Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-10-21 CorrespondenceMarian Karr 4f(1) From: James Surratt <jamessurratt55 @msn.com> Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2014 9:39 PM To: Council Subject: Transit In developing plans for the redevelopment for the city's south side, has there been any discussion about possibly re- locating the downtown transit interchange from Clinton and Washington to another one that won't be so congested? And include an indoor waiting area for waiting passengers to stay cool or warm? The current location is overused when numerous city busses often share parking space with Campus Busses that have even less room for curbside pickup. Also passengers waiting inside Old Capitol Mall can't always see that their bus has arrived. And when it has, they must cross a busy street to get to the other side in some cases. It's a safety hazard as it now stands. A much better concept would be that busses would angle park in an off - street alley with a boarding curb on their right side. Two alleys would be on both sides of the enclosed transit building that has glass walls allowing viewing when the desired bus has arrived. Electronic signs would also announce the arrival of each bus. No streets would be crossed to access the busses from the building. The building, of course would include public restrooms, bus driver's lounge /restrooms, a transit information booth to dispense directional information and to sell bus passes /tickets. The council could also consider allowing food vendors to operate within the building. Be sure to include ample seating, indoors and outdoors, especially for the elderly and handicapped. James Surratt 133 Arabian Court Iowa City, Iowa 52240 319 - 321 -8218 Marian Karr 4f(2) mon- From: Jenna Hammerich <jenna. ham merich @gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2014 7:38 PM To: Council Subject: Climate march Attachments: mcpAgreement. pdf Dear City Councilors, On September 21, over 100 Iowa Citians marched through town to demand that their local government take real and immediate action on climate change. This climate march took place both in Iowa City and around the world, with over 400,000 marching in New York City alone. Local marchers conveyed their requests for specific actions on the part of city government. As two of those marchers, we urge Mayor Hayek to sign the updated mayors climate protection agreement (attached here), as well as to appoint a citizens advisory committee to help the city staff devise a climate mitigation and adaptation plan within one year. Iowa City is a model city in many ways, and even though it has taken important steps to reduce its energy use, it has yet to become the exemplar of sustainability that we feel it should - -and easily could - -be. Best regards, Jenna Hammerich and Eric Johnson s t� yqy f 4 The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (As endorsed by the 73`dAnnual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, Chicago, 2005) A. We urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, including efforts to: reduce the United States' dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the development of clean, economical energy resources and fuel - efficient technologies such as conservation, methane recovery for energy generation, waste to energy, wind and solar energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and biofuels; B. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation that 1) includes clear timetables and emissions limits and 2) a flexible, market -based system of tradable allowances among emitting industries; and C. We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as: 1. Inventory global warming emissions in City operations and in the community, set reduction targets and create an action plan. 2. Adopt and enforce land -use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities; 3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car pooling and public transit; 4. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in "green tags ", advocating for the development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology; 5. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting and urging employees to conserve energy and save money; 6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for City use; 7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program or a similar system; 8. Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of vehicles; launch an employee education program including anti- idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio- diesel; 9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems; recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production; 10. Increase recycling rates in City operations and in the community; 11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and to absorb CO2; and 12. Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution. Marian Karr From: Gregg Geerdes <geerdeslaw @peoplepc.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 8:45 AM To: Council; Tom Markus Cc: MurphyGeerdes Subject: TIF for Student Apartments? Naperville West? 4f(3) Is there anyone who really thinks that TIF funding is necessary to build high end student apartments right next to the UI campus? How can we ask for a sales tax increase when we deliberately avoid collecting property tax on a building which will be primarily used by wealthy college students? In light of the city's practice of giving cute names to its pet projects could we at least name this one Naperville West? Have we gone mad? Vote down TIF for this project and do so fast. Gregg Geerdes 890 Park Place Iowa City, IA 52240 319.341.3304 days 319.354.2375 home Marian Karr 4f(4) From: David Judge <judge403 @msn.