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2015-07-02 Info Packet
CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET MISCELLANEOUS IP1 Council Tentative Meeting Schedule July 2, 2015 IP2 Invitation from Corps of Engineers to open house on Coralville Lake Master Plan revisions IP3 Memo from Asst. City Manager: Strategic Plan Status Report IP4 Memo from City Clerk: Joint Meeting Agenda Items for July 20 IP5 Article from Council Member Botchway: Cedar Rapids takes on vacant, neglected properties IP6 Article from City Manager: Why downtown Ann Arbor needs more office space, and why it's unlikely to get some IP7 Article from City Manager: Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation IP8 Article from City Manager: One Iconoclast's Blunt Message on Transportation Funding IP9 Civil Services Entrance Examination: Clerk/Typist — Parks & Forestry IP10 Civil Services Entrance Examination: Maintenance Worker II —Horticulture IP11 Iowa League of Cities: New Laws of Interest to Cities DRAFT MINUTES IP12 Telecommunications Commission: June 22 Tuesday, August 18, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 15, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, October 6, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Monday, November 30, 2015 1-6:30 PM Work Session Meeting Ashton House Strategic Planning and Orientation Tentative Meeting 07-02-15 Schedule IN r j City Council Subject to change July 2, 2015 �►. arr®r. it CITY OF IOWA CITY Date Time Meeting Location Monday, July 20, 2015 4:00 PM Reception prior to meeting TBA (Johnson County) 4:30 PM Joint Meeting / Work Session Monday, July 27, 2015 5:00 PM City Conference Board Emma J. Harvat Hall Work Session Meeting 7:00 PM Special Formal Meeting Tuesday, August 18, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 15, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, October 6, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Monday, November 30, 2015 1-6:30 PM Work Session Meeting Ashton House Strategic Planning and Orientation DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 1P2 ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS 10 CORALVILLE LAKE PROJECT 2850 PRAIRIE DU CHIEN RD NE IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240-7820 June 25, 2015 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coralville Lake Office will host a public scoping open house on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the South Slope Community Center located at 980 North Front Street, North Liberty, Iowa. The purpose of the open house is to informally meet with individuals and groups to discuss the Coralville Lake Master Plan revision. This will provide the public an opportunity to learn about the status of natural resource and recreation activities, provide comments on land management issues and resource objectives, and give feedback on their interests as it relates to Coralville Lake. During the open house, the same overview presentation on the master planning process and facts about Coralville Lake will be repeated at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. The community center will be set-up with exhibit areas featuring an informational poster on Recreation, Environmental Stewardship, Cultural Aspects, Shoreline Management, land classification maps and recreational boating. Corps staff will be available throughout the event to answer questions and discuss the various topics. The Master Plan revision is anticipated to be drafted in 2016 and will be available for public review and comment through public notice, web posting, and open houses. The final Master Plan is anticipated to be completed in the spring of 2017. The Corps is reviewing the separate but related Shoreline Management Plan for potential revision in 2016. Public input on shoreline management and the current Shoreline Management Plan will be sought throughout 2015. The Master Plan is not a plan for flood risk management nor is it a plan for water level management associated with prime facilities such as a dam, gates, a spillway or outlet works. These items are addressed in other documents. We feel it's important to receive direct involvement from your agency to ensure that any interests you may have in the Coralville Lake area are considered during this process. Please check the website frequently for the latest information on the plans, upcoming focus groups or to submit comments; www.coralvillelake.org The public can contact the Coralville Lake Project Office by mail at: Coralville Lake, 2850 Prairie Du Chien Road NE, Iowa City, IA 52240-7820; by email: coralville.lakegusace.army.mil ; or telephone: (319) 338-3543, ext. 6300. To UNSUBSCRIBE from future email notices or to add additional email addresses to the Master Plan email list, please email coralville.lake(kusace.arm.mil. c -v Sincerely, cn M Howard D. Goldman LL Coralville Lake 7 Operations Project Manager 12)0 N L07-02-15J�`..pCITY OF IOWA CITY3 MEMORANDUM Date: July 1, 2015 To: Tom Markus, City Manager From: Geoff Fruin, Assistant City Manager Re: Strategic Plan Status Report Included in this week's information packet is the July 2015 Strategic Plan Status Report. The purpose of this report is to provide the reader with information on the strategic planning process and the City's efforts to achieve the adopted goals. The document also contains an update on various other significant projects and initiatives, including those directly related to the inclusive and sustainable goals of the City Council. As a reminder, we reformatted the report last year to incorporate imagery and make it more concise and readable. Also, while a number of the objectives were unchanged from the 2012-13 Strategic Plan, we have removed the vast majority of the accomplishments from that timeframe. This was done primarily to keep the report concise and focus the content on the more recent accomplishments and future plans. The 2012-13 Strategic Plan, as well as this current update is temporarily available on our website at www.icgov.org/strategicplan. Archived versions are maintained in the City Clerk's Office. Due to the number of items on the City Council's pending worksession list, I am recommending that we do not schedule a formal presentation of this report to the City Council unless they specifically request such a forum. 2014-2015 Strategic Plan Status Report M1Y City of Iowa City July 2015 Contents City of Iowa City Organizational Profile.............................................................................................................................................2 StrategicPlan Process........................................................................................................................................................................3 2014-2015 Strategic Planning Calendar..........................................................................................................................................3 CoreValues for City Employees*....................................................................................................................................................4 StrategicPlan Priorities...................................................................................................................................................................4 Strategic Economic Development Activities......................................................................................................................................5 AStrong Urban Core..........................................................................................................................................................................8 HealthyNeighborhoods...................................................................................................................................................................10 ASolid Financial Foundation...........................................................................................................................................................16 Enhanced Communication and Marketing......................................................................................................................................17 Notable Projects and Initiatives Incorporating the Inclusive and Sustainable Values.....................................................................19 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives........................................................................................................................................22 1 City of Iowa City Organizational Profile Iowa City is governed by an elected city council of seven members: four council members at -large and three district members. The council is responsible for appointing the city manager, city attorney, and city clerk. The city manager serves as the chief administrative officer for the organization. The city manager implements the policy decisions of the city council, enforces city ordinances, and appoints city officials, as well as supervises the directors of the city's operating departments. Iowa City employs approximately 600 full-time staff members to execute the city council's policies and provide public services to over 70,000 residents. The City provides numerous utilities to its residents including water, sewer, stormwater, and garbage and recycling services. In addition, the city provides many other services including public safety, building and housing inspections, parks and recreation, street maintenance, engineering, development services, transportation, local cable television programming, and senior services. In 2005, Iowa City was designated as a City of Literature by UNESCO becoming the third city recognized internationally and the first and only U.S. cityto date. Since 2014 the City has been recognized in over twenty "Best Of" publications including "The Best Small City for Educated Millennials" by Business Insider, "The Best City for College Grads' by the Huffington Post, and "The Best City for Successful Aging' and "Number Five Best Performing Small City" by the Milliken Institute. City Council Members Matt Hayek, Mayor Susan Mims, Mayor Pro Tem Rick Dobyns, District A Terry Dickens, District B Jim Throgmorton, District C Michelle Payne, At -large Kingsley Botchway II, At -large Strategic Plan Process The strategic planning process involves multiple steps, including gathering input from the general public, City staff, and the City Council. The planning process focused on 1) Issues, Concerns, Trends and Opportunities 2) On -Going or Committed Projects 3) Significant and New Projects, Programs, Policies and Initiatives and 4) Organizational Effectiveness. The 2014-2015 Strategic Plan outlines the primary areas of focus for the community. Numerous additional projects, initiatives and policy matters that are not specifically mentioned in this document have been carried out or will also be addressed as appropriate. The City staff continues to coordinate various actions that contribute to successful outcomes in each of the identified focus areas. This Status Report notes each of the focus areas, explains the major accomplishments to date, and presents a sample of future plans to further these goals. 2014-2015 Strategic Planning Calendar Fall 2013 Public and City staff input presented to the City Council Strategic planning work session with the City Council Winter 2013 Adoption of the Strategic Plan 2014-2015 Implementation of action items Periodic status updates Fall 2015 Final action steps completed Creation of a new 2016-17 Strategic Plan Core Values for City Employees* Strategic Plan Priorities Integrity Inspiration Mean what you say Encourage others Do as you say Help set the pace Fostering a more INCLUSIVE and SUSTAINABLE Iowa City through Be honest Be excited about the future a commitment to: Be ethical Showfaith in yourteam Be consistent Be visionary Be committed Embrace new concepts 4k Strategic Economic Development Activities Don't quit before you start Communication Be expressive Life -Long Learning Provide feedback Be self-directed yjN; A Strong Urban Core Be friendly/open Show creativity Be clear Find solutions from multiple sources Be authentic Seek to learn may, Be reflective Evaluate and adjust when needed Healthy Neighborhoods Listen Share knowledge Practice what you learn Leadership See the whole picture A Solid Financial Foundation . Take risks Show passion Be respectful Be tactful *Core values were developed by Iowa City staff ° Enhanced Communication and Marketing Engage during the 2012-13 strategic plan year Empower others Celebrate others Note: The City Council has expressed that inclusivity and sustainability are guiding Be collaborative principles that should be considered when working within each of the stated Be supportive priorities Strategic Economic Development Activities Goal: The City strives to expand and diversify the economic base of the community, particularly in existing planned commercial and industrial areas that have established supporting infrastructure. