice. Uh, but
from, um, an incentive toward development, um, but I ... I guess it sort of less bedroom
more aesthetics. Um...
Howard/ Well it's more that it's amenity space for the residents. So it's ... it's the idea that we're
trying to get higher quality living environments, both for students and for other
populations, and if the buildings are built in a way that are attractive to wide range of
folks, um...
Payne/ Actually think (both talking)
Mims/ ...rents are going to go up! (laughs)
Payne/ Yeah, I think it's going to increase the value because people have that ... that amenity that
they don't have someplace else.
Howard / And if everybody has to do it, there's no, you know, one guys does it and then the guy
next door gets to take advantage and not do it. So (both talking)
Dobyns/ ...just different kind of value.
Payne/ Uh huh! (several responding)
Dobyns/ Thank you!
Hayek/ And it's ... it's kind of a reaction to the Stalinist building model that we've seen over the
last ... 30, 40 years. I mean, and ... um...
Howard/ Well I think it's noteworthy that we see these kinds of things. I've looked at a lot of
different codes, and we tend to see `em in college towns. (laughs) Because it ... in other
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towns, you just build that into your building... just to attract tenants. You know, you'd
want to put that amenity space, um, just naturally in the ... in the buildings, whereas when
you have a lot of student housing, they're maybe not quite so discerning.
Payne / Right.
Howard/ Uh, and then the bonus provisions at the end. Um ... they're intended to provide, uh,
incentives for projects with elements of public benefit. So the transfer of development
rights would be if someone dedicated land for parks, trails, street rights -of -way that we
need. That are necessary really to realize the vision of the Riverfront Crossings' plan.
Also to help preserve historic properties. There aren't a lot of historic properties down
here, but there are some key properties.
Throgmorton/ Uh, could I ask you about transfer of development rights? Are ... are you
imagining that for any one particular developer who owns a piece of property that that
developer, uh, would already have a right to do something, like whatever the base is.
Howard/ Right.
Throgmorton/ And that developer could say, okay, I'm going to give up some of that, or all of
that, and give it to someone else or sell it to someone else in some kind of informal
market. What ... what, how are you imagining (both talking)
Howard/ That's really not how this is set up. This is set up so that ... so that if...if I have a piece
of ground and, um... we're really planning a park there. Um, I would give up that ground
and dedicate it to the City, and in exchange for that I'd be able to add floors to my
building ... on the remainder of the site. Or you could transfer the development rights to
another... another nearby property. So... so you could... but... it wasn't set up to be a
market where you could sell it to ... to other folks.
Throgmorton/ So you could only ... if you transferred it to another property, it would be to
another piece of property you owned.
Howard/ Right. Or ... I suppose you could have an informal market for it, but urn ... that's...
that's outside the realm of...of what this is doing for the City, um ... you know,
arrangements I suppose can be ... and deals can be made between private developers.
Throgmorton/ So it sounds like this is going to be an evolving ... urn, feature of the code.
Howard/ Yeah, could be that we'll find some kinks in here that we need to work out, but
urn ... it's kind of how we set it up right now.
Botchway/ I don't know where you are in your presentation. You have a ... are you going to talk
more about, um, the special provisions coming up?
Howard/ The what?
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Botchway/ Special provisions coming up?
Howard/ Um, I was just going to list the ones that we would give bonus height for, which is class
A office space, hotel space... affordable workforce housing, or elderly housing, um,
there's certain bonus provisions for high - quality student housing, ideally located next to
the campus, um, for green development, um... and then this idea of contributing 1% of
the cost of the const ... of the building or the site development, um, for public art. A ... a
number of cities have that kind of provision in their code. I was going to go into the
bonus height, and here's the map that shows the maximum building height that could be
achieved, um ... through bonus height provisions.
Dickens/ Is there any bonus height along the river or...
Howard/ So along the river in the base ... based on (both talking)
Dickens/ ... can be up to 12 (both talking)
Howard/ ...can go up to 12. (noises on mic) Um ... so there's a two - tiered process. Up to two
stories could be granted administratively through a Level 1 design review, through that
Design Review Committee. Um (noises on mic) anything ... any request for more than
two stories would have to go to Council. So it'd have more public scrutiny through that
process. And we ... we do have bonus provisions in other parts of the code, so these aren't
foreign to the idea of...of granting additional FAR, or additional building height, or ... lot
coverage. Standards can be adjusted in ... in, um, some of the multi - family zones for
doing things of public benefit and those have been used.
Dickens/ So is 15 stories the maximum because of the Airport ... landing zone too there (both
talking)
Howard/ ...uh, in the Riverfront Crossings' plan, that was the maximum, um, height that the plan
showed.
Throgmorton/ And... currently the tallest building in Iowa City is 14 stories?
Howard/ Right. Uh huh. Any more questions about that? I mean...
Payne/ So when in....in the Gilbert, which is kind of the sienna color I guess. That would never
have to go to Council to have ... cause the ma ... minimum's three, right? Over there?
Howard/ Right. But keeping in mind, you couldn't get bonus height for any properties that (both
talking)
Payne/ ... along the edge.