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2014 6:34 PM To: Council Subject: Mercer Park Extra space.. Hi Folks. I Think Mercer Park Has Plenty of Room are Room for added space. The Pottery Studio at the Robert E Lee. rec centers Pottery studio. Is Very Small, No windows, Not Many Wheels are Hand Building areas to work.. I Think Once Hearing of the New studio More would join up.. You Could have different themed classes, for different seasons. Please there must be some Grant money that could go into a New Pottery studio at Mercer park building.. Thanks' for hearing me.. David E Judge. 1023 Pepper Dr Iowa City 52240. his correspondence will become a public record. Marian Karr 4f(5) From: Marian Karr Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2014 12:59 PM To: Marian Karr Subject: FW: Road Width - Setting a New Direction For Iowa City From: Dan Cummins [mailto:cummins4dp @gmaii.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2014 12:21 PM To: Council Subject: Road Width - Setting a New Direction For Iowa City To City Council, Please consider the article below as design is being finalized for the Gateway Project and other street projects in Iowa City. Recall that the BlueZone recommends I Oft wide streets. Our neighbors in Cedar Rapids are moving in that direction..... shouldn't Iowa City be leading rather than following? Thanks Dan Cummins 12 Bella Vista Place, Iowa City From The Atlantic City_ Why 12 -Foot Traffic Lanes Are Disastrous for Safety and Must Be Replaced Now Let's make "10 not 12!" a new mantra for saving our cities and towns. When state DOTS bring streets through cities, they apply highway standards (above, Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida). (Screenshot via Google Maps) A friend of mine heads an office in the White House. I never see him anymore, except at the occasional black tie design dinner, where he is always good for a couple of gin and tonics as the crowd disperses. At the last such event, he asked me a question. Or maybe he didn't. But I answered it. "What's the number one most important thing that we have to fight for ?" I said. "You mean, besides corporations being people and money being speech ?" "Besides that." "Well that's easy: 10 -foot lanes instead of 12 -foot lanes." "Explain." SERIES The Future of Transportation we] And so I did, brilliantly. So brilliantly that the White House issued an Executive Order the very next day. Or so I imagined; such is the power of gin. Sobered by my now palpable failure, I have steeled myself for the task of explaining here, in a manner that can never be disputed or ignored, why the single best thing we can do for the health, wealth, and integrity of this great nation is to forbid the construction, ever again, of any traffic lane wider than 10 feet. (Before beginning, let me thank the traffic engineers Paul Moore and Theodore Petritsch, who taught me most of this stuff. Yes, there are some good ones out there. This article borrows heavily from an article by Petritsch, "The Influence of Lane Widths on Safety and Capacity: A Summary of the Latest Findings. ") A little background: First, we are talking only about high- volume streets here. Neighborhood streets can have much narrower lanes. The classic American residential street has a 12 -foot lane that handles traffic in two directions. And many busy streets in my hometown of Washington, D.C., have eight -foot lanes that function wonderfully. These are as safe and efficient as they are illegal in most of the United States, and we New Urbanists have written about them plenty before, and built more than a few. But what concerns us here are downtown streets, suburban arterials and collectors, and those other streets that are expected to handle a good amount of traffic, and are thus subject to the mandate of free flow. Second, you should know that these streets used to be made up of 10 -foot lanes. Many of them still exist, especially in older cities, where there is no room for anything larger. The success of these streets has had little impact on the traffic- engineering establishment, which, over the decades, has pushed the standard upward, almost nationwide, first to 11 feet, and then to 12. Now, in almost every place I work, I find that certain streets are held to a 12 -foot standard, if not by the city, then by a state or a county department of transportation. States and counties believe that wider lanes are safer. And in this belief, they are dead wrong. In some cases, a state or county controls only a small number of downtown streets. In other cases, they control them all. In a typical city, like Cedar Rapids or Fort Lauderdale, the most important street or streets downtown are owned by the state. In Boise, every single downtown street is owned by the Ada County Highway District, an organization that, if it won't relinquish its streets to the city, should at least feel obliged to change its name. And states and counties almost always apply a 12 -foot standard. Why do they do this? Because they believe that wider lanes are safer. And in this belief, they are dead wrong. Or, to be more accurate, they are wrong, and thousands