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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-05-06 TranscriptionMay 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1 Council Present: Botchway (5:03), Dickens, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne (6:15), Throgmorton Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Dilkes, Hart, Karr, Steffen, O'Brien, Bockenstedt, Ralston, Andrew, Fosse, Jordan, Moran, Morris, Long, Yapp, Davidson, Boothroy, Howard, Ream, Miklo, Hightshoe Agenda Items: Hayek/ I want to welcome everyone to our work session (noises on mic). Um ... not sure about Kingsley. I know, uh, that Michelle is in route from the city of big sh ... big shoulders and would be ... will be here shortly. I told her not to get any speeding tickets! (laughter) Uh, well let's go ahead and jump right in. The first bullet item is questions regarding agenda items. ITEM 4b(7) Human Rights Commission — March 18 Throgmorton/ Uh, well, I ... I think I have three but... so let me toss one out and then somebody else can hop in. Hayek/ Sure! Throgmorton/ Uh, Item 4b(7), the minutes of the Human Rights Commission's March 18 meeting, uh ... and which... focuses on the municipal I.D. program. I'm just wondering if the staff has anything particular in mind in terms of scheduling Council discussion and possible action on the municipal I.D. I don't know if... Tom ... I don't know if you heard me or... (mumbled) Markus / What was the last part of your question? Throgmorton/ Uh, do you have anything in mind, does the staff have anything in mind a... about scheduling a Council discussion about the municipal I.D. program, as it's now evolving, cause we've got a recommendation from the Human Rights Commission. Markus/ Except that the ... as I understand it, the Count's indicated an interest and I thought we were going to let that part play out first. Throgmorton/ Well this ... this is what I was a ... wondering about. I know the ... the County is interested in being the ... the sponsor or whatever of...of it, but ... I ... I don't know where all that stands ... right now. Dilkes/ (both talking) ...I met with Janet Lyness and the City Attorneys from North Liberty and Coralville, oh, probably ... I don't know, three weeks ago or so. Um ... I had ... had a pretty good indication of what the ... you know, what the City of Iowa City was interested in, but This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 2 they hadn't talked to their people, their councils, about it at all and I think they were going to go back and do that and then get back to Janet, and ... we were going to go from there. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... I know (clears throat) Janet herself last night in the candidates' forum said something about how she's been asked to... Dilkes/ She's kinda leading the effort, I think, and that was her first step to do that. Throgmorton/ Okay. Markus/ You know, my first reaction is that it's probably, uh, a better application across the entire county than it is just in a single community (both talking) Throgmorton/ Yeah, yeah, yeah! Yeah, (several talking) to me too. Dilkes/ And I conveyed to her that the ... the staff recommendation of it being a ... um, non - profit that would do it was in large part because they wouldn't be able to do it on a regional basis, and if the County was willing to do that on a regional basis then ... I thought that would probably be acceptable. Throgmorton/ Thanks! I do have a couple others but (both talking) Hayek/ Go ahead, Jim! Throgmorton/ ...I want others to kind of hop in. Mims/ Go ahead! Hayek/ (mumbled) ...take up your other ones. ITEM 4d(9) NORTH PLANT SALVAGE AND DEMOLITION — RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING, AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND STRAND ASSOCIATES, INC. TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE NORTH PLANT SALVAGE AND DEMOLITION PHASE OF THE IOWA CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RELOCATION PROJECT. Throgmorton/ All right, uh, 4d(9), the contract with Strand Associates to provide consulting fur ...services about the north plant demolition. I was just observing the hourly billing rates, and ... I don't hire important consultants these days so I don't know what's standard and what's not, but $80 per hour for office production, secretarial work strikes me as rather high. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 3 Fosse/ That includes the multipliers. It covers their overhead and, uh, benefits, all the ... all the things that make a company go. I can tell you that we did solicit proposals on this, um, project and Strand was between a half and a third of...of what the ... the other leading consultant was for price. So, compared to the other consultant, they're considerably less expensive. Throgmorton/ That's a pretty impressive rate. Thanks! Hayek/ What's your third one, Jim? ITEM 4d(14) GRANT FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN AND ACCEPT A GRANT FROM THE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING Throgmorton/ Yeah, what's number three, um ... Item 4d(14), the Urban Sustainability Directors Network Innovation opportunity fund grant for climate adaptation. Very pleased to see this, though wish it had to do with more than just adaptation, but I really only had one really simple question. Wh ... what's ... what's the global partnership? The global philanthropy partnership? Anybody know? Fruin/ Yeah, um ... the ... that's just the ... I ... there's a ... there's a group called the Urban, uh, Sustainability Directors Network, which is a part of a larger umbrella... Throgmorton/ Yeah. Fruin/ ...organization, and that larger umbrella organization, uh, is the global philan ... philanthropy partnership. So... Throgmorton/ But what's that? (laughs) Fruin/ Uh, it's where the money's coming from in simple terms. It ... it's a, urn ... yeah, it's a... it's a philanthropic organization that, uh, has values that are aligned with the objectives of...of what we're trying to do here. So, um, they give grants throughout the ... through- out the country, perhaps even beyond, uh, the borders here on a variety of environmental, um... issues. Throgmorton/ Okay. Thank you! ITEM 4d(7) JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER FUNDING - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH JOHNSON COUNTY FOR FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE IOWA CITY /JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER. Mims/ I would just ... not a question but comment on 4d(7), the grant from the County on the Senior Center. Um ... disappointed in the amount that we're getting, uh, from the County This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 4 and I think it just, you know, as staff has indicated in the memo, um, ongoing work that we have to do in terms of getting fair compensation from other, uh, governmental entities in terms of the services that the City's providing. So... Botchway/ And, Susan, adding to that as well, um, I don't know if that's a part of the, um, the Ad Hoc Committee that we're putting forth, but that would be good to kind of get some discussion on, you know (several talking) Okay, yeah, that's one I was making sure! Mims/ Good point! Hayek/ ...does an excellent job of laying out what the cost is (both talking) Mims / Right! Botchway/ Yeah. Hayek/ ...Iowa City taxpayer... paying twice. Mims/ Right. Hayek/ Once and a half. ITEM 4d(6) CITIZENS POLICE REVIEW BOARD COMPLAINT EXTENSION - MOTION GRANTING A 45 -DAY EXTENSION TO THE CITIZENS POLICE REVIEW BOARD FOR THE FILING OF THE PUBLIC REPORT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ON COMPLAINT #13 -07. Botchway/ I had two questions. Um, one regarding ... I can't find it ... if anybody else wants to go, go ahead. Flipping back and forth ... oh! Uh, 4d(6), complaint extension. Um, not... I know from being on the board, um, this was one of the things we talked about from.. . just because it takes so long to kind of go through something and with meetings and everything, you miss that extension, um, the 45 -day extension. I guess my comment to that is, I can't remember what is currently the Police Chief's, um ... how long he has to deal with a complaint. Karr/ The Police Chief's report did come in a timely fashion. It's the extension for the board to consider the report. Botchway/ No, and I understand this being a particular topic. I'm talking about overall. Karr/ I think it's 90 days. I'd have to look. Botchway/ Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 5 Karr/ I think both are 90, both the Chief's report to the complainant, and the, uh, Commission's report to the, uh, Cou... Council. They're both mirrored 90 days. They were different, but they...in the last revision they were both the same. Botchway/ Well, and ... and I understand the extension of the Police Citizens Review Board... Citizens Police Review Board, excuse me. Um, I guess one of the comments that was made during the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee, but also made, um ... recently as well is just ... I mean, that's a long period. That's almost six months, um, for the resolution of something and I think that, uh, you know, with people complaining about, I mean, the process and uh ... you know, I can't even remember what I did six months ago, so I mean it's just one of those things that I think we need to ... either ... question or ... and I'll ... I'll pass it on, um, to you and the Chief, but I just thought it was something that we need to bring up, talk about. Karr/ This ... again, this one, particularly, um, is a, um ... long report and it also happens to hit the month that they had the community -wide forum. They're having three meetings in the month of May as it is right now. Botchway/ Right. Karr/ So, urn ... I think... Markus/ It's ... it's hard for us to discuss because it's all done in -(can't hear). It's all confidential. Botchway/ Right. Markus/ And so it's ... to try and get into a detailed explanation is difficult. Karr/ But they are scheduled for three meetings in May. ITEM 12. AID TO AGENCY ALLOCATIONS FOR THE YEAR STARTING JULY 1, 2014 - RESOLUTION ALLOCATING HUMAN SERVICES AID TO AGENCIES FUNDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2015. Botchway/ And then the other comment I had, or questions I had, was, uh, regarding Item 12. And this is just in regards ... and make, help me if I'm wrong, um, this is in regards to, um, the emails about Elder Services being cut. Um, I guess my question is is what can we do about it? I mean it ... looking at the allocation chart, it does seem like a substantial amount of funding was cut. Um ... I'll have to go back to my notes in the actual packet but ... it just looked like some of the, and again, I don't know the full extent of the criteria and that's where I have questions, and if some of them were answered beforehand, but um... Markus/ Ms. Hightshoe is here to... Botchway/ Okay! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 6 Markus/ ...to address that. She deals with that program. Hayek/ Hi, Tracy! Mims/ Hi, Trace! Hightshoe/ At this point if you want to change the budget items, you can. You can increase the funding to Elder Services, but you'd have to decrease, um, an allocation to a different agency or agencies, or direct more money to Aid to Agencies. Um, a third of the budget is CDBG funds that goes into the Aid to Agencies, and I need to have a set budget because we have to submit our annual action plan, which is another item on our... on your agenda tonight. That has to be submitted to HUD by May 15th. So if you do make a decision that affects the annual action plan for the CDBG funds, that has to be tonight probably. We won't have time to make probably for you guys to meet again by May 15th to submit. Markus/ Tracy, explain what happened between this year and last year. Hightshoe/ Um, HCDC has been allocating the Aid to Agencies fund now for about the last three years. They've had some difficulty in trying to figure out what the Council exactly wanted to do. Um, they came up with a committee. They recommended a policy, and you guys approved that policy in July of 2013. That policy basically directed the Commission to look at all those prior ... those agencies serving a high priority need as identified in City STEPS first, and then after they identify or they review all those high priority items, then they go to the medium priority items, and then they look at those. So what happened that night is after HCDC reviewed each agency serving primarily a high - priority need, they allocated it and you have to allocate at least 80% of the funds to a high priority need in City STEPS. Um, once they did that, then they were looking at your medium priorities and they allocated out of those remaining funds about a third to Elder Services. Um ... and then you go to low priority needs. Um... Markus/ So explain why the 80% goes to the high priority. Hightshoe/ Just in line, your City goals with City STEPS, to the Consolidated Plan. Markus/ But is it a... is it a, uh, mandate from higher up that requires that? Hightshoe/ No, there's no (several talking) mandate... there's no federal mandate. It was just a Council policy that you directed, you know, 80% would go to high priorities. Hayek/ The policy we adopted a year ago specifies 80% for high needs. Then the balance can go to the medium or low. Hightshoe/ Yes. Up to only ... up to 20% of the available funds