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Completed the Williams Street streetscape improvements in conjunction • Continue to market the Kerr-McGee property for with the new commercial buildings on Muscatine and Williams redevelopment • Initiated the Wade Street water main replacement project • Identify further redevelopment options in the district Towncrest • Awarded a facade grant to Iowa City Hospice • Continue to offer facade improvement opportunities • Improved appearance of the Kerr-McGee redevelopment parcel • Expand streetscape enhancements as redevelopment • Approved plans and provided assistance to enhance the design of new occurs apartment building which replaced a blighted parcel on Muscatine Ave. • Consider improvements to Towncrest Drive • Completed significant public improvement projects on Lower Muscatine • Continue to work with the Iowa City Marketplace Avenue, Sycamore St. and First Avenue to improve storm water ownership group to revitalize the property and fill management, trafficf low, bicycle/pedestrian accommodations and vacant spaces Iowa City Marketplace aesthetic appeal of the corridor • Support other redevelopment efforts in the corridor and First Avenue • Initiated the First Avenue grade separation project which will be completed in 2016 and includes a road diet from Bradford St. to Retail Corridor Highway6. • Entered into a development agreement with mall ownership to improve the site and attract new tenants. • Lucky/s Market opened as new anchortenant in July of 2015 Strategic Economic Development Activities (continued) Goal: The City strives to expand and diversify the economic base of the community, particularly in existing planned commercial and industrial areas that have established supporting infrastructure. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Completed environmental assessments on city owned land at Riverside Dr. and Highway 6 • Continue to relocate public facilities from the property and began relocating public facilities from the property at Riverside Dr. and Highway 6 • Initiated a master plan update for the new Public Works campus to aid in the relocation of • Facilitate redevelopment of vacant or underutilized Highway 6 / public property from Riverside Dr. and Highway 6 properties along the corridor • Facilitated the sale of all remaining airport properties in Aviation Commerce Park and • Work with the Airport Commission on the development Highway 1 retired all airport debt with the proceeds of unused south airport property • Completed work on the Highway 1 pedestrian trail project • Plan for the extension of the Highway 1 pedestrian trail • The USPS completed their relocation to Pepperwood Plaza to Mormon Trek Blvd. • Completed the public infrastructure improvements and achieved shovel ready status from • Continue to market the property in coordination with ICAD and the State of Iowa ICAD 420th Street • Evaluate north 73 acres as a potential site for a youth Industrial Park sports complex Strategic Economic Development Activities (continued) Goal: The City strives to expand and diversify the economic base of the community, particularly in existing planned commercial and industrial areas that have established supporting infrastructure. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Worked with Moss Ridge Campus and Pearson to negotiate an access road to the • Complete the platting of Moss Ridge Campus Moss Ridge Campus property and secured a $1.9 million RISE grant for the project development lots . Initiated construction on the access road with completion anticipated in the fall • Assist with private development issues as needed and Northgate of 2015 • Approved an expansion of the Northgate Office Park and received a $253,000 State RISE grant to facilitate a road extension • Finalized a land trade with Hy Vee to facilitate their relocation and expansion on • Continue to explore a'Corridor Compact' with the former Robert's Dairy property on North Dodge Street. neighboring communities • Executed an agreement with ALPLA to expand their Iowa City operations and • Expand City presence at the ICAD Co -Lab and encourage bring high qualityjobs into the community young entrepreneurs to grow their business in the local • Cooperation with significant UI projects including the School of Music, Art community Other Economic Building West, Hancher, Children's Hospital, N. Dodge medical clinic and two new • Work with CAD to expand the co -lab concept in Iowa City dormitories . Help in the planning of the 2016 Entre Fest in Iowa City Development Efforts . Launched a new micro -loan fund program for low -moderate income entrepreneurs • Achieved a 6.6% reduction in the City propertytax rate over the last four years • Continued sponsorship of Mission Creekand Entre Fest • Initiated discussions with potential broadband utility providers • Revised the CiWs economic development policies to better match strategic plan objectives F A Strong Urban Core Goal: It is the City's goal to promote growth of the Downtown and Near Downtown areas in a manner that builds upon the existing vibrancy of the region, serves persons of all ages and backgrounds, and complements the surrounding neighborhoods and University community. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Notable continued partnerships with the ICDD including Bench Marks, TreeHuggers, advertising, power • Continue to work with the private sector to washing, expanded WiFi, Coffee with a Cop, support of their 'Friends' fundraising effort, retail strengthen and diversify the economic base assessment, Northside Marketplace lighting and a dedicated police officer position in the district • Implementation of the Downtown Streetscape • Successfully completed two full years of the "First Hour Free' parking initiative and expanded parking plan, including the new ped mall public art piece Downtown for automobiles and mopeds on Washington and Dubuque Streets. • Consider additional policy changes that can assist in Iowa City and • Assisted Telepharm with downtown office space meeting the shared goals of the City and ICDD Executed an agreement with Meta Communications to expand their business to the Park at 201 and (signage, dumpster/alleys, cafe regulations) Northside added high qualityjobs in the community • Evaluate multi -use building with New Pioneer Co - Facilitated significant private redevelopment efforts including the MidwestOne historic building, op on the Recreation Center parking lot Marketplace Grossix building, and the Northside Commons project • Work with the ICDD on a new waste collection and • Completed three rounds of awards for the Building Change facade grant program recycling strategy downtown • Adopted the Downtown and Pedestrian Mall Streetscape Plan and commenced work on phase one • Launch a pilot program utilizing solar trash and design recycling compactors downtown • Changed signage regulations to allow for sandwich board signs • Partner with the ICDD on a review of design and • Executed a development agreement for the Chauncey project at College and Gilbert signage guidelines downtown Northside Commons A Strong Urban Core (continued) Goal: It is the City's goal to promote growth of the Downtown and Near Downtown areas in a manner that builds upon the existing vibrancy of the region, serves persons of all ages and backgrounds, and complements the surrounding neighborhoods and University community. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans . Resurfaced the playground area as one of many master plan quickstart projects . Create a multi -modal traffic model to better Downtown . Contracted with Shelter House for monthly supplemental cleaning efforts as well as coinciding with evaluate street designs special events, festivals and home football games . Evaluate Jefferson Hotel repurposing with the UI Iowa City and . Completed a retail studywith the ICDD and work with their new Retail Development Director . Launch a mobile payment application for parking Northside . Started "#Than kYou lowaCity", which is a card that Officer Schwindt, or other officers working in the . The Library will present a multi -faceted program downtown area, can hand out to someone for doing something to make downtown a great place. A for all ages centered around the theme of music Marketplace number of downtown businesses have signed on to sponsor the project and offer thank you rewards and utilizing a variety of downtown venues (continued) . New and expanded special events including One Book Two Book, Soul Fest, and Oktoberfest . Consider lease agreement for the Library . Commenced planning for an Iowa City stop on the 2015 RAGBRAI trip between Coralville and commercial space that will support enhanced Davenport I entrepreneurial activity downtown A Strong Urban Core (continued) Goal: It is the City's goal to promote growth of the Downtown and Near Downtown areas in a manner that builds upon the existing vibrancy of the region, serves persons of all ages and backgrounds, and complements the surrounding neighborhoods and University community. • Finalized the Burlington Street Dam and Iowa River Restoration study, as well as initial park planning for the North Wastewater Plant site • Developed the form based code and introduced changes to parking regulations • Partnered with MidwestOne Bankon a newfacilitythat is nearing completion • Secured an $8.5 million state flood mitigation grant and started Riverfront Crossings demolition of the old wastewater plant • Negotiated a redevelopment agreement forthe Court / Linn site and will present it to Council in July 2015 • Entered into development agreements for the Kinseth Hotel, 316 Madison, Sabin Townhomes and Riverside Drive apartment projects • Entered into a lease purchase agreement for the new parking facility on Harrison Street • Finalize the Riverfront Park master plan process • Consider land acquisition strategies to return properties in the 100 year flood plain to open space and secure ROW needed for road reconfigurations • Plan public improvements for Riverside Drive, including streetscape enhancements and a pedestrian tunnel through the railroad embankment • Work with the University of Iowa on the School of Music and Art Museum projects • Implement the Clinton/Burlington intersection improvements • Consider new affordable housing policies 10 Healthy Neighborhoods Goal: The City aims to invest in and deliver core services to neighborhoods in a manner that enhances overall stability and maintains the intended character while facilitating new opportunities to improve the quality of life. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Completed annexations for two new elementary • Consider recommendations from the South District schools in Iowa City Plan update • Created a new Horace Mann Conservation District Land Use Regulations • Amended the City Code to allow for Outdoor Service Areas in residential and mixed-use zones associated with restaurants • Initiated the South District planning effort I® le ff6 ald South Iowa City Community Planning Workshop Monday, October 6 7:00-9:00 pm Grant Wood Elementary Gymnasium 1930 Lakeside Drive 11 Healthy Neighborhoods (continued) Goal: The City aims to invest in and deliver core services to neighborhoods in a manner that enhances overall stability and maintains the intended character while facilitating new opportunities to improve the quality of life. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Enhanced CIP funding for neighborhood parks • Ensure that future CIP funding is sufficiently provided • Installed the Sycamore Greenway trail head public for core neighborhood improvements artwork in the Grant Wood neighborhood • Continue to promote the Neighborhood Traffic • Completed a master plan for Willow Creek and Calming Program Kiwanis parks • Continue the Program for Improving Neighborhoods • Purchased the Chadek property and converted it to (PIN) grant program infill parkland • Install a new playground feature at Mercer Park • Secured future infill parkland through the Palisades • Implement phase one plan for improvements to Public Infrastructure development on North Dubuque Road Willow Creek and Kiwanis parks • Working with the ICCSD to create a community • Continue to rollout the new park signage center partnership at the new south elementary • Develop a master plan for Lower City Park • Developed new park signage at multiple locations • Planning to launch a Library Bookmobile program in • Pursued neighborhood park improvements at Court FY 2017 to service local neighborhoods. Hill Park, Tower Court, Reno Park and Highland Park • Converted South Governor Street (Bowery to Burlington) from one-way to two-waytraffic 12 Healthy Neighborhoods (continued) Goal: The City aims to invest in and deliver core services to neighborhoods in a manner that enhances overall stability and maintains the intended character while facilitating new opportunities to improve the quality of life. Targets for Accomplishments Future Plans Actions • Purchased fifty-six homes for the UniverCity program since 2011. Fifteen homes were rehabilitated • Continue to obtain funding resources to continue and sold in FY14 and 15. There are currentlyfive purchase offers pending and seven homes remaining UniverCity, GRIP and targeted neighborhood Private to rehabilitate and/or sell. improvement programs. Building • Continued the GRIP rehabilitation program. Assisted fifteen existing homeowners over the last two • Expand UniverCity program with the acquisition of up years with five more pending. to five homes in FY16. Stock • Used Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds to rehabilitate fifty-nine homes with • Research a Green Building pilot program. eleven more pending. Twenty-two homes were located in targeted neighborhoods for rehabilitation. 13 Healthy Neighborhoods (continued) Goal: The City aims to invest in and deliver core services to neighborhoods in a manner that enhances overall stability and maintains the intended character while facilitating new opportunities to improve the quality of life. Targets for Accomplishments Future Plans Actions • Updated the rental disclosure forms to better inform tenants of local ordinances and increased the • Continue outreach to neighborhoods to promote fine for non-compliance with the form requirement ICgovXpress and the Neighborhood Liaison Police • Increasingly used existing code provisions to require annual property inspections when nuisance Officer program or criminal complaints are received • Added more City departments to ICgovXpress to be more responsive to neighbor issues, including the Police Department, which is able to respond 24/7. Nuisance • Continue to utilize the new neighborhood liaison position in the ICPD to work with Neighborhood Mitigation Services, Housing & Inspection Services, landlords, tenants, and associations on nuisance related matters • Restructured staff in Neighborhood and Development Services to improve response to nuisance issues • Provided training to local Association of Realtors on issues related to property management, specifically relating to occupancy and tenant behavior. Iowa City Area 113 Association of.RF.ALTORS' REAtTOW WOW,goapress M 14 Healthy Neighborhoods (continued) Goal: The City aims to invest in and deliver core services to neighborhoods in a manner that enhances overall stability and maintains the intended character while facilitating new opportunities to Targets for Actions Open Stakeholder Communication Updated Planning Documents the quality of life. • Assisted neighborhood associations in reestablishing a more active Neighborhood Council and provided necessary resources to respond to the interests as determined bythe membership. • Formed new neighborhood associations in the Mercer Park / Dover Street neighborhood and in the Mark Twain neighborhood (Lucas Farms) • Helped establish a business association in the Gilbert Court area to address growing public safety concerns • Consolidated the HIS and Planning Departments to streamline communication with residents and businesses • Initiated a "Coffee with a Cop' program and held several sessions throughout the community • Continued staff outreach to various neighborhood associations and assisted with communications as appropriate • Library staff continues weeklyvisits to the Neighborhood Centers to visit with children and conduct outreach • Implemented use of the social media platform, Nextdoor, to enhance communication between the City and neighborhoods • Initiated a new south district planning effort anticipating the new Alexander Elementary School opening in 2015. Future Plans • Continue to expand ICgovXpress to other parts of the organization • Continue to work with the ICCSD on facility issues, including exploring partnerships to enhance facilities and offer before and after school programming, and increasing participation in the Library Summer Reading Program • Continue to work with the Neighborhood Council to provide resources and guidance to address their interests. • Complete South District Plan update 15 A Solid Financial Foundation Goal: The City aim to create a strong and sustainable financial foundation that will provide needed stability and flexibility while utilizing taxpayer dollars in the most efficient and responsible manner. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Adopted economic development policies to help guide the use of public • Take steps to deal with the impacts projected from incentives the State of Iowa's property tax relief legislation • Reduced the municipal property tax rate in each of the last fouryears (6.6% • Continue to reduce the property tax rate and explore decline) options for diversification of our revenue sources • Reduced debt service payments by nearly 28% since 2013 • Continue to review service charges to ensure that Financial Policies • Created an emergency reserve fund to protect against rapid revenue loss or rates are sustainable and sufficiently recover costs assist with disaster mitigation needs • Evaluate the impact of the gas tax increase and • Evaluated fee structures of various services and established new revenue allocate appropriate funding for projects in the benchmarks to reduce property tax dependency upcoming budget cycle • Increased minimum fund balance policy from 25% to 30% • Plan to call 2008A GO bonds in July and save • Retired all airport related debt significant interest expense • Maintained the City's AAA bond rating from Moody's • Continue to enhance the budget document and Financial Analysis and • Received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation award for the first associated financial reporting time in over twenty years in 2012 and received subsequent awards again in • Incorporate performance measures that are linked Communication to the Public 2013 and 2014 to the City Council's strategic plan • Received the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 29t1i consecutive year o I STNIBunoN OF ISa ours GENE Ru oau CNn ON RATINGS FOR CITIES IN IOW! � PN CSi NT1T1uN 16 Enhanced Communication and Marketing Goal: The City strives to be a high -functioning, customer service orientated organization that actively supports and engages stakeholders through clear, open and innovative communication methods. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Established a growing social media presence • Continue efforts to better coordinate messages coming from various through multiple platforms city departments • Launched a redesigned website and e- • Continue to implement the Munis centralized computer software subscription service program • Participate in new student and transfer student • Further integrate the use of social media into the organization and orientations at the University of Iowa introduce more interactive efforts that engage key staff and elected Coordinated • Received a top score from the Sunshine Review officials in social media for excellence in website transparency • Plan for electronic newsletter options for Library users Communications • Library card registration and other program • Senior Center to explore shift to more electronic communications materials made available in Spanish. Outreach • Planning to participate in the 2015 Soul Fest in order to engage with visits by Library staff include use of translators on residents and visitors occasion • Hire a new Community Engagement Specialist in the Parks and • Created a presence to interact with residents and Recreation Department to enhance communication from that visitors at the 2015 Arts Fest, Juneteenth department celebration and Johnson County Fair • Continue local outreach at public events • Partnered with University of Iowa classes for improved student outreach and engagement ON WELCOME 4ASS or sale! 17 Enhanced Communication and Marketing (continued) Goal: The City strives to be a high -functioning, customer service orientated organization that actively supports and engages stakeholders through clear, open and innovative communication methods. Targets for Actions Accomplishments Future Plans • Initiated front lobby remodel project to provide a more welcoming environment for the • Continue to examine ways to streamline public. interactions between the city and public • Expanding the electronic development plan submission process that was initiated in 2013 • Expand instantaneous email alert to housing • Initiated an instantaneous email alert to contractors after building inspections have been inspections completed • Partner with the Post Office to host passport fairs at Customer Service • In coordination with the University of Iowa and Coralville, launched a transit trip planner the Library Orientation application http://planner.ebongo.org • Launched ParkMe smart phone application • Installed accessible door openers on second floor restroom doors of the Library • Library circulation policies reviewed from customer point of view; fine structure simplified, number of holds increased. • Installed a new Iowa DOT self -serve kiosk at the Library �OR YM�GL�—,J—" �e,nwuw.w..r ww..w `��•�r•_• 18 PITryinn:r pwri Am ©iitlll Vlew All Route lY1B vlew All stops �OR YM�GL�—,J—" �e,nwuw.w..r ww..w `��•�r•_• 18 Notable Projects and Initiatives Incorporating the Inclusive and Sustainable Values Category Project Status Inclusive City Park Pool ADA The project was substantially completed prior to the 2014 summer swimming season. Improvements Curb Ramp Program An inventory has been completed and a work plan is being developed. The City Council doubled the funding for repairs in FY 2015 and additional CDBG funds were committed to repairs downtown and in low to moderate income census tracts. 1105 Challenge Grant The 1105 Project has been completed and they are operational. Fast Trac Funding The City funded an extension of Fast Trac through the Diversity Focus organization. Ad Hoc Diversity The recommendations have been received and staff is actively working on implementation. The "DIF" report provides significant detail on Recommendations actions the Police Department has taken related to these recommendations. There are numerous outreach initiatives that have been started or expanded in the last two years. Welcoming City Initiative The City has officially signed up for this program and has joined a network of other cities aiming to create a more welcoming, immigrant - friendly community. M ayors for the Freedom Mayor Hayek has joined over 400 other Mayors in this effort to support equal marriage rights for all people. to Marry Coalition Municipal Equality Index Received the top score in the State of Iowa on the Municipal Equality Index rating from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The City partnered with ICAD, CVB, TCDD and the University of Iowa to install new banners that feature a diverse mix of local residents and several languages. The banners extend a welcome to new students and all residents and express the City's inclusive values. Also, the Downtown Banners Housing Authority partnered with the Affordable Homes Coalition and Association of Realtors for fair housing/affordable housing banners that were up for the month of April 2015. Fair Lending Training The Human Rights Commission and staff coordinated this training for area realtors and lenders. The program was administered by staff from the John Marshall Law School and stemsfrom a recommendation in the Impediments to Fair Housing report. Court Hill ADA This sidewalk infill project created an accessible path from Court Street to Friendship Street through Court Hill Park. Improvements In 2014, staff responsible for frequent interactions with the public undertook cultural competency training from Culture Friendly Staff Training Consulting. Transportation Services staff participated in a training session titled'Building Diversity Skills in the Transit Workplace", which was offered bythe National Transit Institute. In 2015 a training entitled "Diversity in the Workforce" was held for employees. 