of Americans are dead. They are wrong because of a fundamental error that underlies the practice of traffic engineering —and many other disciplines —an outright refusal to acknowledge that human behavior is impacted by its environment. This error applies to traffic planning, as state DOTS widen highways to reduce congestion, in complete ignorance of all the data proving that new lanes will be clogged by the new drivers that they invite. And it applies to safety planning, as traffic engineers, designing for the drunk who's texting at midnight, widen our city streets so that the things that drivers might hit are further away. The logic is simple enough, and makes reasonable sense when applied to the design of high -speed roads. Think about your behavior when you enter a highway. If you are like me, you take note of the posted speed limit, set your cruise control for 5 m.p.h. above that limit, and you're good to go. We do this because we know that we will encounter a consistent environment free of impediments to high -speed travel. Traffic engineers know that we will behave this way, and that is why they design highways for speeds well above their posted speed limits. Unfortunately, trained to expect this sort of behavior, highway engineers apply the same logic to the design of city streets, where people behave in an entirely different way. On city streets, most drivers ignore posted speed limits, and instead drive the speed at which they feel safe. That speed is set by the cues provided by the environment. Are there other cars near me? Is an intersection approaching? Can I see around that corner? Are there trees and buildings near the road? Are there people walking or biking nearby? And: How wide is my lane? When lanes are built too wide, pedestrians are forced to walk further across streets on which cars are moving too fast and bikes don't fit. All of these factors matter, and others, too. The simplest one to discuss, and probably the most impactful, is lane width. When lanes are built too wide, many bad things happen. In a sentence: pedestrians are forced to walk further across streets on which cars are moving too fast and bikes don't fit. In the paragraphs that follow, I will lay out the evidence against 12 -foot lanes, evidence compiled by traffic engineers, for traffic engineers. When presented with this evidence, DOT officials will face a mandate: provide conflicting evidence, or give in. In over a year of searching for conflicting evidence, I have failed to find any. The closest I came was the following conversation, with a DOT district commissioner in a western state, which I recorded faithfully within moments of it taking place: "Yeah, you've got your studies that say that 10 -foot lanes are safer than 12 -foot lanes. But I've got a pile of studies this high," he insisted, waving at his hip, "that say the opposite." "Wonderful," I said. "May I see them ?" "No. They're from the early days. I threw them out." Emboldened by that exchange, I will again present the evidence at hand. First, we will investigate what the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Green Book, the traffic engineers' bible, has to say on the subject. Then we will review the very few studies that compare crash statistics and driver speeds on lanes of different widths. These will allow us to draw some clear conclusions about safety. Consulting the Green Book For traffic engineers, AASHTO is the keeper of the flame. Its "Green Book," thePolicy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, is the primary source for determining whether a road design is an accepted practice. As such, it is useful in protecting engineers against lawsuits; if something is in the Green Book, it's "safe." Given the protection it affords, nobody questions the Green Book. Never mind that very little of it is evidence- based, and that there are no footnotes justifying its pronouncements. I mean, does the Bible have footnotes? Whether or not it reflects reality, the Green Book's position on lane widths is more than relevant, since the engineers need its blessing to modify a standard. Theodore Petritsch relates this position as follows: For rural and urban arterials, lane widths may vary from 10 to 12 feet. 12 -foot lanes should be used where practical on higher- speed, free - flowing, principal arterials. However, under interrupted -flow (signalized) conditions operating at lower speeds (35 MPH or less), narrower lane widths are normally quite adequate and have some advantages. Here, the takeaway is clear: AASHTO says that 10 -foot lanes are just fine —for what it's worth. The Studies: Rare but Conclusive A number of studies have been completed that blame wider lanes for an epidemic of vehicular carnage. One of them, presented by Rutgers professor Robert Noland at the 80th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board, determined that increased lane widths could be blamed for approximately 900 additional traffic fatalities per year. Unfortunately, Noland is a mere Ph.D. and not a practicing engineer. His evidence apparently didn't mean squat to the TRB. If you don't have short- sleeved white shirt and a pocket protector, you may as well stay home. Happily, it turns out that engineers have conducted studies of their own. Two of these deserve our rapt attention. The first study, called "Effective Utilization of Street Width on Urban Arterials," was completed by the TRB itself. It found the following: ... all