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Howard/ ...interfaces with the ... with the lower- density neighborhood to the east. And same...
same kind of provision over on this side too, for this lower- density neighborhood to the
west. Um... and in the very end of the code, we've built in some flexibility for unusual
situations. Unique situations. Buildings in the flood plains. Um, if something ... I mean,
these are very urban buildings, so when we're talking about ADA- accessibility, of
course, we need to get the ramping in there and ... um, there may be some things that need
to be adjusted and we can just do that through that design review process. There
wouldn't be any additional, you know, extra process for that. Um ... steeply sloping sides,
irregular shaped lots, creek frontages. Of course you need to put the residential space up
above the flood plain. Um, and then if there's something unusual or unique that they're
trying to achieve with the building that doesn't quite fit the building design standards, we
can ... we can look at that too.
Payne/ Didn't we ... after the flood pass some change that you can't build anything in the flood
plain unless ... water can go through it?
Howard/ So for a, yeah, there's flood plain ... it has to be built ... any residential space has to be
one foot above the 500 -year flood plain. Commercial space can be built in the flood
plain, but you have to flood -proof it.
Payne/ Okay.
Howard/ Now I'm certainly not an expert on the building code issues related to that, but that's
(both talking)
Payne/ That's what I was remembering!
Dickens / And who's going to pay for like you put creek -front there, who's going to pay for
cleaning up the creek? Is that going to be part of the City's... infrastructure or ... is that
part of the developer's?
Howard/ Well that's a (both talking)
Dickens/ ...next to a creek, some of the creeks are in bad shape!
Howard/ ...right. Right, I mean, we could do it a lot of different ways. I mean, could be a public
process to...or project to try to improve the creek, um, and we're going to do that with
River ... with the park, that portion of the park, and maybe can be sort of a demonstration
project on what could occur in the rest ... along the rest of Ralston Creek, but as
development occurs, the sensitive areas ordinance is going to require, um, a 30 -foot
buffer along the creek, and in so many places we've ... we've reduced that buffer over the
years to practically zero and buildings have turned their backs to the creek and it's not
created a very nice environment. So we're hoping with redevelopment we can get back
to the idea that there needs to be a buffer, and then there's the potential for, uh, a... a trail
along Ralston Creek so that we can clean that up and ... but I don't know exactly how, um,
you know, it could be that, for example, we give, uh, a developer, um, some additional...
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Dickens/ (mumbled)
Howard/ Height or something, in order to ... if they would, you know, agree to improve that...
Dickens/ Terrace it or clean it up (both talking)
Howard/ ...creek frontage and, um ... clean up the creek, uh, that's a good question though. And
then just finally, the last slide ... really to think about the benefits of this form -based code
and why we're doing it. Um ... this code will allow considerably higher residential
densities... than what's allowed right now with most of the zoning in Riverfront
Crossings. The northern part is zoned CB -5 so it has a similar density but for the
remainder of the district, we have some pretty low, um, density ne ... uh, zoning. Um, but
we're trying to both — allow higher densities while ensuring higher quality... living
environments. Um, a greater mix of uses is possible. We're not so tuned into making
sure there's commercial here and residential here. Um, and having a district like this, we
hope to, uh, it will reduce vehicle miles traveled and create a neighborhood that's easy to
serve with ... with transit and pleasant for walking and biking, to help lower the parking
requirements even further over time, um, and also this is ... is a code that has ... because it
has all these design standards, it's also, uh, thinking about being lower risk to investors
and to long -term residents. So if you're sure what your neighbors going to have to do,
it's a lower risk for you to invest in your own property, um, and one of the things that
we're really trying to do is to attract long -term residents, um ... uh, not just college
students, and so we need to ensure that these are higher quality buildings and higher
quail... quality environment to attract, um, new employers, for example, new residents,
um, so that's what we're hoping anyway. Um, means increased property values,
increased tax base, um, and if there's higher residential densities, that means a larger
customer base for both downtown and for any, uh, for commercial businesses along
Riverside Drive, for example. So that's... that's what I have for you!
Bramel/ Before we go on from the density thing, last summer we talked about the, uh, fraternal
living, uh, and independent living densities and whatnot, and I think we'd ... we'd talked
about, uh, kind of allowing, uh, those higher densities back to where they were before we
changed it last May, um, in zones like, uh, RM -44 and PRM and whatnot, and I... and I
think I attended one of the P, uh, P &Z, uh, meetings where, uh, they brought the ... you
guys brought that before P &Z, and we decided to go forward with it. Is that correct? Is
that...
Howard / Right, so that's... that's incorporated into that ... that large ordinance that went along
with it. There's... there's, just so you un ... understand, the ... the, you know, we have the
code book that you got a copy of electronically. Then there's the larger ordinance that
has some other smaller tweaks to the rest of the zoning code that's necessary to fit this
into and that was one of the things that we had on our list so we included it with this.
Bramel/ Excellent. Very good, thank you.
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Dobyns/ Karen, I was wondering if we could talk about... there's one sub - district in the
Riverfront Crossing that wasn't covered, and that's the river. Um, you know, this, I
mean, it's really nice looking at this, but it almost forces us to look at...at part of the
Iowa River where frankly a lot of people try not to look because sometimes the water's
either too high or too low and it's not as pretty as it is above the dam, and I'm thinking
there have been piecemeal improvements in this area. I recall when on the west side the
bike trail, uh, behind the Dairy Queen and the businesses. There was some piecemeal
river, uh, embankment improvement as part of that. But I'm ... I'm trying to get a sense
as this project goes forward, my sense is that as development goes along the river, do
they improve the riverfront themselves or does the City guide them with a more
overarching look, I mean, how does that happen?