can go to medium or low priority needs. And when you say medium or higher, it doesn't mean that the need is not needed This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 7 in the community if you're medium or low. It just might mean that there are other funding sources available, might be duplicated in the community, or just not a good fit for CDBG funding. It doesn't mean that it's not needed in the community. Dobyns/ And I ... I see this too, Kingsley. I was not going to bring it up here. I was going to mention it in the Senior Services Commission. But, um, I was on the Elder Services Board so I took a look at this and talked with Tracy and Geoff beforehand. Um ... and if you take a look at the minutes, I mean, we ... we ask our commissions, um, to make recommendations, and so this was deliberated by the, um, Housing and Community Development activities... using the City STEPS program. And, uh, all the people that were there, including the Director of Elder Services, was present at the meeting. You can refer to that in the minutes. And this person did not get up and rebut, even though that ...they were presented with this data. So there were opportunities for people to come back, who actually represent these organizations. But it was not done before the group that we asked to make recommendations to us. So it's hard to know what to do, um, like the Free Medical Clinic. They were also given a medium rating, as well, but they asked far less money. If you take a look, they asked for $7,500. They were awarded $7,500, even though they were this medium priority that fell into that 20% bracket. They frankly were more modest in terms of what they asked for. Um, so I ... I did take a, you know, close look at this. From an overarching point of view, this is one of the reasons I recommended to you all about having a ... a, taking a look at senior services, is that if you take a look what the County is doing, and they're withdrawing some funding. Um, if you take a look from the federal government in terms of, uh, HUD. They're withdrawing funding. As so this is one reason we have this Commission, is take a larger look at all the revenue changes that are occurring, uh, regarding applications to senior services in our community. So it's a very large picture. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I agree with that. I think that's a good way to put it, uh, if...if I read the minutes and the recommendation ... correctly though, um, Elder Services was the only agency to be cut substantially, and several other agencies received increases. So... Hightshoe/ Yeah, it was a... it was a fundamental shift in funding, uh (both talking) Throgmorton/ I understand that, it's a high priority (both talking) I get that. I'm not criticizing them or you or anybody else. I'm just observing it, and it was a large cut, uh, I think $40,000 basically, right? Uh, and ... I take ... take it that you're exactly right, that somebody didn't speak out at a certain moment, but nonetheless, we are where we are and... and I think we need to kind of explore, uh, ways in which we can... ameliorate that and I, you know, I don't know exactly how but ... cause I didn't know we were going to be talking about this right here, right now, uh, but I ... I think we need to be exploring ways to, uh, move some money toward Elder Services. Dobyns/ And I would recommend going forward on this. I mean, it's dangerous precedent to go back and um, we're trying to extricate ourselves as a strategic planning body of making these decisions. Um, and so to go backward and micro -manage a previous decision by, uh, appointed members of commissions, I think sets a dangerous precedent. Um... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 8 Botchway/ But I don't think, I mean, this is a situation where, you know, obviously things were laid out strategically but it seems like the end result was something that was, uh, I mean to me, uh, drastic, and so, uh, because of that I feel like, you know, this is what we're here to do, I mean, to have the, um, responsibility of looking at a situation where we have the end result and saying, okay (several talking) we need to change our, maybe change our thought or our perspective on the issue. I ... I guess, I mean, just from looking at the different, and I didn't get a chance ... I left my paper at work, but there was just different points where you could see the FY13 and FY14 actual, and it seemed like the, uh, HCDC recommendation was higher in some places, and I understand that's from the fundamental shift, but even if it was just shifting some of that money back, um, because all the other funding sources that have large, you know, 50,000, 40,000, it wasn't cut as drastically, as Jim pointed out, and so ... I just, you know, working in non - profit, when you're short 40,000, I mean, it ... it's going to hit (both talking) Dobyns/ (mumbled) Botchway/ ...and I think that ... I don't think we want to give the impression that, you know, senior services isn't important. That's why obviously why we put the Commission, uh, together in the first place (both talking) Dobyns/ But then we have to take it from someplace... you know, I don't disagree with you, going forward, but to go backward... then... um, then we're going to be put ... put in a position of taking it away from some other good effort. Botchway/ Well my iss ... my, I guess my thought on it is if we could maybe make a resolution changing the ratio, for this particular year, and then going back, or after the Senior Center Commission, after we talk about it a little bit more, and maybe we do find that the ratio that we decided, um, in 2013 worked, um, then we (both talking) Hayek/ Is this our first round of implementing a new policy? Hightshoe/ Yeah. When we implemented it, we did send a letter to all the agencies, basically telling them that ... it'd be no longer, your allocation wasn't based on past year funding, that there might be dramatic changes. And then we did, after we got the applications, we sent the confirmation letter or email to all the agencies, basically saying this is the priority we assigned you based on staff's interpretation. If you disagree, please let us know. Um, the contingent was that either 50% of your budget or 50% of your staff time had to meet that high priority need. Um, DVIP was ... at first they were for domestic abuse, um, I think it's called "Battered Spouses," um, that was a medium priority. They made the argument they were shelter, and that homeless services is a high priority, and they could prove that 50% of their budget went to the shelter expense, so we moved their priority level from medium to high. Um, so those ... the agencies were given notice that we might have some dramatic funding changes, and that they had the chance to argue their priority level. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 9 Dobyns/ Could we perhaps (both talking) Hightshoe/ ... if they disagreed. Dobyns/ ... I ... I read the minutes and I couldn't discern, because I'm thinking, okay, this ... this was fairly large. And I couldn't discern, the discussion in the meeting, it's like where was the discussion? Um, I guess in, urn ... out of respect to our Commission, if Andy Chappell could perhaps, or someone, come by and I guess Steve Long was there, you mentioned, um... Hightshoe/ He was present at the meeting. Dobyns/ But it'd be nice to hear before we turn ... hear from them first, I mean, I don't know if we can defer this action. Hayek/ I don't think we can (several talking) guidelines. Mims/ Right. Dobyns/ Yeah, so (mumbled) going forward. Okay. ITEM 9. AMENDING FY2014 OPERATING BUDGET - AMENDING THE FY2014 OPERATING BUDGET. Throgmorton/ I need to ask a related question and only Tom or perhaps Dennis could answer this question. It has to do with Item #9 on the agenda. Uh, budget amendment #2, uh, which, uh, result in a 717,000 net increase in the fund balance, without any adverse impact on property taxes or rates. What I don't know, cause I don't really understand City finances all that well, is whether that means there is actually some funding we could draw upon without harm to anyone else. Markus/ Well, every ... every dollar ultimately is spent, isn't it, from year to year. Some gets carried forward and I think ... I think the debate and the question I'm really hearing from you and maybe Kingsley is, is there a way to soften the impact this particular year without, um ... altering the, um, prioritization that the Council established. And you'd have to take it out of the General Fund. So ... it would likely have to come out of fund balance to accomplish that. Throgmorton/ I thought maybe that was the situation. I ... I wond ... I don't know if anybody from Elder Services is here, or will be here, prior to, uh, item... whatever the item number is in the agenda. Markus/ They will be here. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 10 Throgmorton/ Yeah, I kinda thought they would but ... I ... I'd certainly like to be persuaded too, uh ... you know ... you know ... it's a ... have `em say, "This is what we do. This matters. This is important," you know and that kind of thing. Markus/ You know, if you look at the chart between the ask and what they actually received, there's a fairly ... even high priorities didn't get everything they asked for. Probably the more relevant comparison is what they got last year to what they're proposed to get this next year. And so ... I think Elder probably is at the top of the ... the, um, chart in terms of the difference between last year and what we're proposing. Throgmorton/ Oh yeah, definitely! By far! Hayek/ So I, you know, I was on HCDC for four or five years before joining the Council and ...one of the things I think our commissions deserve is ... clear direction from the Council, and that was apparent a year or two ago when we took this up, and that's why we passed this policy. I would be very reluctant to, uh, undermine a policy we adopted just a year ago and are implementing for the first time, and asking HCDC to apply, which ... which it did, um, the ... the causes on the list are almost to an institution worthy causes doing good work in the community. I think it's hard to distinguish between high, medium, and low priority. Arguably they're all high priority, but we have to distinguish for purposes of getting through the process, um ... you know, we may hear more later this evening, but as of right now, I'm ... I would not be inclined to come up with General Fund or other dollars to ... to soften the blow. I think the Council could, you know, take money from other recommended recipients and apply it to Elder Services to increase it. That's our prerogative, but it would go against our ... our policy, and ... and I think it would go against our broader goal of delegating more of these decisions to commissions that spend the required amount of time to vet the issues and the candidates and the applicants and make an informed decision. That was one thing that was frustrating at the Council over the years was we'd get this list of recommendations or we'd try to come up with it ourselves, with a ... with like a subcommittee, and we'd spend hours, uh ... uh, horse - trading essentially, uh, to ... to come up with ... with recommendations and we asked our... our commission to handle that, um ... and they ... and they've done so. It is, you know, we ... I've ... I've seen the same emails and gotten the phone calls as well. Um, so it's hard news to deliver, but I would be inclined for this year to ... to follow the recommendations. Throgmorton/ Well, I would agree that we should honor the Commission and their work, and respect that they did what we asked them to do, but there are unexpected consequences that we should recognize, and we didn't fully foresee, and so (both talking) one other point... Dobyns/ Yeah. Throgmorton/ April 17th minutes of the Housing and Community Development Commission's meeting, I mean, that meeting ... they agreed that they were not comfortable with the Aid to Agencies' process that they just went through, uh, so they appointed a three- person This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1 I committee to review the process by mid - August. So they don't feel comfortable with it either, even though they know they were trying to do exactly what we asked them to do. Botchway/ And I ... and I think, I mean, again, I understand your point, Matt. And um, you know, prior to even having this packet, I got a opportunity to, uh, do the meals -on- wheels servicing, trying to understand a little bit of, uh, what's going on, uh, just with the agency, just to volunteer. So that does come into, uh, mind or at least my perspective on this particular issue because I mean I hate to see a situation, this is somewhat of a drastic, um, statement, but you know, um, homelessness being one of the issues, being a high priority, um, but a lot of these individuals that you know I did meet on the meals -on- wheels, you know, if they didn't have the services, for whatever reason from a payee service or from, um, just a regular meal service, could potentially be in a homeless situation. Um, I know you can't ... I don't know how again the process entirely worked, and I don't know necessarily if that argument was made. I would have made that argument. Um, but ... uh, I just ... I don't want to ... a year from now look back and say, oh, like we made a really bad mistake and we had a ... just an opportunity