projects evaluated during the course of the study that consisted of lane widths exclusively of 10 feet or more [rather than 12 feet] resulted in accident rates that were either reduced or unchanged. So far so good. A second study, called "Relationship of Lane Width to Safety for Urban and Suburban Arterials," was conducted by the conservative Midwest Research Center. Comparing 10- to 11 -foot lanes to 12- foot lanes, it found: A safety evaluation of lane widths for arterial roadway segments found no indication, except in limited cases, that the use of narrower lanes increases crash frequencies. The lane widths in the analyses conducted were generally either not statistically significant or indicated that narrower lanes were associated with lower rather than higher crash frequencies. It is clear, then, that at the very least, 10 -foot lanes cause no more accidents than 12 -foot lanes, and may cause fewer. But what about the severity of these accidents, a subject on which these studies appear to be mute? Here we can make use of another study and some common sense. We all know that people drive faster in wider lanes, but we need the engineers to say it. Fortunately, the Texas Transportation Institute, as old- school as they come, has done just that. They state: On suburban arterial straight sections away from a traffic signal, higher speeds should be expected with greater lane widths. Granted, this study covers only one type of road, but there is no reason to expect opposite results on, for example, straight urban roads. The same logic would apply, although perhaps less dramatically: people drive faster when they have less fear of veering off track, so wider lanes invite higher speeds. A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 30 m.p.h. is between seven and nine times as likely to be killed as one hit by a car traveling 20 m.p.h. To conclude this radical thought experiment, we need to confirm another commonsense assumption, that higher -speed crashes cause more injuries and deaths than lower -speed crashes. This has been amply demonstrated to apply to all road users, especially pedestrians. According to a broad collection of studies, a pedestrian hit by a car traveling 30 m.p.h. at the time of impact is between seven and nine times as likely to be killed as one hit by a car traveling 20 m.p.h. This tremendously sharp upward fatality curve means that, at urban motoring speeds, every single mile per hour counts. All of the above data, studies, and pronouncements, collected and disseminated by the mainstream traffic engineering establishment, point to the following conclusion: 10 -foot lanes cause no more accidents than 12- foot lanes, and they may cause fewer. These accidents can be expected to be slower, and thus less deadly. Therefore, 10 -foot lanes are safer than 12 -foot lanes. Protecting Capacity Before finishing, we need to investigate the carrying capacity of different width lanes, since traffic volume remains a legitimate concern. If safety were the only goal of traffic planning, all streets would be one -lane wide —or better yet, zero lanes wide. The fact that they are not means that we, as a society, are more than willing to sacrifice lives for automobility. So, what's the data? Here, as again reported by Petritsch, a thorough literature search conducted by the Florida DOT yielded these findings: The measured saturation flow rates are similar for lane widths between 10 feet and 12 feet.... Thus, so long as all other geometric and traffic signalization conditions remain constant, there is no measurable decrease in urban street capacity when through lane widths are narrowed from 12 feet to 10 feet. It is striking to hear this news from FDOT, the agency that may preside over the greatest pedestrian massacre in U.S. history. Four out of the five deadliest American cities for walking are currently in Florida. This is by design: in no other state has the DOT had such a powerful influence on the design of urban streets. Pointing Fingers Alarmed by its horrifying safety ranking —and the barrage of resulting bad publicity —FDOT has taken bold measures to improve pedestrian safety. It released just last year a 44 -page Florida Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Safety Plan. Unfortunately, while this document talks plenty about such things as driver, cyclist, and pedestrian education, only two of its pages deal remotely with the real culprit, traffic engineering. Here, we are told that FDOT intends to "implement pedestrian and bicycle best practices," a phrase that is fairly meaningless without further definition. To its credit, the plan advocates for the application of a "complete streets" policy to benefit cyclists and pedestrians. But such policies, as we have learned, make sure that some streets include bike lanes and sidewalks, but rarely require the dimensional properties that make them safe. Nowhere in the entireStrategic Safety Plan are lane widths discussed, or any other design feature of the roadway that might encourage deadly speeds. In fact, you can learn all you need to know about this effort by glancing at the cover of the report, which is stamped with the project motto: "Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow." Think about that statement, and what it implies. In an encounter between a car and a pedestrian, whose life is at risk? Who, then, is expected to reform her behavior? Certainly not the driver —and most certainly not any