Howard/ Well, on the east side, of course, it's going to be mostly parkland and Us ... University
property along the river. So we're hoping with the new Riverfront Park to, you know,
really stabilize the bank and make all those improvements on the east side. On the west
side, um, I think you have approved, uh, stuff in the Capital Improvement's budget to
extend the ... the riverfront trail along the west side, and there's going to need to be some
bank stabilization, I believe, on the west side. The consultant that we've hired to do, um,
the white water study and the Riverfront Park, then the idea is that, uh, we need to look at
the river itself and to see where we've got a lot of erosion and how we can stabilize that
and improve it, um ... so that's all ... and then the Sensitive Areas Ordinance requires a 50-
foot, uh, buffer along the Iowa River, um, so that space leaves the room for the riverfront
trail, um ... but yes, um, for buildings that are built ... that want to ... get closer to the river,
obviously constructing the building on the riverfront is a challenging thing and
so ... they're going to need to show how they're going to interface with that public trail
along the river, and it could mean that they would have to then improve that area, in order
to build it (several talking in background) if it comes before the City does our
improvements.
Dobyns/ (mumbled) important to, I mean, to attract development right along the river. The first
ones in are going to go (both talking)
Howard/ What is the timetable on the riverfront trail on the west side?
Markus/ Well you've got the Mums' property that's, uh, currently being reviewed. It's a Ke...
Kevin Olson, uh, project, some mixed -use building (several talking, noises on mic) and
we've, you know, we've integrated the trail as a part of that whole development, so...
Howard/ Isn't it in the Capital Improvement's budget to do the west side trail? Is it (both
talking)
Markus/ Yeah (several talking)
Davidson/ With the project that Tom's referring to, we will have all the property for the trail
between the Benton Street bridge, down to where the City property ends at Sturgis Park,
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so we'll be able to implement the trail whenever Council decrees in the CIP that we want
it done.
Markus/ You might mention, Jeff, that we acquired some of that, I think with that hotel project,
as well.
Davidson/ Right, yeah, we'll have literally all the ... all the property from Benton Street, all the
way down to ... I mean, actually, just to broaden it a little bit. We'll be able to go all the
way down to the new arterial street bridge, across the river, McCollister, with the
exception of the commercial court area. That's... that's the only area, cause we have the
levee coming up, remember, from the arterial, uh, the new bridge. We have the levee
coming up. That's designed to have a trail on top of it. The commercial court area is the
area where we'll ... we'll still need to figure out what we're going to do, if we're going to
extend out over the river or what. That's the one piece that ... that basically will connect
you all the way down to Trueblood Recreation Area.
Markus/ And ... and Jeff and Karen, I think the other thing that might be worth mentioning is
that ... I think the ... there's some contemplation that we will coordinate with the designer
of the, um ... oh, the white water project that some of that bank area will be, uh, looked at
and designed so that there's some uniformity and ... and maintaining some of the natural
characteristics. It's a little rough looking right now, but we think that there's some
(several talking) riverscape that can be done through there to ... to really dress it up.
Davidson/ Yeah, we were successful in ... in getting our contract for the flood mitigation grant,
the $8.5 million grant Susan went to Des Moines with us, um, we were able to get that to
include some, um, riverfront improvement features, uh, as well as the ... the creek, and
then of course the demo of the ... the waste water site.
Hayek/ That does rai ... raise some interesting points, Rick. Uh, you know, what more can we
or ... or whoever has authority over the river, do to improve that, whether it's DOT or
DNR. I'm not sure who but, you know (several talking) and other things that might
direct the channel better and make it a little more attractive aesthetically.
Howard/ Yeah, whatever we do we can't (noises on mic; unable to hear speaker) downstream but
(noises on mic)
Hayek/ Right. Anyway, that's not this but it ... (several talking) It ... it is a sub - district (several
talking) Aquatic district!
Throgmorton/ Matt, I ... I think you know I have a fair number of questions I'd like to ask, but I
don't know how to do this in terms of process. But maybe I can get at least one out
and...
Hayek/ Sure!
Throgmorton/ ...you can tell me how you want to proceed.
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Hayek/ That'd be fine, and I ... I, you know, we do ... we want to get through this by ... by 20 of
Um...
Throgmorton/ And then continue questioning at...at our next work session? What do you want
to do?
Hayek/ Well I mean, you know, so you're ... I know you've got a number of questions. Um,
I... and I don't know if staff came prepared with answers. I think you sent your questions
initially.
Markus/ Yeah the staff (both talking)
Hayek/ ...get a process to...
Markus/ The staff has gotten together and they've prepared answers, and maybe for efficiency
purposes, we could provide written responses to those, um... so that, you know, you can
have that (several talking) and consider those between now and the next meeting.
Throgmorton/ And then maybe follow up on some of `em. (several responding)
Markus/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ That'd be ... dandy (both talking)
Howard/ I was hoping my presentation would have answered some of your questions.