to, I mean, you kind of made my point brilliantly, Tom. Just try to soften the blow a little bit, um, you know, obviously you know, used the Senior Center ... or use the Senior Commission, um, to really address a lot of these issues, um, and then ... really settle on a particular plan, or course of action, later on. At least, you know, we've ... we did our due diligence. We did what we could do for this particular timeframe. I'm just ... I'm really uneasy about, again, you know, $40,000 drop in funding, it just ... it just, I don't know how you make it up. I just don't know how you make it up without losing programs and in turn, um, hurting people who are really, really disadvantaged. Mims/ Well I think ... you know, the thing I think we have to keep in mind, and this is always I think what's incredibly difficult is ... I mean, I agree with what Matt has said and others in terms of we've given this responsibility to Commission to do, and respecting the work they've done given the guidelines we've given `em, the ... the fact of the matter is, there unfortunately is never going to be enough money for the requests that are out there. Um, and so I get concerned about going into our reserves or the General Fund when we've already made those allocations of what we're going to have for Aid to Agencies, because you could dig the pot empty, I mean, there's just ... there's just never going to be enough money with all the needs that we have. A couple of things I think that we can look at is one, this is for fiscal year 15. So theoretically there is time. There are budget amendments that could be done, down the road. We have this Ad Hoc group that is looking at all things senior, if you will, um, in the community. And ... there are opportunities, as difficult as they may be, of also private fundraising for agencies out there, and I think there are times that people do have to look more significantly at that. Um, but I'm not comfortable this point in time of making changes. I ... I kind of would like to see how our whole Ad Hoc group ... plays out in terms of various recommendations, um, and then if we needed to come back and look at some different things later, consider that. Throgmorton/ I ... I worry, Susan, that that would be basically a day late and a dollar short for the people involved at Elder Services, cause while that process is unfolding, they have to be This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 12 figuring out how much money they have to spend during the year, and if they know they've already been cut 40,000 and it's not coming back anytime soon, or if at all. Hayek/ Well, I ... I would suggest that if...that we use the dollars that we allocated, that, um, if there is interest on the part of Council to draw from the 20% recipients, you know, give everybody a hair cut to give Elder Services a little bit more, um, I'm not sure I would support that, but if we're going to do something to increase the ... the money going to Elder Services, that would seem to me to be the appropriate thing to do. Uh, and I look at the list, and if you look at senior ser ... senior-related services, there's at least one medium, um ... uh ... priority recipient that got a slight increase over 2014, at least in terms of the recommendation. Um, they ... they hit a similar demographic and they have a ... an identical, um, priority ranking. You know, so ... you could ... we could do that. Dobyns/ I think that would be reasonable, to mollify it somewhat and soften the blow. Um... but I don't think it should be anything major. I recognize looking at the list that even looking at the levels of, uh, you know, Tracy, of high and medium, that there appears to be some unevenness... but um ... so I'd be willing to support some ... but uh ... I just look for a staff recommendation at a future meeting to, you know, recommend something, um, and I'm not sure (mumbled) not taking it from the other or just general from the General Fund. Hayek/ I'm saying taking it out of the recommendations on this list. Dobyns/ Yeah, cause I'm saying so if I do my percentages as I run through ... it was the biggest percentage hit ... by far. Hayek/ Yeah. Throgmorton/ By far! Dobyns/ By far. Hayek/ So the ... but the Council could do that, and in years past, we ... we did. We got up here and we, you know, how bout 4,000 for them and 10,000 for them and could (both talking) Throgmorton/ ...Commission did a better than what the (laughter) in the past! (laughs) You know, we ... we can acknowledge that! Hayek/ Yeah! And if our policy is bad, for some reason, you know, let's ... let's look at that ... in the coming year. Dickens/ And we ... in the past we haven't... funded new programs. You know, when we're looking at some of our other funding and we've got several new programs this year that we ... we've given a lot of money to, so... Hightshoe/ You did fund two new ... well, HCDC recommended funding two new programs that you ... that didn't apply last year, and that was for 17,000. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 13 Botchway/ So ... so in ... in the interim between meetings, cause obviously this is coming up in the formal. Is there any way we could ask to see like a trim, an outline of a trimmed version? I guess my ... my point is is that we're going to make a decision, um, that ... based on your timeline, there's no, I mean, there's... Susan brought up some different, you know, uh, recourses we could have to it, but ... it's kind of what Jim says. I mean, right now they need to know their budget to know what they need to spend. Is there any way we could possibly get like an outline of what would it look like if we trimmed some of the different, um, agencies that have gotten a little bit more and ... again, pad ... like pad the, uh, the Elder Services budget to 20,000 or 30,000 at least, and then make a decision on that? Hayek/ Well, I mean, I think what we could do is we could all start with hard copies of the recommended budget and maybe we get that before the formal. I count I think six recipients of recommended funding in the medium category, and at the formal we could have a discussion and ... hate to use the word horse trading, but that's basically what it is, uh, you know, just determine, you know ... I ... I, there are six including Elder Services. Of those other five, what amount of, uh, reduction are we looking at to increase Elder Services to an amount that we feel comfortable with? I mean I think that's the way we would do it. Dickens/ Even though that's what we were trying to get away from. Hayek/ Even though that's what we were trying to get away from (several talking) Throgmorton/ You know, I ... I ... I'd say don't forget that we ... what's the term you used, Tom? Uh, what ... after I made my suggestion about that, uh, Item #9, the budget amendment? Uh, safety cushion, uh, I ... I don't remember what the phrase was. Anyhow... Hayek/ Yeah, you ... you're right, Jim. Throgmorton/ (both talking) ...mix the two a little bit, you know, pull a small amount of money out of the General Fund and then trim the others, a little bit, so that... everybody's held harmless basically and ... and we're able to move ahead. Dobyns/ Money doesn't grow on trees (laughter) Markus/ Are you asking for my reaction? (laughter and several talking) Throgmorton/ No, I ... just trying to ... (mumbled) Dobyns/ I guess what I'd recommend to City is that, um, I think it's an outlier in terms of the cut. Um, can the outlier be softened? Still I think the cut to this particular agency should be more than any other agency cause I don't want to go to another agency and going why did that one agency ... why didn't MECCA get spared? Uh, why didn't UAY get spared? I don't want to have those conversations after the meeting, if you please! Um, can we This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 14 just soften it? Um, and ... you know, may not be worth a whole lot, but if...perhaps is there time enough between now and... Hayek/ (both talking) ...for example, I mean, and we need to save time for the rest of the work session... Mims/ Yeah. Hayek/ ...but you know, Free Lunch Program got 20...$2,000 in FY 13, $2,000 in FY14, and requested $2,000 in FY 15 and for some reason they're getting 5,000 (several talking) and they're in the same category. Hightshoe/ It was the minimum allocation. Hayek/ What's that? Hightshoe/ That was the minimum allocation. You can only apply (several talking) Hayek/ Oh, that's right! Hightshoe/ To be honest, they applied for 2,000. We had (several talking) recommended 5,000 cause that was the minimum allocation. Hayek/ We could cut 5,000. We could, you know, yank it all and ... and apply that to Elder Services. Mims/ Well, just ... just as a ... if my math is right, in adding up the six medium category, medium priority allocations, I'm only coming up with about $46,000 total, across the medium. So (laughs) I mean you're not going to salvage Elder by very much by giving a hair cut to the other medium priorities. Markus/ I ... I heard ... I heard somebody say `help us!' (laughter) You know what ... (laughter)... you know what I would suggest (several talking) is that ... I ... I wouldn't alter what the Commission has suggested to you. I would take 50% of what you, um, reduced, uh, Elder Services and take it out of fund balance. With the stipulation that they understand this isn't going to be repeated next year, and that they're going to have to figure out how to come up with the additional funding. I think, you know, I think you can get into the horse trading and all of this, but it's ... I think it just dilutes the message. Mims/ And there's not enough money there to horse trade much. Markus/ No, there isn't. I think it dilutes the message back to the Commission. I think it dilutes the message to ... um, the agencies. Botchway/ Well, Tom, I'm not good at math, so where does that... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 15 Markus/ I think it's like 17... Mims/ Yeah, the difference is about 37, so ... about 18- something maybe, ballparkish. Markus/ Yeah, it'd be about 18. Hayek/ All right, well, that's an option. Why don't we ... we really need to move on. Mims/ Yeah. Hayek/ Um ... so we'll take this up at the formal. Thanks, Tracy, for the explanations. Throgmorton/ Thank you! Hayek/ Any other agenda questions? Botchway/ I have one question about the Riverfront Crossings... Throgmorton/ It's coming up! (several talking) Hayek/ Okay! So let's get into that, uh, continued discussion of the, uh, form -based code for Riverfront Crossings district. Hi, Karen! Continued Discussion of Riverfront Crossings Form -Based Code 06a): Howard/ Hello! Throgmorton/ Hi there! Howard/ So in the interest of time, we did send, um, some responses, written responses to your questions that you submitted. Um, so ... I don't know how you want to proceed, whether you want to just go to ... right to the questions that you still might have questions on ... that we didn't respond enough to what your concerns were, uh, rather than go question by question. Throgmorton/ Do you have desires about how to proceed? Hayek/ I mean we have answers to 20 -some questions. I think it might be ... inefficient to go through each one, um... Howard/ Is there ... are there certain questions (both talking) Hayek/ ...you identified some things you want to talk about, Jim? Throgmorton/ Sure, of course (laughs) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 16 Hayek/Just a guess! (laughs) Throgmorton/ Um ... all ... all right, so um ... I'll just start off then, see where things go. Uh, with regard to excluding the downtown, I understand the rationale. I'm just wondering what are ... what are the staff's intentions with regard to updating the Downtown zoning to a form -based model, which is addressed in the response? Howard/ Well we need to get some direction I guess from Council on what the priorities are, um, with regard to our work programs. You know, that is on our list of things to do, and so if it's a high priority that could be, you know, the next thing that we do. Um, we also need to do, uh ... some form-based ... we've talked about doing form -based code for Towncrest, for example, and... so it's just a matter of what your priorities are. Throgmorton/ Okay. So, the answer is it depends on us, right? Thank you. Markus/ I think there's ... I think there was another part to that though too. I think there was some ... some reasons why it didn't occur and ... and maybe that would benefit the Council in understanding that. Howard/ Well I think that that process, I think, while we did include ... we did have, um, include the Downtown in the planning of Riverfront Crossings and Downtown, the Master Plan includes Downtown, and we did have outreach and work ... work sessions and uh, workshops for all interested, uh parties and we did have some Downtown interests that were involved in that. When you talk about the coding, we obviously need to have the input from the Downtown, uh, Association and the stakeholders downtown and individual business owners, so I think that process needs to be a little more robust as far as our outreach goes. So I think that's also a reason that we need to really take a hold of that in a different way, perhaps. Markus/ Historic properties is one of the other... Throgmorton/ Yeah, it sounded like a completely understandable reason, so ... I ... I really appreciated the response, you know, of both in writing and ... and here. I ... I don't know how