engineers who endanger their populations with 12 -foot lanes. A Test Case I believe that FDOT —and every DOT —is capable of reform, but experience suggests that this will only happen when enough people make a stink. In Florida, we will be able to gauge the DOT's willingness to enter the reality -based community by how it responds to a proposal recently made to restripe Okeechobee Boulevard, a deadly state highway that cuts through downtown West Palm Beach. Its nine lanes separate the Palm Beach County Convention Center from everything that conventioneers walk to, and are a nightmare to walk across or beside. These lanes, of course, are 12 feet wide. Before and after drawings for Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida, show how narrowing 12- foot lanes to 10 feet creates ample room for protected bike lanes. (Image: Speck & Associates LLC) What would happen if these lanes were reduced to 10 -feet wide, as proposed? Three things. First, cars would drive more cautiously. Second, there would be roughly eight feet available on each side of the street for creating protected cycle lanes, buffered by solid curbs. Third, the presence of these bike lanes would make the sidewalks safer to walk along. All in all, an easy, relatively inexpensive win -win -win that DOT could fund tomorrow. But will they? Only if they are capable of reform. Let's find out. The agency's bike and pedestrian coordinator, Billy Hattaway, is one of the good ones. But does he have the power to move FDOT to a 10 -foot standard? Moving beyond Florida, the task is clear. Our lives are currently being put at risk daily by fifty state DOTS and hundreds of county road commissions who mistakenly believe that high -speed street standards make our cities and towns safer. In my most considered opinion, these agencies have blood on their hands, and more than a little. There are many standards that they need to change, but the easiest and most important is probably the 12- foot lane. Armed with the facts, we can force this change. But only if we do it together. It's time to push this discussion to its logical conclusion. Until conflicting evidence can be mustered, the burden of proof now rests with the DOTs. Until they can document otherwise, every urban 12 -foot lane that is not narrowed to 10 feet represents a form of criminal negligence; every injury and death, perhaps avoidable, not avoided —by choice. In the meantime, I welcome evidence to the contrary. We've shown them our studies; now let them show us theirs. Unless, of course, they've thrown them out. _0 r CITY OF IOWA CITY 44 MEMORANDUM - Date: October 10th, 2014 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle -Gamm, Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 21St, 2014 City Council meeting; Removal of (2) NO PARKING BETWEEN SIGNS signs with supplemental arrows on the 400 block of Highland Court. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 313 of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9 -1 -3A (10); Remove (2) NO PARKING BETWEEN SIGNS signs with supplemental arrows on the 400 block of Highland Court. Comment: This action was requested by an adjacent business to reestablish on- street parking at this location. Staff determined that the action would not impede through traffic. Af�. ®Q1 Mom CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: October 10th, 2014 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle -Gamm, Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 21St, 2014 City Council meeting; Installation of (1) DISABLED PARKING space in front of 1908 Delwood Drive. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9 -1 -3A (14); Install (1) DISABLED PARKING space in front of 1908 Delwood Drive. Comment: This action is being taken to supply an on- street parking space for the resident who has a permanent physical disability. 4f(7) r -- � i�F= p 4 C (T Y OF IOWA C I T Y 4f(8) MEMORANDUM Date: October 10th, 2014 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle -Gamm, Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 21St, 2014 City Council meeting; Installation of (2) NO PARKING EXCEPT 7 AM — 2 PM SUNDAYS signs on the west side of the 400 block of South Governor Street near Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9 -1 -3A (10); Install (2) NO PARKING EXCEPT 7 AM — 2 PM SUNDAYS signs on the west side of the 400 block of South Governor Street near Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Comment: This action was requested by Bethel AME to better align the on- street parking allowance with church service times on Sunday. It 10 -21 -14 it '���- _40 CITY O F IOWA CITY 4f(9) -� RA N D U M Date: October 10th, 2014 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle -Gamm, Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 21St, 2014 City Council meeting; Installation of (1) STOP sign on the southwest corner of the intersection of North 1 st Avenue and Hickory Trail As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9 -1 -3A (1); Install (1) STOP sign on the southwest corner of the intersection of North 1 st Avenue and Hickory Trail. Comment: This action is being taken to assign the right of way on the west leg of the intersection as Hickory Trail has recently been extended west of North 1st Avenue. ^ -- CITY OF ICJ WA CITY 4f(10) �.