Throgmorton/ I think it does answer some, but ... but let me ask, uh, at least one that, uh ... uh, I
think needs to be clear. You've laid out a ... basically a great vision and a code that
would, um, help bring it about. But it's not at all clear to me how the transition from
existing zoning's going to occur. For ... for anybody who owns property in the district,
that is currently zoned whatever it is, how will the transition occur between that and this
form -based code?
Howard/ So this becomes then a part of the code and is ... is zoning that you can request, and if
you're in the district, you can ... if you have a development project you want to go
forward, and there are people that are probably waiting for this, um, they can come in and
apply for a rezoning themselves. There may be areas that we want to rezone, have it
City- initiated, such as ... one of the areas we talked about is sort of, um, to get this going
is to rezone the south downtown area. It's already a lot of that CB -5 zone, um ... uh, and
some PRM zoning there, but there's a lot of interest in developing that portion of the
district. It's already set up to be more urban. So that could be a place where it could be
City- initiated, potentially, but we'd want to contact all the property owners and ... and do
a real rezoning process for that. Could also be that ... that, um, somebody wants to come
in and do, um, one particular piece of property, but it's really necessary to have in order
to get, for example, some right -of -way that we need along important streets like south
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Gilbert Street, we're going to need more than one property in order to do that. So it's
going to be a work in progress, and you know, because we have areas that are auto -
oriented right now, it's going to be ... it's like, you know, trying to shift it a little bit and
we're going to need some give and take between the developers and getting extra public
property to do the kinds of things that we need. So, um ... we can negotiate those kinds of
transfers through the rezoning pro ... process. We have a lot more power to negotiate, um,
if we don't rezone it ahead of time.
Hayek/ That's a really good question, and ... and I, um, I mean, you know, zoning is not a set of
god -given rights that just miraculously appeared when this land was... was... was created.
Um, in... instead, our zoning code and... and the various zoning zones, various zones, you
know, are the result of years and years and decades of policy decisions by the elected
body, you know, trying to create zones that reflect what we want to accomplish, etc. Um,
and they're subject to change, and um... you know, if... if this form -based code that we've
envisioned, um, represents what we in 2014 think is best for that area, is there a reason
why we wouldn't pursue City- initiated rezoning on a broader scale to create this?
Howard/ That's certainly a possibility. I mean, you can go and blanket rezone the whole thing.
Um, I guess the question would be, um ... for example, further south where we need an
extra 30 -feet of right -of -way along Gilbert Street in order to do the streetscape the way
we need to do it. So, if we ... would initiate a City- initiated rezoning, we would give up
our rezoning powers to negotiate that transfer. Um, so... so there is some... some...
(several talking) ...strategies here that we may want to use in different parts of
Riverfront Crossings.
Payne/ And if something... if, let's say in the near ... this stuff closest to Burlington, if you did do
a City- initiated rezoning, and something didn't fit, it would just be non - conforming. Just
like in other parts of town that we rezoned, something could be non - conforming until...
Howard/ Oh, sure! Right, until it redevelops.
Payne/ Until it redevelops.
Howard/ You would have the same non - conforming rights you would have everywhere else.
Right.
Throgmorton/ On the other hand, under current zoning, property owners have a right to do, to
build whatever they want, in accord with the existing zoning. So there's a risk that
somebody will build something....
Howard/ That's right.
Throgmorton/ ...that really is inconsistent with (both talking)
Howard/ ...that's the trade -off.
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Mims/ ...exactly what I was just thinking too.
Howard/ That's the trade -off; you're right!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so how (both talking)
Howard/ So some of these areas are zoned CC -2 and CI -1, intensive commercial, so the question
is, is there enough incentive here, have we crea ... created enough, urn ... development
potential with this code, that somebody wouldn't do that. I guess you'd have to decide
whether that's a risk you want to take.
Hayek/ Well and ... and part of the premise of this is ... is a uniform set of expectations.
Howard / Right!
Hayek/ You know, parameters that you know about as you go forward, but if we haven't
rezoned...
Howard/ Right.
Hayek/ ...that really isn't coming to fruition ... ex ... except on maybe a piece -by- piece, or lot -by-
lot basis.
Howard/ And I ... I think this is worthy of a larger discussion about how ... you know, we haven't
had that ... we've talked about it amongst staff a little bit about how we want to go about
getting this zoning in place.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Howard/ So that is an ... an open question.
Hayek/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ My gut feeling is that property values are going up as we talk (laughs)
Mims/ I would think so too!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and... and that... in almost every situation a property owner would not want
to build in ... in accord with existing zoning, but would rather do it under the form -based
code.
Mims/ Or sell to somebody...
Throgmorton/ Or sell to somebody else (both talking) yeah, but there might be exceptions.
Howard/ Oh sure!
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Botchway/ (mumbled) So what's the process in which we're going to submit questions, cause I
had a couple as well.
Hayek/ Well, we're going to ... we're going to open up a public hearing this evening and get
basically public repeat of this, and then continue the public hearing and take it up on May
6th. So if you've got questions, I would encourage you to get them to Karen, or Tom
(several talking) go through Tom (several talking) and then... and then, yeah, you know,
they'll get out in the very next packet, at least your questions will, and then your answers
will be as soon as they can get that out.