to proceed, Matt, because you know there ... there are like eight things I want to follow up on, but I don't want to be, you know, uh... Hayek/ Well, why don't you go through a couple and see if others have some (several talking) come back. Botchway/ (mumbled) Throgmorton/ All right, I'll do one more and ... then I ... uh, with regard to the transition from current zoning to the form -based code. With regard to that topic, uh ... uh ... your response basically says to us ... we need Council guidance about whether to initiate the rezonings as recom ... that the staff recommends (noises on mic) so I ... I'm inclined to think we should This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 17 initiate the rezonings. Maybe you can restate so everybody can really understand which (both talking) Howard/ Right, the question is (both talking) once the code is in place, obviously you have to rezone properties that would ... to that zone. Um, so individual property owners that are, you know, have projects that are waiting, want to get going, of course can immediately apply for a rezoning anywhere in the district, once this code is in place. Urn ... and we certainly would encourage people to do that if they've got something they're planning to do right away. Um ... if we wanted to do more strategically and we want to say there's certain parts that we feel like are ready to go, are, you know, like the south downtown area would be the most obvious one as downtown moves south, and there's already some redevelopment potential there. There's not a lot of extra right -of -way that we need or park space or that sort of thing that we would typically negotiate through the rezoning process, which makes it a little trickier for us to initiate it ourselves. Um, that would be the most logical place to ... to start initiating some ... a rezoning. The only piece of...of right -of -way that we need, uh, in the plan it talks about, uh, perhaps trying to acquire, um, and open up Capitol Street back up through... through one of those properties, the ... over to Burlington Street. So that's the only piece in that district that I think we need extra right -of -way. Throgmorton/ Yeah, and (both talking) Howard/ Other parts we have ... west Riverfront there's a number of projects that we've... are in the pipeline, so that would be another area that we could look at to see if there's some... some strategic, larger area that we could initiate rezoning. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I thought the response identified two particular parts of the south ... of the ...uh, Riverfront Crossings' district that you thought we could initiate rezoning for. One would be the south downtown and the other I thought was the south Clinton corridor, but I don't have the text right in front of me. Howard/ Right. Right south of the south downtown, the central Crossings, there's a ... a, um, the area where Midwest One is building their new building, that set of blocks in there could be included in that, um ... and of course any kind of rezoning initiated by the City, we would want to do outreach to the property owners, let them know that's what we're doing, answer any questions, and have that process occur in a... (both talking) Throgmorton/ Yeah. Okay. Howard/ ... fashion that everybody was informed. Hayek/ So ... so Jim's questions are... are... are very germane to our deliberation, I think ... I mean, they're good in that, you know, we can have a form -based code, but it doesn't matter until we ... either we rezone or someone comes in for a rezoning. Howard/ Right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 18 Hayek/ So I'm ... what my take -away from this is that we're ... if we pass this, our approach to the actual rezoning is a mixture of wait -and -see and... some... deliberate, strategic process we follow in the future to initiate rezoning, based on a conversation we haven't had yet and would have to have. Howard/ Right, I mean, I think there's pros and cons to both, and I think each area has its own unique characteristics that we'd have to look at carefully. I mean, once you get down south of the railroad tracks, those areas, a lot of those areas are intensive commercial zone and mix of commercial and industrial; where City Carton property for example and some of the areas in the flood plain that we're trying to get for parkland. So those become a little trickier as far as us initiating a rezoning, um, that might be potentially opposed by the property owners. Mims / And yet not wanting stuff to sit there and something get built on it under current zoning that is not at all what we want (several talking) to fit in with the form -based zoning. Throgmorton/ Right. Mims/ So it's ... yeah. Howard/ That's right. Mims/ Yeah, we're gonna have some work to do. Hayek/ Yeah, I mean, there's... there's a risk of a ... patchwork result over the coming years ... in the coming years, which is not what you see when you look at the beautiful images on the screen, where every building has rezoned and redeveloped under these standards. Howard / Right. We could be more (both talking) aggressive and really take a look at the whole district and ... and identify those areas that we think could go right away, and we could do that for the Council and come back at a work session (both talking) Throgmorton/ I believe we need to be more aggressive (both talking) Hayek/ We may need to! Mims/ Well and ... and hopefully... part of the benefit of this rezoning is that in some ways some of that land, maybe all of it, becomes more valuable in terms of the kinds of things that can be built, and you know hopefully that might be a disincentive for people to do things under the current zoning that we long -term would not like to see. I'm not sure that's true entirely, but ... that might be some incentive for people also to rezone, to initiate rezoning on their own. Howard/ Right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 19 Markus/ The expectation though is ... is pretty clear that there should be a desire for people to upzone to the form -based code, based on what they can achieve under form- based, as compared to the underlying zoning. Mims/ Uh huh. Right. Dickens/ Cause there are incentives in that. Markus/ Yeah, well, there's not only incentives but the ... the basic code differential is significant. Mims / Right. Hayek/ Okay. Kingsley, you had a question? Botchway/ I have like a ... like a slew of questions, but they're all kind of culminating in one thing. Um, so ... affordable housing and um ... think there was a student ... is there... there's different, um, incentive bonuses, but they're all at the same level, right? So for example for students, for affordable housing, you get a particular incentive bonus, which is ... was it four floors or four stories, or ... some type of addition that you can have, is that correct? Howard/ So the bonus provisions are always stated, they're all discretionary, and it's stated "up to four... Botchway/ Right. Howard/ ...floors." So each case is taken on a case -by -case basis. Say somebody comes in then has certain environmental features in their building, but maybe it's not like LEED Gold or, you know, it's deemed to be something that's, you know, laudable, but probably doesn't warrant perhaps the total four stories. So it's ... it's a discretionary process that we'll have to use to judge whether it deserves the full bonus or whether, you know, one or two floors should be granted. So it really depends on the quality and the design of the building, and how much you're achieving as far as those public goals go. Botchway/ But currently those are ... from what I read, and again ... it's a lot of information. Was that the only incentive given to those particular designations? Particularly looking at affordable housing. Howard/ Well with regards to this form -based code, there's really not a lot of incentive to give away. The ... the density is ... the residential density is unlimited. It's only limited by how much you can park on the site. Um, and there's no longer any FAR... floor area ratio requirement. There's no lot coverage requirement. So really the only thing that's constraining the residential density of these properties is the height limit and the parking. So those are the two things that we can give away as incentives, as carrots, so that's what we've done. In the parking changes, to the parking requirements, we've added a provision that somebody can request a reduction if they're doing things of public benefit. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 20 Um ... and they can pay a fee in lieu of providing that parking on site, and then through the height bonuses, you know, going taller really is then the only way to increase your density. So, those are the two things that were chosen because that's what we have as available to us as carrots ... with this kind of a code. Not that there couldn't be other kinds of acent ... incentives besides zoning. This is just one of the tools. Botchway/ So I guess you kind of segued into my next question, because it...it seems like, you know, this is an awesome opportunity to do something different with that particular area, in particular when you're talking about affordable housing, and so I don't know if this is a Council discussion or a comment to you, um, but is there any type, or any way we could, um, increase the incentives for ... um, you know, say affordable housing, um, and uh, instead of, you know... basically, and this is somewhat of a layman's understanding of it. Basically I could you know, and obviously with the discretion of the office as well, just build a bunch of student, um, housing units, with ... with the possible, um, incentive that you might give me, instead of doing actual affordable housing efforts, and that's I guess my fear from that, from ... again, a layman's understanding of what we're going through and I just don't want to lose out on an opportunity of, you know, really integrating affordable housing into a really awesome, a really new kind of community when, um, we can add different incentives, um ... to push developers further along that road. Howard/ (mumbled) distinction between the affordable housing bonus and the student housing bonus is the student housing bonus is only available in a very limited area of Riverfront Crossings. You can't even get it if it's some place that's not ideally suited to student housing. So we're trying to encourage the student housing in a place that's ideally close to the University campus, and it has a ... uh, an area that's restricted to. Throgmorton/ (both talking) ...pretty regular standards. Howard/ ... affordable housing could be (both talking) that bonus for affordable housing could be anywhere in the district. So ... you know, you have to look kind of at the ... at the language of each of those bonuses to really determine when ... when or where those might be used, um... Botchway/ But .... but still, I mean, and those were good points and that kind of answers my... parts of my question, but could there be more? Howard/ Well there's only so much ... we do have an Airport that has a ... FAA limit, so there's only so tall we could go, um, I don't know if there's other types of incentives beyond zoning that could be offered (both talking) Botchway/ Well and ... in the other cities I was looking at, it was talking about fee reductions, um, it was talking about... urn ... what was the two? It was fee reductions and looking at ... wish I had my notes in front of me. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 21 Markus/ Well actually you can ... in ... and in our TIF policy as well, tax increment financing, you can ... you can tie -bar that to affordable housing, as well. So in order to get, um ... that financing, we could link that and tie that in as well. Dickens/ But by increasing the value of this as we're doing the zoning, doesn't that make affordable housing a little more expensive, just the property in that area? Howard/ Are you talking about the speculation on the land prices? I mean that is always the dangers that we've got these bonus provisions that say ... and then everybody speculates, oh, I can build the maximum amount and so the land prices, when they're buying `em go, you know ... so there is that sort of...market dynamic that does occur when you all of a sudden put these types of incentives in here with the zoning. So ... um ... (several talking) Throgmorton/ Instead of thinking only in terms of incentives, could we not also think in terms of regulation in the following sense, uh ... uh, could we not require that a minimum of say 15% of housing units built in any multi -use structure or ... multi-unit structure, be affordable? Howard/ I mean, that's an inclusionary housing provision and that's certainly another approach to take. Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I'm just... there's... there's no legal constraint on us, is there, in terms of doing that? If there is, then I ... I need to know it so I don't think (both talking) Dilkes/ I think the whole inclusionary zoning issue is a policy one... Throgmorton/ Right. Dilkes/ ...for the Council. Throgmorton/ That's what I thought. Okay, so ... we ... we could do that, if we wanted to. I think we should. I'll just toss it out there and then we can kind of process it one way or another. Just a ... I'm just picking up on Kingsley's idea, thoughts about affordability, affordable housing and so on. Hayek/ Karen, a couple of things from me. Urn ... one is, and this is a bit of a rhetorical statement or question. You know, we're passing a major piece of legislation, which we know will change over time to work out the kinks and adapt it to changing conditions and so on and so forth. Is that a fair statement? Howard/ I think that's a fair statement. (laughter) Hayek/ Okay. And I ... I offer that because it's... it's... it's very tempting to try to delve into the voluminous detail and try to pick things out, and I don't, you know, that's natural for us to do it, but I also think we ought to recognize that if...if this hits 90, 95% of what we're This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 22 hoping to do down there, it doesn't mean we can't in the future adapt this or make changes. Howard / And I think there is that (both talking) Hayek/ To improve it! Howard/ ...that danger of trying to be everything for all people in one particular area of the city and keeping in mind that land prices in this particular part of the city are also the highest. So ... so keeping in mind cost and benefits, we don't want to make sure ... we want to make sure that there's enough of an incentive for people to redevelop, that we don't make it so costly by adding a bunch of things in that ... that it's not possible to redevelop properties, even with the density bonuses we were giving. (several talking) Hayek/ For example, if there were, you know, the utility accommodation came up at our last meeting and ... and if in three or five years time we determine, you know, we really have made it a little hard to integrate the placement of utilities in this zone, we need to loosen things up or change something in... in one way or another... Throgmorton /Sure. Hayek/ ...we can do so, to ... to... Howard / Right! Hayek/ ...to react to those. Howard / Right. We can see how this plays out and if there's, you know, other things we need to do or add... Hayek/ So the other thing, um, is ... is this. Is there anything, uh, that staff has gleaned over the last few weeks from this process, the questions we've asked you to look at and the answers you've provided, etc., that cause you to say what's on the table really needs to be modified before you even adopt it or we really need to tweak this? Or are you pretty comfortable (both talking) Howard/ ... a couple small points that were made that I think we could tweak the language and clarify it a little bit, and I think we tried to lay those out in the responses, and then I know that, um, Martha Norbeck had submitted a... a letter that had a number of more detailed questions about, particularly about energy efficiency and ... and I think, um ... I think with some small tweaks to the language we certainly can accommodate and make sure that it's clear that, particularly in the bonus provisions that there's the flexibility to ... to do those sorts of things so ... in those responses, um, I think I highlighted some of the language that could be changed if you wanted to do that on the floor and just direct us to ... to make those... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 23 Hayek/ Uh, yeah! Howard/ ...those amendments, um ... you know, there's the question about, are there other types of environmental rating systems besides LEED that could be used and we did check on that and... and it was clear that there's probably some other worthy ones out there that could be considered for those bonus provisions, and we could change the language slightly in that bonus provision to make sure that we could allow that to occur. That would be under #19 on your response sheet. Hayek/ Right. Howard/ Um... and then, um, Michelle's not here, but I always commend her for digging right down into the details, but um... Dobyns/ Did you dot all your "I's," Karen? (laughs) Howard/ What's that? (laughter) Dobyns/ Did you dot all your "I's ?" Howard/ Um ... I always rely on her to tell me about that but ... um, on #22, she was mentioning the forecourt frontage and there's no reason that we couldn't... couldn't allow that in that table, um ... for ... for the apartment building types, but that's just a really minor issue, um ... so no ... to answer your question, no major issues. Hayek/ Okay. Howard/ But I think some little tweaks here and there could certainly be ... (both talking) Hayek/ Well I mean you could also in six month's time come back to us with a list of seven things you think we need to add or subtract. Howard/ Right. (both talking) ...we find something that isn't working the way we want it to work and we can change it, sure. Throgmorton/ I ... Matt, I think your point's clearly correct about, uh, various tweaks that will need to be done to the ordinance as ... as time goes on and ... and I think Martha probably did suggest some ... some good ones at the moment that are really small and that we would never have caught, uh, but when I think about it at a... sort of a larger policy level, I think affordable housing. Have we been talking about that off and on for a while? Uh, do we not need to be thinking about how we can ensure that there's some amount of affordable housing in this new development we're trying to promote in the Riverfront Crossings' area, and if we are ... I believe we need to be more active about trying to make that happen for, you know, a reasonable percentage of the units. And I had some things to say about LEED also, but I ... I don't want to complicate things so ... just on that point, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 24 it's a ... you know, it's an important policy question that we ... we probably need to deal with and ... and then move on. Botchway/ Well and ... and piggybacking off of Jim's point, I think one of the ... I wouldn't say bigger by any means but ... a discussion that we've had, um, multiple times for various reasons, especially with a lot of the talk that we're doing in the downtown, has been economic development. You know, if you hear Mark Nulty talking about different things, he's consistently said affordable housing is one of the number one issues affecting multiple cities around the country and they're being very pro- active about it. I just ... it just seems like a really good opportunity to take a lead, similar to other cities in the area — Omaha, um, Boulder, Colorado; similar to some of those cities that are saying, you know, we need to inject affordable housing into this particular situation so we can really push that economic development that, you know, we ... every city is now craving. From a ... you know, my generation standpoint, um ... wanting that, you know, wanting affordable housing close to the downtown area is ... very, very important and I just don't want to miss on this opportunity, and I think, Matt, you made a... a point previous to this in the sense that, you know, talking about it from a patchwork standpoint, I don't want to, again, understanding that it's going to change multiple times, obviously, throughout the years, but you know not wanting it to be piecemealed together, especially if we can, you know, at least inject this particular portion of it right now, uh, we have a clear understanding going forward that this is an important thing that we want to, um, see consistently throughout the particular district. Markus/ I think ... I think at this stage though that's a pretty significant change to the actual ordinance and I'm kind of looking at Eleanor. Is that ... is that require then for this to be returned to the hearing process? To inject something that magnitude into the ordinance? Dilkes/ Well our hearing is still open. Markus/ No, but I mean back, um... Dilkes/ You know ... for a consult with P &Z? Yeah, I think you probably want a consult with P &Z on... on something of that significance. Markus / And I'm ... and I'm just wondering about the timing of that, if...if the Council's inclined to do that, um... if we... if, you know, the difference between proceeding with the ordinance as recommended... and then going back and doing the consult to include affordable housing or to proceed and ... and then ask for a ... a new amendment, which would include affordable housing as a separate item, I wonder what the difference in timing is to accomplish that. Hayek/ Well... Dilkes/ I think it depends on the significance of the proposal, obviously. I mean, that ... that we've gone back I think and talked to P &Z about affordable housing and there was a, wasn't there a change that came out of that conversation (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 25 Throgmorton/ ... setting a public hearing tonight. Dilkes/ ... (both talking) Howard/ That was on... into the Comp Plan. Dilkes/ Into the Comp Plan, right, but... obviously it just depends on what you're talking about. I mean, if you're talking about doing an inclusionary zoning, I mean, that's a ... (both talking) Dobyns/ I guess my recommendation... Dilkes/ ...change in direction. Dobyns/ ...would be looking at, uh, Tom's letter to Superintendent Murley, uh, regarding the School District's, and Steve's mentioning of inclusionary zoning, and I ... and I quote the, um ... Johnson County Metropolitan Planning Organization has recently discussed the potential for regional inclusionary zoning and affordable housing strategies. Um, if the School District has not done so, I would strongly encourage you to voice your support, uh, for such policies to the entities and municipalities with overlapping jurisdictions. Uh, including future discussions on a local option sales tax, um, I think that, um ... I guess I'm in agreement with that. I would say the same answer that Tom gave to Steve Murley, um, I would give to the Council as I think we need to continue to pursue a more regional, um, multi jurisdictional planning at this time. I think if that doesn't work out in the months... I think it's reasonable to bring this up again, but I still think we need to go at a more regional level. Hayek/ So ... this ... this proposed code, I mean, it already contains incentives for affordable and for workforce housing. Throgmorton/ Right. Hayek/ We promote those values and other things that we do, both economic development and... and in terms of funding. But we ... but we do not have a mandatory inclusionary zoning policy. That is a topic that is loaded with complexity. Um, I don't think it's something we can take up in connection with this because if we do, it really needs to be a stand- alone discussion, um ... uh, th ... there are a lot of elements to it. Urn ... I ... I just ... I don't ... I don't think it makes sense to try to inject that into this. At ... at this time, but if we ... but if there's sufficient interest in having a broader conversation, which we've had multiple times over the years. You know, we need to look at all the issues. Botchway/ And it doesn't nec... go ahead, Tom, sorry! Markus/ I ... if I could just interject. I, you know, and that response, um, and I stand by that to... to Superintendent Murley that I do think, uh, on a community -wide basis, it does need to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 26 be a regional discussion. Um, if there's an inclination though amongst the Council, I guess my preference in this particular situation is to proceed with the recommendations of staff, but to give staff to have this issue taken up for the form -based code in this spec ... specific area. Um... so that we go back through the hearing process because I think the hearing process is critical to bring people in that may develop this area and have them understand that this is something we are considering in ... and are desirous of doing, based on Council's direction. I think having that, you know, having that kind of input might create a better buy -in to get this accomplished in a successful way. Throgmorton/ Let ... let me see if I personally understand what you're saying. So you're ... on this particular aspect, you're suggesting we move ahead with adoption of the form -based code... Markus/ Yes! Throgmorton/ ...but also instruct the staff to initiate (both talking) Markus/ The hearing process. Throgmorton/ ... consideration... Markus/ Then this. Throgmorton/ ... about affordable housing. Markus/ Yeah. And ... and understand, you know, typically when you look at, um, you know, tis whole inclusionary zoning, I think we've always looked at it somewhat globally across the whole community. This kind of gives you an opportunity to test the concept in a very specific area. Where this form -based code is being put into place. And I think there's a lot of advantages to ... to at least trying that and having the discussion, and seeing what kind of feedback we get from our public, and from the developers at that point. That's why I'd say it that way. Throgmorton/ That sounds like a good idea (several talking) Mims/ ...like that approach. Botchway/ That's fine. (several responding) Mims/ Cause I'm not comfortable trying to put it in ... I think we've got so much new with the form -based code itself, I'm not comfortable throwing inclusionary zoning in on top of this, particularly at this point in time. Um... and I think going back through P &Z and opening it up that way and getting an idea of what (mumbled) and that'll just take some time, and see what developers and other people say about it. We've got a whole new process here, and ... I want it to be really, really successful. It'd be really nice to have a real mix of housing there, as well, if we can. Um ... but I ... I'd like to see us move This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 27 forward with this and see what gets started and then go back and see what we get for response, um ... (both talking) Markus/ I can tell you we ... we're starting to test this concept with smaller developments that are currently being considered by staff. Um, and ... and we're actually getting a very positive reaction from the developers on this thing. So ... I think the other advantage that we have, isolating it to the form -based code is that we have credibility when we argue to our neighbors. Look, we've done something! We've tried this (several responding) you know. It does work, and it is a good thing, and it isn't across the entire community at that point. We still have that ... that issue to deal with. Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ But arguing that you've actually tried something, and we've had some success with it (noises on mic) otherwise you know what's going to happen. It's the, you know, it's likely to be the plastic bag argument, which we'll get to yet tonight, um ... (laughter) where the others aren't going to do it, and you know, we're going to sit there on the outside. I actually think that there's, you know, there's... there's merit to a lot of these things, but doing it on a test basis for a specific area, an area by the way that has great services for, you know, for persons that will use affordable housing in terms of transit and other services that are available makes some sense! Throgmorton/ Thanks, excellent suggestion! Botchway/ So I don't know how ... how do we ... I mean, I'm in total agreement with what you just said, Tom, so I don't know how to give you more of a ... more of a glowing endorsement (laughter) Dickens/ Just do it! (laughter and several talking) Dobyns/ We don't want to do too much; we don't want to do nothing. Botchway/ But do we have to have three of us that... Throgmorton/ Four I think. Botchway/ Four (several talking) Markus/ Based on what I'm recommending is that the items on the agenda later ... you take up the issue when it's on the agenda, and if legal counsel thinks it's permissible that you consider an additional motion that directs us to take the matter back to P &Z for some level of inclusionary zoning in form -based code, in this particular form -based code, whether that's a 10% or a 15 or whatever that number is. I don't ... I don't think I'd set that number personally. I think ... I'd let the discussion go. Is that acceptable? Dilkes/ That kind of direction is ... is fine. I... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 28 Hayek/ If we go... Dilkes/ I think I'm a little bit confused about whether we're talking about an exploration of that issue or we're talking about a direction from Council to ... to present an inclusionary zoning ordinance for the Riverfront Crossings' area to Council ... to the P &Z. Markus/ It would be...it would be my recommendation that they ... they be pretty direct, that they wish to con ... have it considered, and a ... and extract a recommendation from the P &Z as to a particular ordinance amendment, if they think it's worth considering. Throgmorton/ I ... that ... that's the way it seems to me too and I like the verb `consider,' cause that does ... I mean, you know, we don't know collectively what we really think and what we would really decide, but if we asked the Commission to consider that, and they explore it; they do public hearings on it; and they move it ahead towards us in one way or another, then ... then we can focus on that and that ... the form -based code would have already been adopted, presumably, by that moment in time so we'd be considering, uh... (several talking) this one... one (several talking) Dobyns/ ...by example, but a limited example ... to other municipalities. Throgmorton/ Yeah. Hayek/ That's fine. I would say though as we go forward, let's give some consideration to ... uh, the impact, if any, to our ongoing efforts to get a regional buy -in. (several responding) You may think that that will incent, uh, regional buy -in, um, but I... I'd want staff s thoughts on whether that actually undercuts it, because yet again, Iowa City takes the lead and our neighbors don't. I don't know that anybody has a form -based code in Johnson County. This'll be probably the first. Um ... and ... and ... and you know, we've been pursuing a ... a theme with the MPO, and ... and in other ways, um, trying to get the School District on board, um... Throgmorton/ Excellent! Hayek/ ... and ... and a regional approach to a regional issue is what we've decided, uh, is necessary for this, and I would just want to know, you know, whether moving in this direction supports or undercuts that. Dilkes/ And that's why I asked about... your... you're asking P &Z to take a look at this issue, as opposed to directing an ordinance change. I mean, you're in a different position when you're directing an ordinance change and you're asking that to come up through the process. You're asking that it be studied, and you're leaving your options open for how you chose to view that when it gets to you. That's how I see it. Throgmorton/ Yeah. (several responding) And I think it's great that yet again we're leading, you know, that's excellent! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 29 Hayek/ Yeah, Jim... Dobyns/ But it's also enabling other municipalities (several talking) Hayek/ ...have us lead and ... and shoulder the... Throgmorton/ Let `em get out of the way! We lead! Hayek/ Yeah I know and ... I know. So... Mims/ But if the developers look at it positively, and will develop it that way, then... Hayek/ They might! Mims/ ...then it's not a negative to Iowa City, even if the other municipalities don't want to follow suit. Markus / And I think the key to ... to getting developers on board is having a reasonable number. Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ What we've talked about in this community, going back to the dispersal, you know, mapping and everything we've done, is that this be disbursed across the community, and I can tell you, we've been talking to developers that are talking about some fairly significant high -end types of building, and they have no reluctance to infuse a certain percentage level of...of affordable housing into those buildings. And if you can convince people to do that, and then have developments that are successful, and show that as an example, I think that's a pretty compelling argument on our part. I think there's, you know, to take it on across the entire community is ... we're just ... I think we're asking for a bigger fight with no proof or no example that it can work, and I think it actually can work down here. So... Hayek/ Okay. So it's 10 after 6:00. Are there other questions on the form -based code, cause we need to get into the other items? Throgmorton/ I'd like to say something about the LEED bonus. Uh, and... surely some of this will sound familiar to you. With regard to the LEED density bonuses, uh, I think, um, well, I'm going to quote Martha Norbeck in ... in the email or a letter or whatever it is we got from her in our special packet today. Uh, she writes, achieving LEED certification in a densely built area is not a very high bar. That's a fact. So, we should strive ... if we're going to provide a LEED... a bonus for a... achieving LEED certification, we should set the bar higher. So I would think we would ... uh, we should, uh ... require achievement of, uh, Gold or Platinum levels, in order to get a density bonus, having to do with LEED certification. And I would also think, she makes another suggestion that I admire. Uh, she says, in addition to the LEED certification, we could amend the form -based code to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 30 state the building shall demonstrate compliance with the energy performance goals defined by the 2030 Challenge at the time of the design review. Uh, so that ... that re ... would ... focuses explicitly on energy efficiency. So I ... I, the main point I'm trying to make here is, we should set the bar higher if we're going to give a density bonus for LEED certification. Cause she... they... they... just by building a building down there, they're really close to having LEED certification. They hardly have to do anything. Howard/ And the intention was not to grant the maximum bonus provision for somebody that met the minimum LEED. So ... if we need to clarify that, uh, language, um ... we can do that. In other words, just coming in and showing us that you're doing the minimum, like hey, we're located in an urban area, give us a bonus (laughter) um ... that's not going to go very far. Um, so I don't think it would go very far at the Council either. If you're going to ... if something's presented to you that they're asking for four or five floors extra and they're just saying, you know, we're located in Riverfront Crossings, I doubt if you would agree to ... to grant that bonus. So, um ... the language is written pretty flexibly, but it wasn't intended to say if you... if you achieve the minimum certification in LEED you get the maximum bonus. Um, so just so we're clear about that. Throgmorton/ Well it's helpful to hear the intention. I can say as ... when I read it, it sounded pretty thin (both talking) Howard/ And I think ... I think we could clarify that language. I, um, I ... in ... in the responses we gave, um, to you, we could clarify it to say up to four additional floors of building height may be granted for projects that are designed to meet high standards with regard to energy efficiency and environmental stewardship, according to LEED, or other similar environmental or energy efficiency rating systems, and in general the higher the level of energy efficiency or environmental stewardship demonstrated, the greater the bonus. Something like that. So that we're clear (both talking) Hayek/ ...not tied to one system, yeah. Howard/ ... that ... what the expectation I guess is. Dilkes/ What number is that? Karen, that you're looking in the questions? Is that... 19? (several talking) Howard/ So...19 ... and then I added the last sentence based on what Miss Norbeck's comment was, and I had a conversation with her about that and clarified too that that (noise on mic, unable to hear speaker). So clearly a number of people read it that way, so we should probably clarify it. Hayek/ Okay. Anything else? Throgmorton/ Well, it's a pretty complicated beast! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 31 Mims/ Yeah, I was just going to say, I expect we'll see this back on our agenda periodically over the next year and a half, year... year and a half, two years. (laughs) Throgmorton/ Yeah, and there are lots of other particulars I'd probably ideally want to bring up, but the two most important ones, from my point of view, are about affordable housing and ... and about, uh, about the LEED certification and bonus provision. I ... I think we have an opportunity here to really up the bar and I think we shouldn't pass up the opportunity. Raise the bar (both talking) Dobyns/ (mumbled) Hayek/ So let's move to the, uh, plastic bag, uh, regulation discussion. Throgmorton/ That was quick! (laughter) Discuss Plastic Bag Regulations (MPOJQ ( #3 of 5/1 & 010, IP11 of 5/27): Hayek/ Yeah, I didn't mean to cut you (both talking) Throgmorton/ I think we know how this is going to go! (mumbled) Mims/ Well I was on the subcommittee from the MPOJC and the subcommittee's recommendation was to basically take a... a nine to 12 -month period and do, um, education and then take another period and encourage, um ... retailers to basically start charging for the bags, and then after that to actually eliminate the plastic bags. I think as we have all heard, um, there is not support for that across the county. Um ... Coralville is not going to do it. They want to focus simply on education. Um, I think, uh, University Heights, I'm not sure where they have anybody... place that sells bags, but it's, you know, looking at kind of trying to do that. Um, I have ... I don't recall hearing exactly what North Liberty was (several responding) Hayek/ Education (several talking) Mims/ Just education, yeah. So, I mean, I think again ... while I would love to sit here, Jim, and say you know what, we're going to lead and we're going to do this on our own and hope for the rest will follow us, I don't think we can do that to our retailers. Dickens/ It's already starting though the education and I know our store and I talked to Active Endeavors... we're using up the plastic bags that we have. We've already ordered, uh, paper. We've switched. But we're using up ... we don't want to waste. It's expensive, but we're using `em up, but there's... there's already a number of places that are already starting this, on their own, without it ... without it being a ... a rule, but I think the more you can educate and the more you can just ask people to ... to consider it. I know the, uh, the Hundred Grannies have recruited a lot more people and they've been coming in to some of the retailers and I mean just in the downtown area that I'm familiar with right This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 32 now. That they're getting people to do that so ... I mean, it's already starting, but it ... but it can be better. Mims/ Yeah, I mean, I think as we work on the education and, you know ... there's all kinds of things that you can look at in terms of, you know, the plastic bags and what