� MEMORANDUM Date: October 15, 2014 To: Tom Markus, City Manager From: Ronald R. Knoche, City Engineer Re: Competitive Quotation Results Robert A Lee Recreation Center Fitness Enclosure Competitive quotations for the Robert A Lee Recreation Center Fitness Enclosure Project were opened on October 2, 2014 and the following quotes were received: Apex Construction Iowa City, IA $ 55,700.00 McComas - Lacina Construction Iowa City, IA $ 59,900.00 TD Builders Swisher, IA $ 62,191.00 Engineer's Estimate $ 49,500.00 Parks and Recreation recommended and the City Manager awarded the contract to Apex Construction of Iowa City, Iowa. The project will be funded by the General fund. Curb Ramp Improvement Project 2014 Competitive quotations for the Curb Ramp Improvement Project 2014 were opened on September 26, 2014 and the following quotes were received: Feldman Concrete Dyersville, IA Engineer's Estimate $ 87,560.00 $ 85,624.00 Public Works and Engineering recommended and the City Manager awarded the contract to Feldman Concrete of Dyersville, Iowa. The project will be funded with Road Use tax funds. ,, Iowa City Community School District -) Board of Directors Stephen F. Murley Superintendent of Schools 1725 North Dodge Street • Iowa City, IA 52245 • (319) 688 -1000 • Fax i 319) 688 -1009 • www.iowacityschools.org October 13, 2014 Matt Hayek, Mayor City Council of Iowa City 401 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Gerry Kuhl, Mayor City Council of North Liberty 3 Quail Creek Circle North Liberty, IA 52317 Tim Kemp, Mayor City Council of Hills PO Box 345 Hills, IA 52235 Dear Elected Officials, Mayor John Lundell City Council of Coralville 15127 th Street Coralville, IA 52241 Louise From, Mayor City Council of Univer! 1004 Melrose Avenue Iowa City, IA 52246 —1 ,ity Height -,- Terrence Neuzil, Chair Johnson County Board of Supervisors 913 South Dubuque Street Iowa City, IA 52240 C7:) -j x� �;arl sj We are writing you today on behalf of the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors. At the September 9, 2014 Board Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to direct the District to contact the municipalities served by the Iowa City Community School District regarding housing patterns and city and county housing regulations that impact the District. Specifically, the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors would respectfully ask that each municipality and the county codify policies regarding inclusionary zoning, re- invest in areas of our community where there is socio- economic isolation, and place restrictions on rental units and rental density. We understand that the main responsibility of the school system is to educate all children living within our community. We also understand that it is our local municipal governments' responsibility to manage residential growth. While we are cognizant of the fact that it is not within the scope of the District's duties to instruct municipalities on housing patterns and zoning regulations, we do know that these decisions have a direct impact on our educational system. Too often, the District is left trying to navigate a contradictory set of zoning regulations in an attempt to best plan for educating the students of one district who reside in six different municipal communities. We are reaching out in hopes that we can address the zoning and housing discrepancies in our community from a collective standpoint and can work together toward a unified solution. The District believes that there is the potential for a better approach that provides a greater benefit to our entire community and specifically to our students. The mission of the Iowa City Community School District is to ensure all students will become responsible, independent learners capable of making informed decisions in a democratic society as well as in the dynamic global community; this is accomplished by challenging each student with a rigorous and creative curriculum taught by a diverse, professional, caring staff and enriched through the resources and the efforts of families and the entire community. 4 Change of this magnitude will not take place over night. As a first step, the District requests that each community codify inclusionary zoning in municipal planning. The District would suggest that the municipalities then formulate a joint task force to consider the needs of the community. The District is enthusiastic about being a part of this solution. We look forward to hearing about your work in this area and appreciate your collaboration as we work to educate the students of our community. Sincerely, Chris Lynch Board President Sincerely, Stephen F. Murley Superintendent of Schools d F n, , IMM � 4 rim Y IV I ` 'r - = na�..� ors. if ,�„ y��y i�4P• �'J''r. _^_L�..�y"�^ ""••K'S�� -'.�� �`'._.l.-. r } SY [i�b �r }art �� L�L , e � .- _ - '.■':°2_ - — .1 /Rw'v �'r l�:ti:'.