Botchway/ Okay.
Howard/ So would you like to have written answers to the, I mean, Jim sent his questions along.
I mean, we can certainly put things in writing or just...
Hayek/ It might be more efficient. That way everybody receives (both talking)
Howard/ ...has the same information. Sure!
Hayek/ Does that sound good?
Botchway/ Yeah, that's (both talking)
Hayek/ Okay! All right. Karen, thank you! And ... and Bob and everyone else.
Mims/ It's been very helpful.
Payne/ Yeah, I thought it was extremely helpful!
Throgmorton/ I ... I'm really, oh (both talking)
Botchway/ Last question! That slide's I think does a better, or not a better job. You did a good
job! Great job anyways (laughter) but is there anyway to get that slide on the web site?
Is that slide going to be on the web site?
Karr/ It will be. Anything that's presented at a Council meeting's archived. It will be archived,
and in the meantime if Karen wants to put it up before that time, but it'll be up before the
next meeting for sure.
Botchway/ Cause that just gave a, kind of a better general overview than the actual document
(both talking)
Karr/ ...and we'll have both, just to clarify, you'll ... we're going to archive this presentation and
we'll archive the formal presentation, so that the transcripts will say something like,
"Well this is confusing," and it may be adjusted in the formal.
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Botchway/ Okay.
Karr/ So that we'll need to archive both sets.
Payne/ It may be even ... this slide being its, you know, its own link. Not so you have to look
through the whole presentation to find it.
Howard/ Yeah, there is a Riverfront Crossings page on our web site that includes all the, you
know, the entire plan. You can download ... you can download this code, um, so we can
include the presentation because we ... we included the presentation, the PowerPoint
presentation that the consultant gave when we did the plan. So all those things that
somebody can take a look at, we can include those on the web site.
Hayek/ Okay! Thanks, Karen.
Throgmorton/ I...1, just wanted to say I'm really happy that Doug says the staff's recommending
that we continue the public hearing, cause out of respect for the enormous amount of
good work the staff has done, Karen especially I suppose, uh, and the great work the
Commission has done, the uncertainties associated with this, the, uh, how it might affect
property owners, potential users of the area and all that, we need to slow it down enough
so that we really have a good sense of what we're doing and why and ... that we're
confident in how we're proceeding.
Mims/ (mumbled) ...made a lot of progress since those original sharettes. (laughter) Seems like
forever ago! (laughs)
Hayek/ All right, let's move on here! Uh, next bullet point is the Neighborhood Planning and
Development expectations, uh, regarding new elementary school locations. Uh, this is,
uh, at IP3 in the Info Packet from April 10th. Memo from staff.
Discuss Council's Neighborhood Planning and Development Expectations Near the New
Elementary School Locations (IP3 & 4 of 4/10/14 Info Packet):
Miklo/ The, uh, Planning and Zoning Commission has, uh, requested that we devote some time
to this and have asked the Council to ... to authorize that. Um, we've identified three
potential options, uh, for addressing, uh, the south district. Uh, the new school site is,
well, it's right ... it's right here. Uh, so the thought would be that with that new school
site, the public ... the City's investment in, uh, Sycamore Street, uh, we should re- examine
the South District Plan, which was adopted in 1990 ... yeah, 1997, so it's 17 years, um, so
the thought is that we refresh that and ... and uh, and bring some more detail to it perhaps.
Um, one approach would be to use our current Comprehensive Plan and the current South
District Plan and implement it as subdivisions and rezonings come in. Um, there are I
think some good guidelines in this plan, but as noted, they are ... they are dated. Um, our
second option would be to, uh, focus some staff time on this. Um, we would follow the
same process we used for district planning meetings, where, uh, we invite, uh, property
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owners, potential developers, um, neighborhood groups, uh, to participate in roundtable
discussions and ... and identify what the issues are, what ... what the desires for the area
are. Um, I think to do this in a... in a reasonable amount of time, we would need to,
uh ... uh, perhaps up our staffing. Uh, Sarah Walz, uh, who has done some study of this
area, she only works part-time, 20 hours a week, so we would ... we would request, uh,
that for a brief period of time, uh, the course of the study, that we would up ... up her
hours so that she can provide more focus to the area. Uh, we would anticipate that, uh,
that we would be back to you with a ... with a revised plan or a course of action or
proposal for you to adopt, as part of the Comprehensive Plan, urn ... with... within a year,
shorter than a year if...if...if we go this route. A third option would be to hire a
consulting firm, um, like we did for the ... for the Peninsula, for Riverfront Crossings, uh,
bring some outside expertise in. Um, that still would... still takes a lot of staff time. For
example, Riverfront Crossings, Karen and I both, um ... um, devoted a lot of time to
working with the consultant, so they understood what the local issues were. Um... so
that ... that's the third option. Given those three, we feel that we can do it best in- house,
in a fairly timely and efficient manner. We do have a ... a process developed for the
district planning, uh, efforts that we've used successfully, uh, the first time for the South
District Plan, but we've used it for, uh, several other areas of town. Um ... so with that,
I'd be happy to try to answer any questions.
Payne/ So do you need us to ... choose one of them tonight?