19 Category Project Status Inclusive International Student Staff worked with the University of Iowa and now participates in the international student orientations and other related events (cont.) Orientation throughoutthe year. This givesthe City a chance to welcome new international students and break down communication barriers. Senior Center Training Promoted multiculturalism and inclusiveness by hosting a professionally facilitated diversity training session during the Senior Center's annual members meeting. Police D„artment The Police Dep artme,..n,has initiated sever... woutecPr.,.g a basketball Prgram a Sou a�luor zg.,a youth Community Outreach police academy and participation in events such as national Night Out, Juneteenth and others. Public Safety Youth Police, Fire and Johnson County Ambulance Service partnered to create this academy that aims to get more youth from diverse Academy backgrounds interested in public safety careers Arabic Library Materials The Library has added a small collection of Arabic language materials to its collection Sensory Story Time Kits The Library acquired four kits that are designed to make story time more accessible and enjoyable for children with autism spectrum disorder Equity Report Issued the City s first Equity Report and created a corresponding plan for actions. Sustainable University of Iowa IISC Year one of the program has been completed and based on its success a second year was initiated. Partnership New Sustainability Office Shifted the focus of the Environmental Coordinator in Public Works to a Sustainability Coordinator in Neighborhood and Development Services. Edible Landscape Projects The City partnered with Backyard Abundance to receive a $23k grantfor public orchard projectthat expands the Edible Forest Maze in Wetherby Park. A second grant for $241kwas received to install edible landscaping around the RobertA. Lee Recreation Center. Heartland Network Iowa City has joined with several other Midwestern communities and received a grant to work with climatologists to better understand Climate Adaptation and and prepare for challenges associated with climate changes. A second grant focuses on urban agriculture best practices Urban Ag Initiatives Animal Shelter Committed to adding a geo-thermal component to the Animal Shelter project. LED Streetlight Staff is actively converting city owned streetlights to LED. Similarly, Mid-American is actively converting their lights to LED. Conversions Prescription Drug The Police Department sought and was awarded a grant from CVS to install a prescription drug container in their lobby. This program Program provides the public a 24/7 option to keep old prescriptions out of the waste stream and our waterways. 20 21 Awareness and Discount Programs Staff continues to work with local retailers to offer discounted rain barrels and compost bins to the community. As part of Earth Day events staff also hosted educational programs on gardening, composting, bike maintenance and othertopics atthe East Side Recycling Center. Electric Vehicle Purchase Purchased the City s first electric veh icle for use at the South Wastewater Plant Earthbox Project The Senior Center started this program which saw members plant and maintain vegetable gardens at senior assisted living and day-care facilities targeting low-income and frail seniors. Blue Zones The City continues its support of the Blue Zones program and has adopted numerous policies and pursued multiple projectsto further the Blue Zones effort. Compost Program Initiated a residential compost pilot and received the EPA's Food too Good to Waste award for its success STAR Rating System Selected to participate in the STAR Community Rating system to better understand progress on sustainability goals Solar Compactors Received a grant to defray some costs for four new solar trash and recycling units to be located in downtown 21 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives Category Project Status Public Facilities Animal Shelter Construction will be complete in the summer of 2015 City Hall Lobby Upgrade Work is underway and due to be completed in late 2015 or early 2016 and NDS Improvements South Wastewater Construction is substantially complete Treatment Plant Expansion Police Storage and Fire Temporary storage space has been secured. A more permanent solution is being contemplated on the new Public Works campus Training Riverfront Crossings A lease purchase agreement has been executed for a new facility to be located on Harrison Street in the Riverfront Crossings district. Parking Facility 22 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives (continued) Category Project Status Flood Recovery National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Review Process has been completed. Project letting expected in the upcoming winter with Gateway Project construction in 2016-2018. West Side Levee Construction completion expected in 2015. Rocky Shore Flood Construction completion expected in 2015. Gate/Lift Station North Wastewater The plant has been decommissioned and an $8.5 million state flood mitigation grant has been secured. Work has commenced with Treatment Plant Demo mercury and asbestos remediation complete and demolition expected to be complete in 2015. Peninsula Secondary Staff is working with the property owner to establish the ability to install an emergency access in the event a flood would close Foster Access Road. Buy-out Program Applied for additional fundingto remove more properties from the 100 year flood plain F 23 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives (continued) Category Project Status Public Infrastructure Burlington/Clinton This project is being designed. Construction is delayed due to extensive redevelopment in the area. Intersection Burlington/Madison Construction is delayed due to extensive redevelopment in the area. Intersection Downtown Streetscape The plan has been adopted and implementation activities have commenced. Washington Street improvements are planned for 2016. Dubuque Street Construction completion expected in 2015. Pedestrian Bridge 1-80 24 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives (continued) Category Project Status Public Infrastructure (cont.) First Avenue Railroad Construction has commenced with completion expected in late 2016. Grade Separation First Avenue Storm Sewer The project has been completed. Phase 2 Moss Ridge Road Construction completion expected in 2015. Lower Muscatine Road Construction is complete. Reconstruction Park Road 3rd Lane The design is being done as part of the Gateway Project and will be constructed with that project. Harrison Street Construction completion expected in 2015. Reconstruction Sycamore Street Construction completion expected before the opening of Alexander Elementary School Mormon Trek Road diet and turn lane addition expected in late 2015 or early 2016 25 Other Significant Projects and Initiatives (continued) Category Project Status Parkland Development Kiwanis / Willow Park Master plan has been completed. Phase 1 construction to be completed in 2015. Improvements Ned Ashton House The facility is open for rentals and final grounds improvements from Project Green are substantially complete. Normandy Drive The final construction phase is currently underway. Restoration Mercer Park Playground The project will be completed in 2015. Neighborhood Park Work is underway at Highland and Tower Court parks. Improvements W. Other Significant Projects and Initiatives (continued) Category Project Status Other Utility Billing and ERP Staff is currently implementing the software. Completion is expected in early 2015. Software Kronos Timekeeping A conversion to electronic timekeeping is underway with completion expected by the end of 2015. www.icgov.org 27 r CITY OF IOWA CITY ZIN 11t L MEMORANDUM Date: June 30, 2015 To: Mayor and City Council From: Marian K. Karr pig Re: Joint Meeting Agenda Items for July 20 The next joint meeting with City Councils of Johnson County municipalities, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, the Iowa City School District and neighboring school districts will be held on Monday, July 20, 2015. The meeting will be hosted by Johnson County. Please let me know of any agenda items you would like to include on that agenda by next Friday July 10. A complete agenda and meeting date confirmation will be available in your packet preceding the joint meeting. From Council Member Botchway 07-02- IP5 Cedar Rapids takes on vacant, neglected properties New rules give city more authority to force improvements CEDAR RAPIDS — Dora Lorenc and Bill Ingledue have created something of a fortress paradise with a sprawling garden, strawberry and raspberry patches and birdhouses on a street of working- class homes on the south side. The retirees — she's a horticulturist among other things and he's a handyman — live next to a creek, the approach to which is city property but maintained by the couple with a hillside lawn and line of lilies. In trade, "We get treated like VIPs" by the city, Lorenc said. However, the city's appreciation doesn't extend across the street to the ramshackle house at 1227 20th Ave. SW with a "Do Not Occupy" placard, declaring it is "unsafe or unsanitary and unfit for human habitation." The date on the city placard: Dec. 22, 2010. Cedar Rapids' neighborhood revitalization efforts have been trying for nearly a decade to do more for the ugliest of vacant and neglected homes and properties — and the 4 1/2 year old placard at 1227 20th Ave. SW is an indication that there's more to do. In recognition of that, the City Council this week approved an addition to an ordinance giving the city more power to take on vacant and neglected properties. Building Services Director Kevin Ciabatti estimated that 70 to 80 homes likely will qualify for a list, He said 1227 20th Ave. SW is a good candidate for it. The change will require owners of vacant, neglected properties to register with the city, pay an annual fee — likely under $300 on average — and submit a written plan to repair the property and bring it into compliance with code. Ciabatti said a property will land on the vacant and neglected registry if for six months or more in any year it is unoccupied and unsecured; unoccupied and secured by boarded -up windows or other means not used in the design of the house; unoccupied with code violations; or unoccupied and declared dangerous. Properties under renovation with applicable city permits will be exempt. Vacant and unoccupied homes that are maintained won't make the list either, he said. However, the city will head to court when owners do not cooperate. Once there, Ciabatti said he anticipates that judges will order the owner to submit to the inspection requirement of the law. Often now, judges don't permit inspections, so the city can't report the extent of problems to the court, he said. In developing the new plan over the last year, he said he worked with representatives of neighborhood associations, the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors, the city's Historic Preservation Commission, the city's Community Development Department and police. He also reviewed similar ordinances from some 20 cities. Council member Monica Vernon said many of the worst vacant and neglected properties in Cedar Rapids pose a danger to the neighborhood, and she said that the city has "baby-sat" them and not pushed owners to do something for too long. 07-02-1 From Asst. City Manager IP6 Why downtown Ann Arbor needs more office space, and why it's unlikely to get some In 2013, we spoke with Duo Security co-founder & CEO Dug Song about how Ann Arbor's high residential rental costs were affecting his company's ability to grow. While he acknowledged rental rates as a major challenge for attracting talent, he counted another factor as a top concern: "It's hard to find large floor space," he said at the time. "The challenge for us is partly residential issues, but it's just as much about commercial space." As it turns out, that wasn't just one entrepreneur's opinion. Less than a year later, a downtown market report by 4ward Planning identified demand for an additional 90,00o to loo,000 