� �l .a,,-Y' /.t yv �.e r. -_d. 8`t:.f'e31 OLLE FOR UP- "-'3- IENT ff no +v _L -Axon= M—EMM I'M s f s. �x w Ref rement coveries for .. � Eve'r'ysudget r JOSEPH M. LUBOW 176 CHOOSE A COLLEGE TONN FOR RETIREMENT Important Addresses and Connections Chamber of Conunerce: Ames Chamber and Development Commission, 213 Duff Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 Senior Center: Heartland Senior Services, 205 South Walnut Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 Newspapers: (Monday to Saturday) The Daily Tribune, 317 Fifth Street, Ames, IA 50010; (daily) Des Moines Register, 703 East Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50010; (student) Iowa State Daily, 108 Hamilton Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 Airport: Des Moines International Airport (35 miles away) Trains /Buses: Amtrak; Greyhound; Cy -Ride is the local Ames transit system Internet Web Sites Town or City: wwwames.ia.us; wwwhometownamerica.com/ IA/IASTO/IASTO_AM_H College or University: www.iastate.edu Ames Climate In degrees Fahrenheit January .April : July October Rainfall Snowfall HIGH 28 62 85 64 33' °' 31" LOW 9 38 63 41 Iowa City, Iowa The roads to Iowa City are filled with the history of the religious movements of America. Eighteen miles to the west are the Amana Colonies, a group of seven villages begun in 1855 as a Utopian society. In Coralville many Mormons, with handcarts in tow, camped on their way to the Great Salt Lake and their call to paradise 1,400 miles to the west. Ten miles to the east of Iowa City is the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Presidential Library- Museum, which includes a Quaker Meeting House on its grounds. One of the largest Amish populations in the United States resides in Iowa. But Iowa City itself is an important part of the secular history of Iowa. Johnson County —the home of Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty— a THE GREAT PLAINS STATES 177 was created by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature in 1837. When the Iowa Territory was established the following year, Iowa City was laid out and built to become the territorial capital and the county seat. Iowa came into the Union in 1846 as a free state, and Iowa City became the state's first capital. In 1857 the capital was moved to the cen- { ter of the state, Des Moines, but rather than disappear into the back- ground of key places in the state, Iowa City moved forward as the University of Iowa (UI), established in 1847 on the bluffs above the Iowa River, developed. Today Iowa City, with 60,000 residents, remains a cen- tral focus of the state. The University In this town Ul, with its 27,500 students and 22,000 s, employees, generates not only economic stability but also the intellectu- fj al life, the technological spark, and the cultural heartbeat of both the F area and the state._ The university is a regular stop on the Elderhostel program trail. However, it does not offer a lifelong learners program. Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids offers basic adult education cours- es, as well as self - enrichment courses at the Kirkwood Learning Center 1 in Iowa City. The libraries of UI are open for in -house use by the public, but only people affiliated with the university can borrow materials. Nonaffiliated users of the library are granted borrower's privileges only under special circumstances. Recreation and Culture Though the city is always in motion, the quantity of activities available soars when UI is in session. Iowa is a member of the Big 10 Conference of the NCAA. Mens and women's teams compete in eleven sports, so there is never a lack of sporting events. The university allows public use of the Recreation Building and the Field House (facilities with a variety of fitness training equipment and sports courts), lighted tennis courts, and the Finkbine Golf Course. The Division of Recreational Services at the university is responsible for the MacBride Nature Recreation Area, 15 miles north of Iowa City Alongside Lake MacBride and Coralville Reservoir, the site has trails for nature walks and cross - country skiing, a nature center, and camping areas. Inexpensive sailing on the Iowa River is possible because the UI Sailing Club is open to public membership. This student organization 178 CHOOSE A COLLEGE TOWN FOR RETIREMENT charges a quarterly membership fee; from then on there are no other t expenses, including boat use and lessons. The museums of the university cover a variety of interests, from art }- and history to culture and medicine. Health history and current medical issues, for instance, are explained and exhibited at the UI Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum. The Museum of Art at the Iowa Center for the Arts has thousands of art and sculpture works in an assortment of media. Works by famous artists such as Picasso and Matisse complement those of the less well - known artists and cultures throughout the world. More than a million fossil specimens are housed at the Museum of 'j' Natural History, which also features dioramas on birds and mammals. li The Iowa Hall displays geographic, geologic, and archaeological exhibits r : on the state's land, including Native American culture. jThe students' presence has given rise to an active club scene in town. But the university's Iowa Center for the Arts is the focal point for live per- t., formances in Iowa City It offers: 2V Y; �', • Hancher Auditorium —a 2,600 -seat concert hall used primarily for music and dance performances, including those by nationally known artists and orchestras • The Music Building —five recital halls and the Clapp Recital Hall, ? which seats 720 people • University Theatres —with four performance stages, many produc- tions throughout the year, and repertory in summer The community also offers diverse cultural activities. The Iowa City Community Theatre performs at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Both Iowa City and Coralville have outdoor concert series. Festivals occur all year, including bluegrass, jazz, and art gatherings. The Heritage Museum of Johnson County in Coralville tells the story of the area's last 200 years. Iowa