Miklo/ That's what we're (laughter) (mumbled)
Payne/ I would ... I would pick the staff recommendation.
Mims/ I would too. I think it makes sense (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I don't have any problem with that. I ... I'd like to raise a couple particular,
I don't know, suggestions, but I ... I'm completely onboard with the idea of having the
staff do it. I think Sarah would do a great job. So the ... the two sort of questions I have
is ... or concerns, I think it's pretty important to imagine who the future users might be,
because we're looking at empty land pretty much right now, so ... who could live there,
versus, who currently lives nearby. All right, and the second thing has to do with
development, it's the same question I asked Karen just a few minutes ago. Developments
that might occur in the time that the staff is working on the South District Plan. They
might undermine whatever it is the staff comes up with, over the coming year. So,
how ... how do ... how can we be assured that some nearby property owner doesn't just
say, "I ... I want to do a single - family subdivision that's consistent with existing zoning
and the existing South District Plan."
Hayek/ I think the answer to that is to initiate rezoning that sets a moratorium and gets us to, you
know, some of the issues we've faced in recent years (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ... going to be developing a plan.
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Miklo/ I wouldn't be, um ... advocate a moratorium at this time (laughter)
Hayek/ But ... but that's the only way, it seems to me, this goes back to (several talking)
Dilkes/ There's a couple, I mean, when you initiate a rezoning, a moratorium goes into effect,
you can also do a ... you know, a project - specific moratorium, a very brief period of time.
Hayek/ Anyway, it's a challenge! (several talking) I recognize your concern, Jim.
Miklo/ Much of the undeveloped area's actually in the County, and the anticipation is it will be
annexed in over time. Um, we do have a Comprehensive Plan, which I think has some
very good guidelines and neighborhood principles in it that we can apply when rezonings
and subdivisions are ... are brought before you. Um, so it's not like it's ... we have no
guidance, uh, for the area.
Hayek/ Yeah (several talking)
Payne / And if we do nothing ... at all for the next 12 months, it's going to be just ... it's just going
to prolong when you do something. So ... I mean...
Hayek/ Let's get after it!
Throgmorton/ I don't know any property owners in the area but my gut tells me that somebody's
going to come in with a proposed rezoning. That ... may not be consistent with whatever
it is the staff might be coming up with. Don't know. I bet it happens though.
Mims/ Yeah. The question is if they wait is can they do more and is it more valuable, kind of
like we're talking about Riverfront Crossings potentially being, I mean ... you just don't
know, but I ... I hear what you're saying. It is a concern.
Hayek/ Well in any event, it looks like you've got the authority to proceed with Option #2 and
we're excited to start that process.
Mims/ Yeah.
Hayek/ Sorry if I'm getting a little pushy! I'm just mindful of the clock here! (laughter) Uh,
next item is Info Packet discussions. April 3 and April 10 are the two Info Packets.
Anything on the 3ra7
Information Packets:
Botchway/ Uh, just IP3, uh, I guess for ... make sure I'm reading the right one. This is secure
storage services. Um, Geoff, is there any ... been anything else, um, that you've heard as
of late regarding some type of secure storage facilities?
Fruin/ I haven't had any follow up with, uh, Trinity or... or any agency.
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Botchway/ Okay. I will say just with talking with people about the issue, um, you know, moving
beyond the I guess the homelessness impact, is thinking about this from more of an
economic development standpoint. Um, and when I say that I mean you know something
involving the City and the University, partnering some way to maybe have some type of
secure storage facility for, you know, somebody going downtown, somebody using the
new Riverfront Crossings district, uh, for a family that's visiting, um, or people going to
the game. A lot of people talked about the fact that they have a whole bunch of things
from the game and want to put it somewhere so they can enjoy in the festivities
downtown. So ... just something to think about, um ... you know, in the future, and if you
hear some of that, that'd be great to kind of talk about and let us know.
Markus/ Kingsley, I ... I think that one thing that we may want to ... and I don't think we've had
this conversation, we may want to open up the conversation with the folks at 1105.
Mims/ Yeah.
Markus/ You know, you have a lot of the meal, uh ... arrangements being made in that particular
area. That might be a ... a fairly logical location.
Botchway/ And I agree with that. A couple of comments that came from that was one, then you
would ... kind of be pushing people to a particular area. You would be moving them out
of the downtown area, because all, you know, all your stuff would be there. Most of your
services would be there, and so the incentive would be to stay in that area, and then we
had, you know, the Riverfront Crossings district coming up, as well as some of the things
that ... I can't remember her name, that she came up and spoke about, um, some of the
issues of the area of people, uh, loitering, some vandalism, I mean (several talking)
Marsha ... I think that becomes another problem that we'd have to look at, but no, I agree.
I mean, that would be ... that would be something, yeah.
Markus/ There are a lot of issues with that (several responding) ...you have to work through.
Hayek/ Anything else on the April 3rd? Okay. April l Otn
Throgmorton/ IP7, the strategic plan update. Good job, Geoff. Thank you.
Hayek/ Lot of work! But it's helpful!
Mims/ Yeah, it looks really nice and ... and uh...
Payne/ Clean!
Mims/ ...clean, yeah. Graphics and...
Fruin/ Had a lot of good help! Thanks!