square feet of office space within the City of Ann Arbor by 2019. That's about the amount of apartment space in the 10 -story Zaragon Place building. And considering it takes years for development projects of that scale to be planned, approved and constructed, someone had better get a move on if downtown Ann Arbor is going to meet that goal. Because companies aren't waiting around—just look at Google. While Google representatives declined to be interviewed for the story, it's safe to assume the tech behemoth's upcoming move out of downtown and into a much larger campus they'll soon build on Traverwood Dr. has something to do with the need for room to grow. And that's just the latest and most high-profile example. "We need more space for Duo immediately, and have opened offices in the Bay Area and London to accommodate our need for talent," Song says today. "But beyond Duo, more space means more companies like us can grow here, which increases the available talent pool for all of our companies in the long run. For Duo to be successful in Ann Arbor, we need Ann Arbor to be successful in developing its tech ecosystem." The office space challenges Well, that sounds like a good plan. What's stopping it from happening? Though the need for more available office space may be straightforward, filling that need is anything but. As Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Susan Pollay explains, multiple factors make building new office space a challenge downtown. First, there's the obvious: There just isn't a lot of space available to build downtown. With so much historically designated property or land in the floodplain, 61 percent of the DDA district is un -developable. Then, there's the fact that there is plenty of developable land outside the downtown. "This is not the only game in town," says Pollay. "There is a lot of wide open space outside the downtown where new office can be and is being constructed." And downtown Ann Arbor is not the only game in the region either. The sprawling townships are more than happy to build another suburban office park for new businesses. And, according to President and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK Paul Krutko, with downtown Ann Arbor demand what it is, his organization is beginning to work with Washtenaw County to place businesses in downtown Ypsi. While these facts may be all well and good for regionalism and the city's neighbors, it certainly isn't doing anything to grow Ann Arbor's tax base or create a more diverse and balanced downtown. But the challenge that might be the least obvious, even downright surprising to most, is that downtown rent simply isn't high enough. Come again? There's rent in Ann Arbor that isn't high enough? Despite what we're always hearing about downtown rent, it's true. "Don't confuse ground -floor retail space for office space," says Song, "they are totally different markets, and priced accordingly. A coffee shop on Main St. pays double per square foot what office space on the second floor goes for." And in a developer's calculation for what rent would need to be to justify the cost of constructing a downtown building, rent is simply not high enough here in Ann Arbor. "The rents are increasing," Pollay says, "but for future construction, they're going to have to be higher still." While that may sound like a purely market-driven obstacle, there's a little more to it. It's a political challenge as well. "Many of the development sites that are available are owned by the city, and posture of the city council is they just want market rate development to happen to maximize their potential sale price," says President and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK Paul Krutko, "and in this marketplace, that will tend to [be] a residential project rather than an office/R&D project." What else could they do? Well, because of the potential long-term gains of an office building—a higher tax capture and job creation among them—cities can incentivize developers to build office on properties purchased by the city. Thus far, that hasn't been the case. Of nine current proposals for the city -owned Library Lot property, for example, six include no office space, two offer one floor of office. And there's one other office space obstacle that has political origins. "The city council, as well as the planning commission, has concern with height and mass of buildings," Krutko says. "One way for a building is to more affordable per square foot is to have a higher and bigger building." With all of these challenges, it seems the amount of new office space in demand over the next five years is unlikely to appear in that timeframe. "It's going to require a special set of circumstances, I believe, for us to see a new office 2 constructed in downtown," says Krutko. A future for office That doesn't mean nothing can be done. In fact, one thing the rising demand for office space has produced are some creative solutions. "As the demand has grown and supply has stayed stagnant, we're finding office taking shape in places we might never have thought of about," says Pollay. "A wonderful example is Menlo's reuse of the former Tally Hall space... Barracuda is in what was the back part of Jacobson's. The demand is helping to reveal some of the treasures in our downtown." While it would take an awful lot of creative thinking to reach go,000 to ioo,000 square feet more space, increasing the incentives for companies to come downtown could be another way to attract investment. And in busy downtowns, there are few better amenities for employers than great public transportation. "One of the most important things we can do is to strengthen our support for our local, and I hope one day, regional transit system," says Pollay. With stronger public transit, higher rents for office space and more political will, downtown could avoid the negative impacts Krutko says the rising demand hasn't quite yet, but soon could, create. "We don't feel like we've lost a potential transaction because of the lack of space," says Krutko. "We've been able to find locations for companies. I do think we're getting to the point where there is a lack of capacity, and it may become a real problem over the next year or two." So while the challenges to building more office space in downtown are many, time is a - wasting. And for companies like Duo Security to continue to grow here, as well as outside businesses to be attracted to downtown Ann Arbor, demand has spoken: One way or another, it's time to make room or make way for more office space. 3 Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation - The New York Times L"11 =k", 1 1: 7, - 'tf -1 - � = The Opinion Pages http://nyti.ms/1 IFggTA EDITORIAL From the City Manager Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation By THE EDITORIAL BOARD JUNE 29, 2015 Page 1 of 3 A Supreme Court ruling last week forcefully reminded state and local governments that the Fair Housing Act of 1968 forbids them from spending federal housing money in ways that perpetuate segregation. Communities across the country have been doing exactly that for decades. Instead of building subsidized housing in racially integrated areas that offer minority citizens access to jobs and good schools, local governments have often deepened racial isolation by placing such housing in existing ghettos. Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered this timely message in the majority opinion, ruling that the law allows plaintiffs to challenge housing policies that have a discriminatory effect — without having to prove that discrimination was intentional. He traces the problem of racial isolation back to the mid-2oth century, when restrictive covenants, redlining and government-sponsored mortgage discrimination undercut black wealth creation, accelerated ghetto-ization and walled off black families in the urban communities that exploded in the riots of the 196os. The ruling comes at a time of growing tension between civil rights lawyers and affordable housing developers over where low-income housing should be built and whether locations (often the path of least resistance) perpetuate segregation. Congress hoped to end historic patterns of segregation by passing the Fair Housing Act, which required governments getting federal money to "affirmatively further" fair housing goals. But for decades, federal, state and local officials declined to enforce the law, leaving the fight to civil rights groups, who often filed lawsuits on behalf of discrimination victims. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/291opinionlaffordable-housing-racial-isolation.html?smprod=ny... 6/29/2015 Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation - The New York Times Page 2 of 3 The current case, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project, concerns a federal tax credit program used by states and local governments to build affordable housing. The plaintiff, a nonprofit group, sued Texas, arguing that the state had violated the Fair Housing Act and perpetuated segregation by allocating too many tax credits to projects in predominantly black inner city areas and too few in predominantly white suburban areas. The Supreme Court ruled that a discrimination charge could be based on the fact that a policy had a "disparate impact" on black citizens and sent the case back to the lower court for further proceedings. Earlier this year, a study from the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota Law School found that the Twin Cities region had become more segregated, as compared to demographically similar regions like Portland or Seattle, because too large a share of affordable housing has been in impoverished black areas. The developers have rationalized the building in those places by calling it economic redevelopment, the authors said, but the evidence suggests that the building merely intensified segregation and the concentration of poverty. A similar dispute between fair housing advocates and a nonprofit housing developer erupted recently in Connecticut, when the legislature took up but failed to pass a bill that would have required that most housing units supported by tax credits be built in high opportunity areas, where poverty is low and schools thrive. An analysis based on state data showed that nearly three-quarters of tax credit units have been located in high poverty, minority areas that make up less than it percent of the land in one of the most affluent states in the country. The advocacy group, Open Communities Alliance, argued that the current way of using tax credits reinforces inequality by denying minority citizens access to areas of the state that have better schools and employment opportunities. For their part, the developers argue that there are too few resources to meet housing needs in poor neighborhoods. While that's also true, it is a misrepresentation to describe new housing alone as "revitalization" in the absence of things like good schools and job opportunities that make for vibrant, economically healthy communities. As Justice Kennedy wrote, the Fair Housing Act has an important role to play in the country's struggle against racial isolation and avoiding the grim prophecy that President Lyndon Johnson's Kerner Commission enunciated five decades ago, when http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/291opinionlaffordable-housing-racial-isolation.html?smprod=ny... 6/29/2015 Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation - The New York Times Page 3 of 3 it said that the United States was "moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal." It's the duty of the federal and state governments to ensure that affordable housing policies do not make racial isolation worse. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. A version of this editorial appears in print on June 29, 2015, on page A18 of the New York edition with the headline: Affordable Housing, Racial Isolation . © 2015 The New York Times Company http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/291opinionlaffordable-housing-racial-isolation.html?smprod=ny... 6/29/2015 From the City Manager page 1 of 3 One Iconoclast's Blunt Message on Transportation Funding After advising municipalities on how to construct roads for years, Charles Marohn now believes America needs to stop building new highways. Will his new way of thinking catch on? BY: Alan Ehrenhalt I June 2015 It would be easy to dismiss Charles Marohn as a crank. At a time when half of Washington is batting around numbers that purport to reveal how much money Congress should spend to save the nation's troubled transportation system, Marohn is suggesting the simplest number of all: zero. What the system needs, Marohn says, isn't a big infusion of cash, but a thorough examination of what it ought to be doing in the first place. Barring such an examination, he wouldn't give the transportation system a dime. Marohn is an unrepentant iconoclast, but he is no crank. He is a soft-spoken civil engineer from small-town Minnesota who spent most of two decades giving local governments conventional advice on how to build and repair roads, sidewalks and bridges. His solutions came straight out of the Green Book, published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the bible that engineers all over the country use in dealing with transportation issues. But eventually he decided that his advice wasn't worth much. He was telling communities to build high-speed streets and highways that were neither attractive nor safe. What the local residents really needed, Marohn came to believe, was less -intrusive, lower -speed infrastructure that fostered human -scale street life and a safe pedestrian presence. So Marohn put aside his Green Book and became an activist. He started the blog Strong Towns and began putting his dissenting ideas into print. He followed up by developing a presentation of these ideas, called the Curbside Chat, and taking it to audiences around the country. He found himself attracting good-sized crowds and coverage in the local media. Five years and 200 Curbside Chats later, Marohn has made himself a stealthy presence in the current debate over federal transportation law. Some of the players in Washington have barely heard of him. But if you ask local leaders in Sarasota, Fla., or Sandpoint, Idaho, or York, Pa., you will find many who not only know about him but also pay attention to him. "There's a groundswell that we're giving voice to," he insists. "Our strength is talking to normal people." I spoke with Marohn by phone recently as he drove to Palm Beach, Fla., to give a Curbside Chat presentation before flying to La Crosse, Wis., to give another one the next night. He reiterated his view that the country can survive a while longer without a sweeping new federal transportation bill. Doing nothing, he said, "is preferable to throwing a lot of money at the current approach." The gospel according to Marohn is simple enough to put into a few words: We have built too many highways. We have built them in places that didn't need them. We have built them in places that can't afford to maintain them. That's why the federal Transportation Trust Fund is going broke. And if Congress approves a new transportation bill under the old rules, we'll just build more unneeded roads and force the communities that host them into a further cycle of debt. Marohn isn't against spending federal dollars to repair the infrastructure we have. He's against handing more money over to transportation planners who will always be able to find an excuse to build something new. "The present system is overbuilt and is going to contract," Marohn recently wrote. "We have so much transportation infrastructure that every level of government is now choking on maintenance costs. I'm tired of seeing bridges fall down and expensive roads go bad while we spend billions on new stuff we will never be able to maintain." Marohn identifies himself as a conservative Republican, a stance that seems compromised in some ways by his close ties to the New Urbanist movement, most of whose leaders are liberal Democrats. But in keeping with his Republican roots, Marohn makes his arguments against highway building from a fiscal perspective. He doesn't talk much about climate change, aesthetics or social justice. He talks about wasting the taxpayers' money. Marohn tells his Curbside audiences that highway building and suburban sprawl are essentially a Ponzi scheme. A new interchange or bypass connected to an interstate highway brings a community a much - appreciated windfall as residential and commercial development takes place near the highway, and the http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=304147481 6/30/2015 Page 2 of 3 homeowners and commercial tenants begin contributing property taxes to the local treasury. For a few years, everyone is happy. But in the long run, property taxes aren't sufficient to meet the costs that the development creates: additional sewers, road repair, and the creation of new parks and public schools to cater to the families that move in. The local government can cover these bills by attracting more growth, and this is what many of them do. The new round of growth pays for the previous one -- this is why Marohn calls it a Ponzi scheme. But the opportunities for growth are ultimately finite, and eventually most communities are forced into debt to pay for all the growth they have cheerfully approved. "Few cities," Marohn says, "have any clue of the scale of their commitment for infrastructure maintenance." Marohn's is a coherent theory of how governments got themselves into the predicament that now befalls them. There are plenty of others. The federal gas tax hasn't been increased by Congress since 1993. Given a sufficient boost, it might come close to supporting the nation's infrastructure needs in 2015. Marohn argues that even if this is true, the gas tax hike that would be required now for catch-up purposes would be so large as to be politically impossible. On this score, he is probably right. Free-market conservatives say that had the Highway Trust Fund not been "raided" during the Reagan administration to include money for mass transit, it would be much closer to solvency than it is today. This may be true as well. But the trust fund was broadened to include transit as a way of attracting urban and some suburban votes; those votes are likely to be as crucial now as they were in the 1980s. Defunding new highways altogether is not an idea that Congress is likely to take seriously as it debates a long-term transportation policy. Republicans have flirted with it, though. Earlier this year, two GOP lawmakers, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Tom Graves of Georgia, proposed what they call the Transportation Empowerment Act, which would reduce the gas tax from its current 18.4 cents a gallon to 3.7 cents over five years and turn almost all responsibility for the federal highway system to the states. The modest amount of money left in the trust fund would be used only for maintenance of existing highways. Any state that wanted a new highway within its borders would have to finance the project with its own tax money. This idea is a nonstarter for congressional Democrats and the Obama administration, and for a significant number of Republicans as well. It has no chance of being enacted into law. But it attracted an angry blast from the engineering and road -building establishment, whose leaders argue that in the antitax environment that prevails across much of the country, most states would not replace the federal money they were losing. Crucial infrastructure needs would go unmet. Marohn, unpredictable as usual, responded that the Republican idea might be worth listening to. At first, he wrote recently, "I wasn't an advocate of the Transportation Empowerment Act. If you are defined by your enemies, however, having hysteric members of the infrastructure cult line up against it makes me think it deserves a lot more attention." In fact, it's not so certain that states would simply turn their backs on infrastructure responsibilities if the federal gas tax went away. As the highly respected transportation blogger Kenneth Orski has carefully documented, states have actually been quite busy on the transportation front while Congress has made little progress. Orski reports that 23 states, many of them solidly Republican, have considered measures to raise transportation revenue this year. Several have gone for increases in their state gas taxes. Georgia, no bastion of free -spending fiscal policy, raised its fuel tax to 21.7 cents and indexed it to inflation. Maine Gov. Paul LePage, as cranky an antitax zealot as there is in the country, has proposed a new $2 billion plan to rehabilitate state infrastructure. So it's at least plausible that quite a few states would put serious money into infrastructure if the federal trust fund went away. That would give Marohn a sort of moral victory over the highway construction lobby, his arch -enemy. But it wouldn't really satisfy him, because for the most part the states have been as fixated on new construction as the feds are. A true victory for Marohnism would require not just a shift in transportation dollars but also a shift in transportation thinking. That doesn't seem to be on the immediate horizon. Still, there are small signs of change even at the policymaking level. President Obama's six-year transportation proposal, while no more likely to be approved intact than the Republican plan, does include some touches friendly to Marohn and his mavericks. One provision would make it possible for states to charge tolls on more interstate highways. Another term would encourage more experiments in congestion pricing. http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=304147481 6/30/2015 Page 3 of 3 Meanwhile, in Ohio, the cities of Cleveland and Akron told the Department of Transportation recently that they wanted to divert some of their state money away from construction of new roads and into maintaining the existing ones: a "fix it first" policy. The state turned them down. For those who share Marohn's attitude toward transportation policy, however, what those cities wanted to do could be seen as a straw in the wind. "I'm a pariah," Marohn admits. "But I'm making progress." This article was printed from: http://www.governing.com/columns/assessments/gov-charles- marohn-transportation-funding.html http://www.goveming.com/templates/gov_print article?id=304147481 6/30/2015 IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION May 7, 2015 r 1 IP9 CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1826 (319) 356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX www.lcgov.org RE: Civil Service Preferred Hiring list — Clerk/Typist — Parks & Forestry We, the undersigned members of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, do hereby certify that in accordance with Chapter 400.28 of the Iowa Code, the following named person(s) are being placed on an eligibility list for the position of Clerk/Typist — Parks & Forestry for a period of three years. Michaeleen Kaeser LyradJV. Dickerson, Chair ATTEST:� 4204'� Maria K. Karr IP10 Nz ''- CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1826 (3 19) 356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX www.icgoy.org June 24, 2015 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council RE: Civil Service Entrance Examination — Maintenance Worker II — Horticulture Under the authority of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, I do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position Maintenance Worker II — Horticulture. Joe Green IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION __- Lyra 4 Dickerson, Chair 07-02-15 IN Iowa League of Cities I June 2014 The 2015 Legislative Session of the 86th Iowa General Assembly adjourned Sine Die on Friday, June 5. The first major milestone of the Reminder: session occurred in February with the passage of the gas tax. Education Unless otherwise noted, funding, differing budgeting principals, Medicaid managed care, mental the effective date of the health facility closures and school start dates were just a few of the issues that created disagreement and pushed the legislative session into legislation is July 1, 2015. June, one month and four days after the 110 -day per diem expired. The The text of each bill is session concluded with the League achieving many of its legislative goals, accessible from the General including legislation addressing the assessment of multi -use properties Assembly's Web site: and abandoned nuisance properties. This report covers the legislative highlights and bills the legislature passed that affect cities. www.legis.iowa.gov/Lcgisla- tion/Find/findLegislation.aWx Table of Contents Outcome of Legislative Priorities.........................................................2 Local Budget Issues and Decision-Making................................................2 Economic Development and Community Vitality ...................................3 Bills of Interest, by Category..................................................................4 Administration.................................................................................4 PropertyTax.....................................................................................4 Municipal Liability ...........................................................................4 500 SW 7th Street, Suite 101 Open Meetings Open Records..........................................................4 Des Moines, IA 50309 Public Hearings................................................................................ 