City has nine parks, and Coralville has three. Tennis courts are at a number of them, as are hiking trails. City Park and Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City have cross - country skiing, as do other area parks not under the city's domain. S. T. Morrison Park in Coralville and City Park in Iowa City have outdoor swimming pools. An indoor swimming center is at Mercer Park. THE GREAT PLAINS STATES 179 As mentioned above, the Amana Colonies and the Hoover National Historic Site are worth visits. The Mississippi River lies about 60 miles to the east. HOUSing Costs Though the campus sits on a bluff, most of Iowa City and Coralville is flat, with plenty of trees and grassy areas. The median value of a home in Iowa City is $79,000; in Coralville, $73,200. However, when I looked through the listings on -line and in the newspa- per, I found that relatively few were priced that low. The bulk of the housing seemed to be between $100,000 and $150,000, with a bulge right around the $125,000 mark. The median apartment rent in Iowa City is $368; in Coralville, $361. Medical Care The University of Iowa Health Science Center is a teaching and research hospital system with a total of 891 beds. Mercy Iowa City Hospital has 234 beds. The Veterans Affairs Medical Center has 107 beds. When Grandkids Visit The Iowa Children's Museum has moved into its new home in the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville.The museum has interactive exhibits on media, construction, and water use. In Dyersville, about 75 miles northeast of Iowa City, is the site for the movie Field of Dreams. Admission is free. Important Addresses and Connections Chambers of Commerce: Iowa City / Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau, 408 First Avenue, Coralville, IA 52241; Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 2358, Iowa City, IA 52244 Senior Center: Johnson County Senior Center, 28 South Linn, Iowa City, IA 52240 Newspapers: The Gazette, 301 East Market, Iowa City, IA 52245; The Press - Citizen, 1725 North Dodge, Iowa City, IA 52245; (student) The Daily Iowan, 111 Communication Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 Airport: East Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids (25 miles away) TrainslBuses: Amtrak in Mt. Vernon; Greyhound; Iowa City Transit System and Coralville Transit System serve the two towns 180 CHOOSE A COLLEGE TOWN FOR RETIRMEHT Internet Web Sites Town or City: www.icarea.com; vnvwiccvb.org College or University: www.uiowa.edu Iowa City /Coralville Climate '- In degrees Fahrenheit January April July October Rainfall snowfall HIGH 30 63 88 66 37' 26" LOW 12 40 65 43 Kansas is filled with the history of our country's expansion west. Emigrants first traversed the area on their treks westward via the Oregon, Chisholm and Santa Fe Trails. Kansas was also one of the major battlegrounds in the years prior to the Civil War. The fight over whether the state would be free of slavery was so fierce that it was called Bleeding Kansas, Carrie Nation, the leader of the temperance movement, helped Kansas embrace Prohibition, which began in the 1880s in this state. But Kansas is also the state that pioneered ideas such as the recall and the referendum, and gave women rights well before the progressive North or West did. Kansas begins at the Missouri border and ends at Colorado, a width of about 450 miles. The low plains and rolling hills on the east side that were once filled with tall grass eventually give way to the high plains, as the land rises in preparation for the Rockies of Colorado. The state is for- tunate to have several rivers; the Kansas and Arkansas Rivers nm through the state, while the Missouri River divides the northeast part of the state from its eastern neighbor. Kansas is famous for its wheat, and on the plains of western Kansas, storage buildings stand out like rural skyscrapers. Other crops, such as corn and alfalfa, make Kansas a major player in crop agriculture. The cattle industry is still strong here. Manufacturing centers on processing the crops and animals the state raises, while heavy industries include air- craft manufacture and oil production. Manhattan and Lawrence are both in the eastern area of the state. Both A 1 CHOOSE A COLLEGE TOWN FOR RETIREMENT BY JOSEPH M. LUBOW ALL THINGS A COLLEGE TOWN MUST PASS The town had to be a distinct community. There had to be at least one college or university that could be seen as a major focus of community life. There had to be a hospital, preferably a medical center serving a region. There had to be a cultural center, which could be the college itself. There had to be parks or open space and recreational areas. There had to be a Senior Center or programs for seniors. At least one college in the town in the town had to offer educational opportunities to adults, preferably to senior in particular. A government, chamber of commerce, college, church, or other organization had to hold events that brought the community out of their homes to interact together. This could be street fairs, concerts in the park, historical celebrations, or any other form of recreation. There needed to be a cultural life. It could take the form of art or historical museums, musical performances, theater arts, or dance, and the groups or performances needed to have a student /faculty or community component. The town's location had to be beautiful, the streets pleasant to walk, and the people friendly.