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Bramel/ I wanted to say thank you, Kingsley, for your ... for the Sealing letter that you sent. Uh,
it was very informative, so thank you. And then thank you very much, Jim, for that, uh,
letter that you sent to Council. I found it very, uh, very informative, very enlightening in
that respect, so ... I ... I would agree with you, that, uh, whether or not there's something
that, um, the Council instructs staff to look at or whether it's a... individual Councilors
bringing, um, this information to the public... meetings or whatever it may be, or just
independently organized, I think this is something that we look into further. I think it's
worth it. Worth doing.
Botchway/ You talking about IP9? Okay. Kind of talking about that quickly, uh, I don't want to
minimize the seriousness of the issue and I do plan on bringing it up, you know, later, uh,
Council work session or whatever the case may be, but, um, I did get some
communication after the fact, after we had the meeting, and uh, the funny thing is is that I
expected a lot of student frustration. I expected that, you know, inbox or calls from
students and had none of that, so (mumbled) students, um, but (laughter)
Bramel/ I got a little bit (several talking)
Botchway/ ...but the frustration actually came from parents that had students at the University
and expressing their disappointment with, um, you know, uh, having to handle these type
of situations and not seeing any particular remedy. Now granted, obviously we have the
remedy of expunging the record, but you know, there just tends to be, I guess, some
miscommunication on ... not from you. I'm just saying miscommunication maybe from
the parents or whoever's working the situation on how to go through the actual process
and maybe they just don't know anything about it, and again, that does fall on their
responsibility but ... um, again, it was more parents that came up to me, which I thought
was interesting and I just ... I wanted to talk about it from that standpoint, that they were I
guess pretty upset about not looking into the situation further or it being a dead issue, but
I did talk about, you know, possibly bringing it up later on, so ... and then the other thing
was IP 16... sorry, Matt!
Hayek/ Yeah, go ahead.
Botchway/ And this might be a silly question, Marian, but do we try to publish the information
that's on the, uh ... the press release goes to the local newspaper?
Karr/ The press release is, um, distributed everywhere — newspapers, radio, uh, television (both
talking)
Botchway/ Okay, I just wanted to make sure.
Karr/ ... and we're going to repeat it periodically. We're going to do it like every two weeks.
Hayek/ Um ... go ahead, Jim.
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Throgmorton/ IP11, uh, the accessibility assessment that Simon put together. Thank you for
doing that. I was glad to see it! (several talking)
Hayek/ Uh, IP6 is a ... is a heads -up about the joint meeting, uh, which is I think hosted by the
School District, um ... uh, coming up in two weeks, um, and Kingsley, just for your
benefit, um, what we typically do in advance of these joint meetings is ... is see if there are
any agenda items we want other jurisdictions to address, uh, at these joint meetings. I
think these joint meetings are a limited benefit, um ... because there's so many people
but ... uh, but there are ... if there are things we want to raise, uh, we can certainly do so
and get those onto the agenda.
Karr/ This week!
Botchway/ Do we talk about it (several talking) do we talk about it as a Council first?
Hayek/ Yeah (several talking) we have to deci ... there's gotta be I think a majority of us (both
talking)
Botchway/ Okay, that's what I wanted to make sure. Okay.
Hayek/ ...X, Y, or Z on the ... on the agenda.
Karr / And I would need them this week (both talking)
Hayek/ We need `em, I mean (several talking) yeah! I think ... I think an update on the
redistricting process from the District would be helpful.
Throgmorton/ Yep.
Hayek/ It's obviously gotten some print lately. And there... and... and that ties into some of the
efforts we're engaged in in our neighborhoods with UniverCity and ... and uh,
neighborhood stabilization. So ... maybe requesting an update on where they are with
that. I don't know that we need to put on the agenda the issue raised in Tom's letter
about public infrastructure (several responding) um ... I mean we've asked (several
talking)
Mims/ ...yeah!
Dobyns/ Tom?
Markus/ What's that?
Dobyns/ Was there a reply, uh, from your letter to, uh, Superintendent? (unable to hear
response) Okay.
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Hayek/ I would suggest (several talking) Let's just wait for a staff (several talking and laughing)
It'll come up anyway.
Mims/ Poke the bear!
Hayek/ Anything else? (several talking) Okay! Uh, anything else on the 10th, on the Info
Packet from April l Otn?
Botchway/ Actually, is there any way we could talk about like, I don't know, and I wasn't going
to bring this up. It was in my notes. But just better relations, and I guess I will be the
only one that speaks on this, but uh, you know, I appreciated your response. I really
enjoyed your response to, um, the ... the email from the other Council Member. Um, I ... I
just, personally, didn't like the ... an email is email and Twitter's Twitter and you know
when you type things it might not mean, but it just seemed very passive /aggressive, um,
and again, I don't want to get...
Hayek/ On my part or his? (laughter)
Botchway/ No, on his! (laughter) On his! And so I didn't know (several talking and laughing)
I didn't know if it was just ... I would be, you know, willing to have that discussion while
people are there, cause it's just ... uh, I just didn't like it (several talking)
Payne/ How do you make people be nice?