they do to the oceans and, you know, versus recycling them and those issues. You can look at the carbon footprint of, you know, making paper bags and whether or not those get recycled and ... you know, all different kinds of issues, but I think part of that education that we need to make sure we're working on doing is getting, you know, getting retailers to even say, you know, do you even need a bag, I mean, I know lots of times I'll be in a store and the first thing they do is go to put it in a sack (mumbled) no, I don't need a bag, I mean, I can throw it in my purse or I can carry it in my hand or, you know, whatever, so ... you know, also... Dickens/ Part of the education. Mims/ Part of that education — do you really need a bag? Um, or obviously encouraging people to try to use, you know, reusable bags as much as possible, so ... I mean, I think that's the approach from a practical standpoint that we need to take. It's not what I would ideally like to do but ... (mumbled) Hayek/ Jen Jordan's here. Jordan/ I...I would like households to consider the fact too that even though we are looking at a regional approach to this, it's the City of Iowa City that owns the Landfill, and we talk about the litter in the oceans and ... and how devastating that is to the wildlife there, but bringing it back to a more local level, the Iowa ... the City of Iowa City Landfill spent $60,000 last year on cleanup of litter, and that's primarily plastic bags. We also close early far more frequently in the past couple of years that ... than we have in the past, including today, because of the wind. The major thing that's blowing around that we have to close for, which is a major issue for our local businesses, is those plastic bags blowing because when they're getting dumped out of the back of the trucks, we have no opportunity to catch them. They're gone, so ... we spend a lot of time and effort and energy trying to figure out how to address that, and part of it's closing the Landfill early and it's ... I don't have the numbers on the top of my head, but it's been multiple times this year already. So that is a ... a burden on local businesses. So just a couple very local perspectives on (both talking) Mims/ So do you have any other suggestions or ideas for us then? Jordan/ We've been doing education for ... (laughter) my first memo to Council was 2008. So, um ... I think that's ... that has been effective. Um, we have ... if the numbers keep up at the East Side Recycling Center alone, which is one of about 15 or 20 or so recycling facilities around the town, um, around the whole community, uh, we'll recycle about six tons this year, just at that one location. 36 tons on average go to the Landfill each year. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 33 So it's a pretty small portion. Um, that's not a direct answer to your question, um, but the education isn't working so... Dobyns/ What education we have measurement? Is there some measurement that you would recommend that is relevant, that we could bring back to MPOJC and if nothing else it would be an invitation for the Grannies to come back, if they should want. Um ... in a year, that ... and I'm not saying that it might, you know, uh, work, but let's show that the education didn't work, and then go from there. I hate to go back to MBO ... MPOJC. I would like to lead, in a... in a way, and bring back something. Can you recommend a measurement that we can take a look at, um, to show one more year of education and either flawed or not, that we can... Jordan/ The one number that we really have is the tons or the pounds of bags that get recycled at our specific location. We don't have exact numbers for all of the other locations around the community. Um, nationally I think the number's something like I to 3% of bags get recycled, but that's pretty ... you know, that's a big number to wrap your head around, and who knows how accurate that is, so... Dobyns/ So could we recommend we take back to the MPOJC that we just bring back, um, the change in tonnage of plastic bags ... in a year? Jordan/ We could. I think we'll continue to see those numbers increase though, so I'm not sure that would have the intended effect, cause we want to see those numbers increase to get those bags recycled that are out there, but the big number that we don't have is that reduction number and how many fewer are getting used in the first place. We talk about recycling as a recycling coordinator, but we don't talk about reduction, and that's really the big thing. Dobyns/ So we can't measure delta (both talking) Mims/ You know the other area that we haven't really talked about much that I think is interesting is I took two grocery sacks full of plastic bags today to be recycled, and you know what, probably 90% of `em were? Throgmorton/ I bet newspapers. Mims/ Newspaper! They were newspaper bags. Dobyns/ Oh, the orange, yeah. Mims/ Orange and blue and clear... because we get a newspaper delivered every single day, and whether it's raining or snowing or ... the sun's going to come up, it is in a plastic bag. Jordan/ this is true and those bags are recyclable, but those generally are not included in plastic bag bans. It's generally the ... the retail grocery bags that are included. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 34 Mims/ Right. Jordan/ At least the bans that I'm aware of, including the most recent one this past week in Chicago. Botchway/ So ... going back to Susan's question, what do you, I mean, I guess since education is not a ... a fan of your perspective, and so what are you now recommend? Are you saying we should go to the ban? Are you saying there's some ... you know, intermediate level where we could reach, I mean, I guess ... you know, and I know we ... we consistently talk about the regional issue and I get it, and I ... and I understand it from the Coralville, North Liberty standpoint, but you know, again... looking at it from an outsider perspective, um, coming here, seeing Iowa City, you know, Terry consistently talks about it being a gem, you know, and some of the issues we're going to talk about I have a couple questions, um, regarding the pilot and stuff, you know ... I ... I'm trying to think of the right word and phrase instead of (laughs) (mumbled) um. ... you know, I just don't want to ... I don't want us to be hindered by other cities when we're considering anything, because ...there are certain cities that aren't considering anybody at all, and they're, you know, I wouldn't say they're trailblazing. They're hurting people in the process, but I think that we need to ... there needs to be I guess a paradigm shift in the way we're thinking as far as, you know, well... University Heights, they're not going to be on board with this so we're not going to possibly consider leading in this particular effort. I'd rather see us push forward, and if people want to, you know, grab on, then that's fine, but if...if not, then you now, this is going to be the place the be. I mean, I've set my roots here. I mean, obviously from a Councilor perspective, but you know, I plan to stay and, you know, I want to push Iowa City out as being the place to be. If you want to go to Coralville, if you want to go to North Liberty, that's great, you know, check out the restaurants, whatever the case may be but I mean this is the city, and I want us ... this to be the city from a plastic bag standpoint. This to be the city from an affordable housing standpoint. I think we just need to ... push. Mims/ I agree, but I think what we have to be really careful of in doing that is that it ... when we push and when we step out on those things, whether it's a ban on plastic bags or whether it's mandatory inclusion ... inclusionary zoning or whatever else, that we've talked about tonight from a regional perspective, we have to make sure that we are doing it in a way that we get buy -in from our businesses because the last thing we want to do is give them more incentive to leave Iowa City. Botchway/ Very good point. Mims/ And so that's my biggest concern, that if we're going to step out and lead on these, we do it in a way by educating and engaging and getting those businesses onboard, or at least the bulk of them, so they're not sitting there saying, there goes damn Iowa City making it more difficult for me to do business again. I'm leaving town! Botchway/ No, very true! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 35 Mims/ So that ... that's my concern as we look at these, but I agree. I... Dickens/ You start with the voluntary ban and you ... maybe you start phasing it in over a period of time. Botchway/ Well is there... Dickens/ (both talking) ... overnight. Mims/ Yeah. Botchway/ Well is there a way that we can ... I mean, I don't know from an education standpoint, what have we been doing? Have we just been educating the public at large or can this be a directed education to area businesses, and from a voluntary standpoint? Mims/ Let me ask another question though on education. Have we tried reaching out and doing it in the schools? Jordan/ No, it's been primarily to, kind of at- large. Mims/ Okay. One of the things that people sometimes complain about (laughs) but I think we can use is if you can get kids onboard with this, you will get their parents onboard, cause they will drive their parents nuts! Markus/ Hear, hear! (several talking and laughing) Mims/ Exactly! Why isn't your seat belt on? So if there's a way of directing our education into the schools ... we might make a lot more progress on this. Jordan/ Plus the fact ... waste reduction in general is included in all the education that we do, so it is some in the schools. It's some to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. It's some to church groups. It's some to civic groups. It's a little bit to everybody. There hasn't been a strategic push to talk specifically about plastic bags to any one group, but it's included in everything that we talk about. Mims/ Okay. We might want to think about that. Throgmorton/ What I wonder is whether there... whether we shouldn't, uh, have some kind of, I don't know, trigger megan ... trigger mechanism so that if a year is passed or two years is passed or whatever and all we've done is, you know, education and ... nothing's really changed. When do we decide to do something? You know, what ... what's the motive, what's the motivator or the trigger? Jordan/ I think the MPO actually laid out a really good plan, um, and a good timeline, and ... and like I said earlier, we've been doing education for quite a while, and it doesn't seem to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 36 be ... being very effective. So whatever that trigger point is, I think we're pretty close to it. Botchway/ I mean, from my perspective, I mean, granted I agree with the plan, as well, um, I would like to see us present something, um, in front of the MPOJC. I would ... I would not like to go back and say, um, we're going to look at education. Because I thought that was a, I mean ... um ... (laughs) I thought that was a ... an interesting point, um, but again, what you brought up, you know, failed to really address the issue. Um, and so I would like to come back with something, whether that be a week, proclamation for a week of a voluntary ... a voluntary ban. That would be something different, and again, voluntarily, I mean, people could and couldn't, and then maybe we can get some, uh, a measurement from that week perspective how much of a reduction it is and then present that again at the next MPOJC meeting, whenever that would be afterwards, um, but I feel like that would be doing something, but not necessarily forcing anything. Dobyns/ Comments? What do you think? Jordan/ I think that's a pretty neat idea actually. We would just have to be able to work with the local grocers to see how many bags they actually saved from going out their door and that's... therein lies the challenge, but I think that we could work on that. Dobyns/ Okay. Mims/ Okay. That's a good idea. Dobyns/ Great! I'm for that! Botchway/ Cool! Jordan/ Thank you! Information Packets: Hayek/ Okay, we have three Info Packets. One from April 17th, that's the first one. Little bit dated. Mims/ Um ... yeah, I need to get back to my outline (mumbled) Botchway/ So IP3, I missed the, uh, the film, uh, on the food truck. But... Throgmorton/ The what? Botchway/ The food truck film. Um, if...if, I mean, maybe we save this for another discussion. If there's any way possible to add this to a work session, uh, later on down the road, you know, not necessarily cause we have someone's... that we need to get through, but uh, you know, everywhere I've gone, you know, especially in California, food trucks have This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 37 been really interesting economic development endeavor, um, they really push, um, from my perspective, um, that, you know ... being an entrepreneur, you know, doing ... doing things differently and granted it's ... you know, it would be specific to food trucks, but um, and again, this is coming from an outside perspective, you know, somebody brought some interesting food truck, um, that spoke to, you know, Louisiana, or if there's a great restaurant in Oxford — Augusta. If they decided to have a food truck that brought some of that, you know, um ... Louisiana, home -style cooking to the area, I think that would really, you know, push a lot of the initiatives we're talking about — the walkability and going downtown and ... and again there's... there's different things that need to be discussed about it, you know, how we would regulate and all that fun stuff, but I just would want to have a discussion on it. That's it. Further... further down the road. Fruin/ We've been having some discussions with some of the food vendors and I think at your next meeting or in an Information Packet prior to we'll have some information for you to consider. So ... I think that's moving along pretty well. Botchway/ Never mind! Thank you, Geoff (laughter) You could have just stopped me! (laughter) Fruin/ You were going! (several talking and laughing) Hayek/ Anything else from the April 7 ... 