Botchway/ I don't know. I just ... or I mean, I just didn't like it and I thought that you had a very
good response. I thought the questions were good questions that needed actual detail and
answers beyond what we were currently, or what we currently have, and... (several
talking) it just seemed ... I don't know, and it just kept happening too. It was like more
emails and I just didn't understand. I mean, the initial email explained it all, but...
Hayek/ Yeah.
Botchway/ ...and so I didn't know if there was just something... and maybe this happens behind
closed doors, I don't know, but since we're all meetin' together, and it's public, it might
be a better situation than not to at least talk about those issues and...
Hayek/ Yeah...
Botchway/ ...not those issues, just talking to people...
Hayek/ Right.
Botchway/ ... in some type of nice way.
Hayek/ ...an interesting mix at these joint meetings, and not one that's necessarily conducive to
that kind of conversation.
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Botchway/ Okay.
Hayek/ Um ... some things are better resolved over a beer, I think (several responding)
Botchway/ Okay.
Mims/ One -on -one.
Hayek/ But I ... I'm with ya! I mean, you know, you've picked up on something that's an issue.
Mims/ Yeah. (several talking and laughing)
Markus/ I'm thinking some of those Sumo wrestling suits would be (several talking and
laughing)
Botchway/ ...or the large boxing gloves! (laughter) That you use at prom, or I did at least.
(laughter)
Hayek/ All right, uh, Council time.
Council Time:
Payne/ The ... the last MPOJC meeting we had, plastic bags got brought up again, that we need to
like talk about it in a ... but it hasn't been on a ... I think we just need to get it on a work
session agenda.
Mims/ Yeah.
Dickens/ Cause all the other... Johnson County and (several responding) Coralville, most of `em
have said that they're not going to put a ban in place. So we at least have to make
some...
Mims/ We at least need to have the discussion, so we can take it back to them.
Payne/ Yes! So the next meeting's on the 21St so we just need to do it at some point before then.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. I don't know if Marian or...
Markus/ ...put it on.
Mims/ Can get it on? Okay thanks.
Throgmorton/ Matt, I wanted to mention two things quickly, but uh, we're running out of time
too. Uh, last Saturday afternoon, uh, Rick and Kingsley and I went to this Community
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Summit on Sexual Assault. Uh, and it was really very instructive, I think. A good thing
to go to. When I asked ... at one point I asked ... Rick asked a question and then I asked...
Dobyns/ You did the follow up, thank you, yep! (laughs)
Throgmorton/ So I ... I said, I asked the panelist what City government could do to help, and they
said give greater assistance to RVAP. So, I just...
Payne/ What does that mean?
Throgmorton/ Rape Victim Advocacy Program. So, I just want to tell you, that's all (both
talking)
Dobyns/ I think what Jim and I did is we gave them, the group, and maybe RVAP an opportunity
to maybe come back to the City and think about things. So, that's a good question, but I
think it's their ... theirs to answer.
Hayek/ Yep.
Bramel/ Uh, real quick here if I could, um, just urn ... the Open Party, which uh ... uh, is the new
Student Government party that ran unopposed last week won, uh, and so they are now,
uh, going to be taking over May 1St, uh, just when I leave also. Um...
Hayek/ ...Ukraine or something like (laughter)
Mims/ The Open Party!
Bramel/ The Open Party, yeah, exactly! Um, if I can remember the acronym I would list it off to
you right now. I think it's Opportunity, um ... I'm not going to go over that (laughs) The
last ... N is nurture. (mumbled) Um, and so they'll be selecting a new, uh, vice City
Council liaison to work with Evan, who will be replacing me, come May 1 st. Um,
obviously it's my last meeting, so thank you very much for everything. Um, it's been an
absolute pleasure working with all of you, so ... um ... I got a little speech here at the
formal session, but I just want to thank you.
Mims/ Likewise!
Botchway/ And I want to, yeah, good job. I do want to say though when we make the switch,
I'm going to probably commandeer this seat for work sessions (laughter) I wanted to
make that clear. I didn't want to say it during the formal session, but I did want to make
that clear right now (laughter and several talking) We'll talk later!
Hayek/ So passive /aggressive! (laughter) Anything else? All right, uh, meeting schedule.
Who's got KXIC in the morning?
Throgmorton/ I do!
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Hayek/ Okay, so just a reminder on that.
Dickens/ 8:00!
Hayek/ 8:00!
Throgmorton/ 8:00? (laughter)
Hayek/ Yeah! Keep saying that. It's going to take another four or five reminders!
Mims/ Yeah!
Dickens/ Well the traffic's wonderful so ride your bike early!
Pending Work Session Tonics:
Hayek/ Pending work session (several talking) Pending work session topics. We just added, re-
added the plastic bag issue.
Payne/ Sure!
Hayek/ Pretty big list. Okay, upcoming events.
Upcoming Events / Council Invitations:
Throgmorton/ On Thursday I'm going to be accompanying Dan Buettner on his "walking audit"
that's part of the Blue Zones thing, and then I imagine some of you are doing this too,
I'm going to go to the "Food Environment Workshop" on Friday.
Hayek/ At 5:00 on Thursday is this Blue Zones' kick -off and I'm going to be doing a bunch of
one -handed pushups (laughter) uh, to kick that off! (laughs) Yeah! Okay! Good job.
We'll adjourn and resume at 7:00.
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