17th meeting? Or Info Packet rather, sorry! All right. 24th? Botchway/ So IP3. Feel like I talked about this ... and I'll be very careful about speaking about some of these certain topics, but... Hayek/ Well and let me ... let me, why don't I jump out in front of it. (both talking) Botchway/ Okay, good. Hayek/ I just want to ... so, um. ... uh, this, uh, is a long memo, a very comprehensive memo, um, and uh, I think uh, you know, we need to be prepared to discuss it at a ... probably at a future work session, um ... but what I can tell you is ... is we've had some discussions with people, with officials from the University, um, about the issues in there. Um, and I think at a later date we'd be prepared to come back and talk to the Council more about that. Um ... I'm being vague (laughter) but uh ... uh... Throgmorton/ Should be! Hayek/ ... but ... but these are delicate, um, and we've had some good conversations and I think some... some... some more conversations will ensue. So ... just want to relate that to all six of you. Botchway/ Well, and I just want to commend Tom on ... well written memo. I mean, it was a lot (several talking) yeah, and staff as well. It was a lot of information, but I felt like, um, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 38 you know, just from understanding the Iowa City agreements, um, with the University. It really helped and put things in perspective, um, at least for me. So ... thank you. Markus/ It was a team effort. Mims/ Yeah, I just add my thanks, given that I gave you the list. So ... appreciate ... didn't know it was going to take that much time and effort but uh, yeah, thank you to all the staff for all the time and effort. Throgmorton/ Yeah, it's... enlightening. Markus/ It ... it, and I just want to caution one of the comments we made in the report is ... could have kept going and ... we had to stop at some point (laughs) Um ... there's a lot of information in there, and... some of it draws some conclusions, some of it doesn't. We may find that ... there may be a point that we missed. Um, or that we potentially misinterpreted, and we allow for that, um, if you recall, in the concl... concluding remarks of the report. So ... hopefully, urn ... additional meetings as the Mayor suggests will create a, you know, some sort of satisfactory resolution to all of this. Hayek/ (mumbled) lot of work, and it was a very... Mims/ Yes! Hayek/ ...delicate but informative piece and we appreciate it. Throgmorton/ Yep. Payne/ Had a question on IP8. There's a memo from Steve Long to Tom, and in the second paragraph, about in the middle, it says see attached map. But I couldn't find the map. Hayek/ (mumbled) ... Karen (laughs and several talking) Payne/ It wasn't just missed, or did I miss it? Hayek/ Oh I'm sure it was missed! I mean, we were... Dobyns/ We were giving you crap earlier (laughter and several talking) Hayek/ The "I" dotter and "T" crosser! (laughter) Long/ ...in regards to the redistricting? Markus/ Redistricting... Payne/ Yes! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 39 Long/ There was a map ... at one time there was a map. Payne/ Okay. (several talking) Okay! Okay! Markus/ We'll get you a copy. Hayek/ Markus! (laughter) Markus/ It's in the pilot report! (laughter and several talking) Hayek/ Anything else on, uh, IP 24? Mims/ Just thanks, Tom, for all the various articles you come across that get added to our packets. They are very... interesting and informative, um ... you know, for us to think about how we're doing things here and to see how other communities are doing some things so ... always appreciate seeing those additions in there. Dobyns/ The Princeton article, yeah (mumbled) Mims/ The Princeton article was very good, yes. Throgmorton/ Yeah, but with regard to that, IP #11, the top ten reasons for new American dream. There's a chart about the number of vehicle miles that Americans are driving now and how it's declined sharply over the last 10 years, especially with regard to per capita vehicle miles traveled. That's a huge trend, you know, if you look backward historically over how much people in the U.S. have driven, so... Mims/ Well, I think that ties in with the memo in maybe one of the other packets on you know being bike - friendly and making sure you're connecting nodes and, you know ... growth and sprawl are not the same thing, I mean, there's just a whole theme that goes through all of these that I think's really helpful to see. Botchway/ You know there's a ... driving down 80 a lot. Sorry, Matt ... I know this is going to take a little bit of time but ... there's a urn ... there's like a cow, sorry... there's like a couple signs that are cows that talk about urban sprawl and how it, you know, is not a big deal but, so if you're driving... coming back to Iowa City from Des Moines, check those cows out. (laughter) I am paying attention to the road though! Hayek/ Yeah! (laughter) Mims/ We hope so! (laughs) Hayek/ All right, the May 1St Info Packet. Dobyns/ IP4. Um... staff is asking for a recommendation regarding outdoor service areas. There's a referral to the Peninsula neighborhood and the restaurant previously known as This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 40 Lou Henri's, um, among others. Um, I guess I'm interested in having the staff, you know, add a little additions to what they've already recommended to us and proceeding to Planning and Zoning. Mims/ I would agree. Dobyns/ Those are really good ideas, gotten a lot of (both talking) Mims/ Certainly a lot of support out there for it, so ... I would agree. Throgmorton/ Yeah, strikes me that it's ... it's really behavior and attemptive management that matters most. Uh ... not the fact of drinking alcohol. (several responding) So, but there might be ... there's a difference between the proposed facility out in the Peninsula and the former Lou Henri's, because the former Lou Henri's is a, what, non ... non-conforming use right now. And it's in this residential neighborhood. So, it just deserves, you know, careful look, that's all I'm saying and I ... I like Lou Henri's and I like outdoor enjoyment, so ... just want to look careful... looked at carefully. Yapp/ That is a distinction between the two uses, yes. The similarity is they are both in res... commercial uses in residential zones. Throgmorton/ Yeah. Hayek/ Do you need further direction from us? I mean you basically (both talking) Yapp /If there's consensus for that direction, I don't need any further direction. Hayek/ Yeah, try it! Yapp/ Thank you. Hayek/ Thank you. Mims/ Um, IP6, KXIC. I've got tomorrow. Botchway/ Are we going to sign up right now? Dickens/ I'll do May 281H Karr/ May 28th is Terry... Dickens. Botchway/ Can I ... can I do June 4 and 11? Karr/ You want to do two of `em back to back? Botchway/ Yeah. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 41 Karr/ 4th and 11th. Botchway/ Well, because I can't do any May 14, 20, 21 St or 28tH Payne/ I can do the 21St Karr/ 21St is ... Payne. Throgmorton/ I can do the l l to Karr/ Okay, what about May 14tH . Mims/ I can do it. Karr/ 14th Mims. Mims/ Yeah, I'll do that one too. Payne/ (mumbled) ... South Dakota. Karr/ Okay, June 4th? 4th and l Ith9 Throgmorton/ l ltn Karr/ Okay, 4th is Kingsley and 11th is... Hayek/ Who's doing the l ltn? Throgmorton/ Me. Botchway/ Oh, you're ... okay. Karr/ Botchway's the 4th and Throgmorton's the l It. Botchway/ Can we switch then? Throgmorton/ Oh, well, um... Karr / Why don't you let me know? Why don't you just let me know? Right now I'll put down... Throgmorton/ ...very small window to be away, to be out of town. Botchway/ (mumbled) both works. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 42 Karr/ Okay, so we've got May 14th Mims; May 21St Payne; the 28th Dickens; June 4th Botchway; 11th Throgmorton, and 18th Dobyns. And I'll put it in a memo. Botchway/ That's 8:00? Karr/ Yes. Mims/ Yes! (several talking) Hayek/ Anything else on the May 1St packet? Throgmorton/ Yes, uh, IP ... what is the number, number 8, the cluster attendance areas. Just want to say briefly, I admire the exchange of emails between Steve Murley and Tom Markus. I thought both were deft about a very, uh, substantively and politically vexed topic. So yeah ... the more ... the closer I get to it, the more I think about it, the more we do this ... the harder it is, so... Hayek/ Ditto. Mims/ Oh, IP 10, congratulations to staff on retaining our Moody's triple -A bond rating. Hayek/ yeah. Dobyns/ Hear, hear! (laughter) Mims/ I know, there was some changes, yeah, there were some changes in their methodology so ... glad we (both talking) Markus/ I don't take delight in others having theirs dropped, and quite frankly we did, uh, sweat it out until we got ours, in part because of the scorecard change... Mims/ Right! Markus/ ...but um ... Dennis did a real nice job in terms of the interview, which always takes place in these things so ... we're pretty pleased. Mims/ We're now one of two in the state? Markus/ One of two in the state. Hayek/ This Dennis's first? Or... second? (laughter) Markus/ What's that? (unable to hear person speaking away from mic) Yeah, he was here for the last one. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 43 Hayek/Okay, I'll check that off, Dennis. (laughter) Okay! Uh, Council time. 60 seconds or less. (laughter and several responding) Meeting schedule. We've got the most recent list. Pending work session topics. Throgmorton/ I ... I think we need to get on that, um, list continuation of our discussion of possibly converting some of offenses from simple misdemeanors to municipal infractions. My understanding was that we would ... we would be coming back to it at some point, maybe I misunderstood, but that's what I understood. Hayek/ I ... (several talking) I think you would need to get ... three people on Council, and then we could look at it again. Throgmorton/ Yeah, okay. Uh, I don't know, is there support for doing that? Botchway/ Me. (noises on mic) Mims/ I guess I don't know what we're going to hear differently than we heard least time. Botchway/ Well Michelle had brought it up during discussion about bringing people in and having them, um, come up and talk about those issues. Payne/No, actually Jim brought that up, and I said I thought that was a bad idea (laughs) Botchway/ Well ... then Jim... Payne/ Because you could have a thousand people say it's a good idea and three say it's bad and what does that tell you? Throgmorton/ Yeah, and you know ... I don't know. I have a vested interest in this, obviously, cause I...I sent you all a memo or email or whatever it was that appeared in the April l Otn Info Packet. And, be kind of fun to know what you think (laughs) Botchway/ I just think that we'll hear ... I think we need to because I think you'll hear from some parents that you don't ... you wouldn't expect. That's... that's my biggest ... I guess that's my biggest ... I'm being vague, I know ... um, cause I haven't talked to them about whether they want their names to be shared but, um, I'm pretty sure that if they're willing to speak, you'll get some information from some parents that, um, will be very interesting in how they see this process, and I just think it's important from that standpoint. I'm not, I mean, obviously from a student standpoint it's very important, but the parent's standpoint really spoke to me a lot more than the student standpoint because, you know, it's ... just seemed important. Mims/ I'm not ready to yet. I'll talk to you later, maybe change my mind, but I'm not ready to support it back on there yet. Upcoming Events / Council Invitations: This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014. May 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 44 Hayek/ Upcoming events, Council invites. Throgmorton/ Well, I'll mention a couple of things. I'm going to do the bike ride, bus thing next Monday. Hayek/ Thanks, Jim! Throgmorton/ Can't wait! I guess I'm going to be on the bus. Headed somewhere, I don't know where (laughter) but I'm also going to be taking place in the Congolese Refuge Planning meeting at the Broadway Center that, um, that Sue, um... uh... Sue Freeman has organized, and I ... I'm eager to do that because I spoke at City High in an ELL class, uh, I don't know, week and a half ago or something like that. There were like 14 kids in the class, and there were I think four maybe more from the Congo. And ... you know, this is enlightening! Hayek/ Anything else? Botchway/ Um ... Dream Center's having a function, um ... fundraiser, Greg Brown I think is the artist at the Englert. Buy tickets. They're available online at the Englert. Should be really fun, fun time. Hayek/ Okay, getting the look. Let's disband the work session and we'll meet up in 17 minutes. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 6, 2014.