5 Phone (515) 244-7282 Zoning and Land Use.......................................................................5 Fax (978) 367-9733 Public Works....................................................................................5 www. iowaleagueorre Transportation.................................................................................. 5 SolidWaste.......................................................................................5 Utilities............................................................................................. 6 Public Safety .....................................................................................6 / n IOWA O Economic Development...................................................................7 V V / 1 Standing Appropriations...................................................................7 LEAGUEAppendix .............................................................................................8 OC I T I E S Index of Bills.................................................................................... 10 Iowa League of Cities I June 2014 2 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities Reader's Guide to New Laws Summaries This Special Report outlines legislation passed during the 2015 session that affects cities and is categorized in subject areas for easier reading. The sample entry below explains what type of information this report contains. Indicates the bill number and the League's title for the bill. HF means the bill originated in the House and SF means the bill originated in the Senate. Underlined text indicates links to another location. The digest provides information on the entire bill or a por- tion of the legisla- tion that impacts cities. Note that a "Section" reference here refers to sec- tions of the enrolled bill. Editor's Note: The report is intended as a reference guide to new laws that may interest your community. This report should not act as a substitute for the actual final enrolled legislation, nor should it substitute for advice from an at- torney. Indicates the section or chapter in the Code of Iowa that has been amended. HF123-Bill Name This is where a description of the bill would be, along with an explanation of how it impacts city governments. Section 12A.3. I Effective February 10, 2015. Editor's Note: If the League feels for clarity, it will be found here. M Editor's Note contains additional clarification or changes to the digest made in a different bill. information is needed If the bill has an effective date other than July 1, 2015, it will be noted here. Outcome ofLegislatiue Priorities The League's Legislative Policy Committee worked over the interim to develop two major legislative priorities with several sub -categories for cities in Iowa to advocate during the 2015 Legislative Session: Local Budget Issues and Decision Making, and Economic Devel- opment and Community Vitality. Local Budget Issues and Decision -Makin Our citizens need and expect cities to provide safe communities and quality infrastruc- ture, in addition to other valued services. City budgets are put under pressure to maintain or increase services and to comply with increasing regulations and mandates with fewer resources. These pressures placed on city budgets may cause difficult decisions that result in lessening the amount of services provided or increasing costs to residents. Cities cannot have an impact on those cost -drivers outside of their control and need additional resources and the ability to make decisions at the local level. • City Finances and Property Tax Backfill Diversified funding options were not addressed during the session, but the League successfully advocated for an important fix to the property tax reform law, SF295, related to multi -use properties that have multi -residential property. This issue was raised by our members during the implementation of the new reforms to the prop- erty tax laws. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 3 j 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities There was no action taken on the property tax backfill standing appropriation this session. The backfill for commercial property tax reform continues each year unless the legislature takes action to remove the standing appropriation. The Legislature adopted a budget with lower than anticipated revenue projections and agreed upon obligations and is likely to face a similar budget nem year. • Transportation Funding The League strongly and successfully supported the raising of infrastructure funding by increasing revenues to the Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) through user fees such as a gas tax increase of 10 cents per gallon to maintain and address critical infrastruc- ture funding needs for Iowa's roads and bridges. • Pensions Although no bills passed related to either pension system that impacts cities, the city contribution to the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa (MFPRSI) dropped from 30.41 percent to 27.77 percent An increased return on investments and deferred mortality table updates contributed to this drop. • Environmental Regulation The League worked hard to raise awareness of the costly burdens of water and wastewater infrastructure development, which are needed to meet the demands of increased environmental regulation. No bills passed related specifically to environ- mental regulation as the League continues to work on regulatory issues outside of the Legislature, but the Legislature appropriated money that can be utilized to impact water infrastructure. Allocations from the Department of Agriculture and the De- partment of Natural Resources budgets and the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund appropriations bills combined to give the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship $9.6 million for projects. These projects have focused on agricultural producers but also have a component related to urban water projects. • Public Safety The Legislature scooped $4 million from the E911 fund for the development of a statewide system. The League worked to limit the amount of money used from this fund and to ensure that local enforcement agencies had access to the statewide sys- tem. Economic Development and Community Vita ity Cities are drivers and partners for economic development projects and provide services that make attractive communities. They need a supportive environment to continue to attract economic development and to provide the types of opportunities that make appeal- ing places to live. • Local Economic Development Programs and Policies No major economic development programs or policies were impacted by legislation, but some fixes were made to the Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program that was passed during the 2014 session. • Community Growth With support from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the League worked to make changes to the Code of Iowa to address abandoned nuisance properties. This includes a loan/grant program to be developed by IEDA and expanding the Sec- tion 657A. 10A process to commercial properties. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 4 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities Bills of Interest, by Category Administration Property Tax HF616 — Primary Use Related to Multi -Use Properties Strikes the "primary use" language from Code of Iowa Section 441.21 that was put in place by the property tax reform law, SF295, in the 2013 legislative session. Creates dual classification for properties that have three or more units of habitation, instead of determining the primary use before the tax assessment for the building. Amends Sections 426C, 441.21 and 441.26. 1 Effective June 18, 2015 HF626 — Property Assessment Appeal Board Extends the future repeal of the Property Assessment Appeal Board to 2021, and provides for the future repeal of the State Board of Tax Review no later than July 1, 2016. Amends Section 441.28. 1 Effective May 22, 2015 Municipal Liability HF570 — Municipal Tort Liability for Recreational Activities Provides an exemption from municipal tort liability for claims arising from recreational activities on municipality -controlled property. Strikes the individual activities listed in the current law and replaces them with the term "recreational activity." This is similar to language that has been utilized in other states to provide exceptions for liability without creating a list of specific activities. Amends Sections 670.4. Open Meetings Open Records SF457 — Access to Closed Sessions by the State Ombudsman Allows the State Ombudsman to access the minutes and audio records of a city council closed session without obtaining a court order when such examination is relevant to an investigation under Code of Iowa Chapter 2C and the information sought is not available through other reasonable means. Amends Section 21.5. HF550 — Contact Information for Elected Officials Requires the publication on the Internet of contact information for elected public officials. Specifically, requires the governmental entity that the public official serves to designate contact information for the public official that will be posted on the governmental entity's Web site if the entity has one. A city that does not already have a Web site does not need to create one to post the contact information. Information may be either a phone number or e-mail address. Amends Section 70A.40. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 5 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities SEUL— Public Access to Data Processing Software Allows a government body to control data processing software developed by nongovernmental bodies, requires a government body to allow access to electronic records and allows the government body to charge appropriate fees. Provides protection to county auditors for certain data mining activities that have occurred over several years. Amends Sections 22.2, 223A and 22.7. Public Hearings HF ¢0 — Public Hearing for Franchise Fee Requires that a city hold a public hearing before adopting or amending an ordinance imposing a franchise fee or increase to the rate of the fee. Also, requires that notice of the hearing be published at least once, not less than four nor more than 20 days before the date of the hearing, and that the publication must be in a newspaper published at least once weekly and having general circulation in the city. Does not impact the ability for a city to have a franchise fee or to increase the fee. Amends Section 364.2. Zoning and Land Use HF655 — Cell Tower Siting/Broadband Regulates the application process for the siting of cellular tower infrastructure and creates a 10 -year property tax exemption for new broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. The 10 -year property tax exemption is available to broadband providers until July 2020. The goal of the cell tower siting language in the bill is to provide a standard set of regulations in relation to wireless broadband deployment. The language specifically targets the deployment of new towers and other activities that were not included in the Federal Communications Commission's Report and Order from October 2014 that addressed substantial modification and collocation. Editors Note. HF655 is reviewed in detail in Appendix A. I Effective June 22, 2015 Public Works Transportation SF257 — Gas Tax Increase Increases the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon. This is estimated to provide $215 million additional revenue to the Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF), from which cities receive per capita distributions to pay for the construction, repair and maintenance of road infrastructure. Amends Section 452,4.3. 1 Effective February 25, 2015 Solid Waste HF266 —Yard Waste in Landfill Allows sanitary landfills to accept yard waste if the landfill operates a methane collection system that produces energy. Amends Section 455D.9. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 6 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities HF544 — Waste Conversion Technologies Defines `waste conversion technologies" and allows the permitting of waste conversion technologies such as anaerobic digestion, plasma gasification and pyrolysis. Amends Sections 455B.301 and 455D. 15A. Utilities HF507 — Delinquent Sewer Accounts Allows wastewater providers, who do not also provide water services, to contract with water providers to allow the water provider to discontinue service to a customer who has a delinquent sewer account. Allows cutoff only for new customers, not existing customers that have already entered into a contract. Amends Section 384.84. HF585 —Address Confidentiality Program Establishes an address confidentiality program in the Office of the Secretary of State for a victim of domestic abuse, assault, sexual abuse, stalking, and human trafficking. Amends Section 9.8 and creates new Chapter 9E. H 7 — Public Utility Crossings Expands the definition of a public utility for purposes of provisions governing public utility crossings of railroad rights-of-way. Expanding the definition of "public utility" to include "electric transmission owner" and places electric transmission owners under Iowa Utility Board's rules that govern the relationship and responsibilities of utilities and railroads when a utility's facilities are within a railroad right-of-way. Amends Sections 476.27. 1 Effective June 18, 2015 Public Safety HHF 1—E911 Deals with expenditure of moneys in the E911 Emergency Communications Fund and increases the percentage allocated from the total amount of surcharge generated per calendar quarter from 46 percent to 58 percent. Further requires that the remaining surplus be used to fund future network and public safety answering point improvements that are for the receipt and disposition of 911 calls. In addition, takes $4 million from the E911 fund and includes a provision that a statewide system not be built over a local system where available. Silent on local access, but the Department of Public Safety has confirmed local departments will have access to the system. Creates Section 29C.23 andAmends Section 34A.7A. I Effecdoe upon enactment, notyet ngned by Gorernor HF227 — Strip Searches in a Municipal Holding Facility Specifies when a person who is in a county jail or municipal holding facility may be subject to a visual strip search or a strip search. Creates Section 702.24 andAmends Section 804.30. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 7 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities Economic Development SF499 — Iowa Economic Development Authority Omnibus Bill - Abandoned Nuisance Properties Includes lavage that helps cities address abandoned nuisance properties: properties that the owner no longer wants and are expensive to clean up. Division VI of the bill creates a loan program under IEDA for cities to access low-interest capital to address these properties, provides additional due process and enhanced notification to the property owner, and also extends the current process under Code Section 657A.IOA to purely commercial properties - such as abandoned gas stations and warehouses. Amends Section 657A. IOA. HF615 — Rural Improvement Zones Relates to the establishment, operation and dissolution of rural improvement zones under Code Chapter 357H by giving the Board of Supervisors of a county the power to approve or deny applications for Rural Improvement Zones (RIZs), requiting the RIZ petitions include engineer reports with specific information to justify the need for a RIZ, and establishing public hearing guidelines, division of revenue from taxes guidelines, and a process for the dissolution or renewal of a RIZ. Amends Chapter 357H. H17650 — Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund Section 5(a) appropriates $5 million to the Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) Grants fund. The CAT fund is one of three funds that comprise the Vision Iowa Program. The CAT fund was created to assist projects that will provide recreational, cultural, entertainment and educational attractions. Section 4(a) appropriates $1 million to the Iowa Great Places Fund. The Iowa Great Places Fund seeks to have a transformative impact on community vitality and quality of life for Iowans. Standing Appropriations SF510 —Standings Bill Division 1, Section 2(1) Appropriates $416,702 for FY 2015-2016 for operational support grants and community cultural grants under Section 99F.11. Division 1, Section 3(1) Appropriates $208,351 for FY 2016-2017 for operational support grants and community cultural grants under Section 99E11. Dioinon XVI — Residential Swimming Pools — Requires the Department of Public Health to regulate residential swimming pools used for private swimming lessons. A residential swimming pool is deemed to be used for commercial purposes if the residential swimming pool is used for private swimming lessons for up to 270 hours per month, or the number of hours prescribed by local ordinance, whichever is greater. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 8 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities Dioirion = - Workforce Housing Tax Incentives Program - Amends certain provisions of the program that was created along with the High Quality Jobs Program, and creates a 10 percent buffer if there is an overage on costs per unit. This will assist developers as they work to revitalize core neighborhoods. Provides the IEDA with discretion to approve, modify or revoke a tax credit under the program based upon whether a project incurred costs exceeding the amount submitted in the project's initial application to the IEDA. Applies retroactively to May 30, 2014, and allows a redevelopment tax credit project to receive an extension upon recommendation of the IEDA council and board. Diodon 3DCIV - Public Improvement Location and Unused Portion of Condemned Property - Amends Section 6B.2C to require governing bodies to approve a preliminary or final route for a public improvement prior to utilizing eminent domain authority. Also, requires governing body to offer for sale the unused portion of land that is acquired under eminent domain with procedures for that sale set forth in the new law. Appendix HF655 - Cell Tower Siting Division I of HF655 regulates the application process for the siting of cellular tower infrastructure. The goal of the cell tower siting language is to provide a standard set of regulations in relation to wireless broadband deployment. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put forth an Order in October 2014 that impacted placements that were collocated and set standards for applications that would be under the created definition of substantial modification. HF655 further adds to these protections for the wireless industry and impacts cities' ability to regulate new towers and placements that go beyond the FCC definition of substantial modification. Section 1- Definitions • Provides many definitions including for existing towers, utility poles, transmission equipment, wireless support structure and collocation. • Definitions for collocation and substantial change are essentially the same as the federal definition provided by the FCC Report and Order from October 2014. Section 3 - Uniform Rules and Limitations - Applications • Sets forth in Code of Iowa protections that are already in place from federal statutes and regulations. Cities are not allowed to require wireless communications applicants to submit information about, or evaluate an applicant's business decisions with respect to, the applicant's designed service, customer demand for service, or quality of the applicant's service to or from a particular area or site, but may require propagation maps solely for the purpose of identifying the location of the coverage of capacity gap or need for applications for new towers in an area zoned residential. Cities may not evaluate applications based upon other potential locations or require the wireless applicants to establish other options for collocation instead of construction of a new tower. However, cities may require the applicant to provide an Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 9 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities explanation for the proposed location and shall include a sworn statement from the individual responsible for the application. Cities may not dictate the type of transmission equipment or technology to be used by the applicant or discriminate between different types of infrastructure or technology. However, Section 8 provides for protection of places like historically significant areas and airport zones. The application and consulting fees for review are restricted to actual and reasonable administrative costs and are capped at $500 for an eligible facilities request and $3,000 for a new tower. Section 4 - Uniform Rules -New Tower Applications • Cities must snake a decision on an application within 150 calendar days of receiving an application but can notify an applicant of deficiencies in the application within 30 days to toll the 150 day timeframe. • Lack of action on the application within the proper timeframes deems the application approved. • Either aggrieved party may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Section S - Uniform Rules for Certain Changes • Section relates to applications that do not fit within the federal protection for collocation or substantial change, or as a new tower. • Cities must make a decision on an application within 90 calendar days of receiving an application but can notify an applicant of deficiencies in the application within 30 days to toll the 90 day timeframe. • Lack of action on the application within the proper timeframes deems the application approved. • Either aggrieved party may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Section 6 - Use of Public Lands for Towers and Transmission Equipment • Sets parameters on proprietary leases on public lands but does not define public lands. Requires offering market rate for a lease of at least 20 years. Provides a process using third -party appraisers to set a market rate if the city and wireless communications provider cannot come to an agreement on the market value of the lease rate. Section 7 - Utility Poles • Cities shall not regulate the use of transmission equipment on a utility pole. Does not impact proprietary leasing outside of requirements set forth in Section 6. Section 8 - Application and Construction • Provides protections for applications near airports and in historically significant areas/landmarks. Section 9 - Repeal • Sunset for these provisions for July 1, 2020. Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 10 1 2015 New Laws of Interest to Cities Index of Bills, by bill number HF227 — Strip Searches in a Municipal Holding Facility ............................................. 6 HF266—Yard Waste in Landfill ................................................................................... 5 HF507— Delinquent Sewer Accounts.......................................................................... 6 HF544—Waste Conversion Technologies.................................................................... 6 HF550 — Contact Information for Elected Officials..................................................... 4 HF570 — Municipal Tort Liability for Recreational Activities ...................................... 4 HF585—Address Confidentiality Program.................................................................. 6 HF607— Public Utility Crossings................................................................................ 6 HF615— Rural Improvement Zones............................................................................ 7 HF616 — Primary Use Related to Multi -Use Properties ............................................... 4 HF626— Property Assessment Appeal Board............................................................... 4 HF650 — Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund................................................................ 7 HF651— E911............................................................................................................. 6 HF655— Cell Tower Siting........................................................................................... 8 HF655— Cell Tower Siting/Broadband........................................................................ 5 HF660— Public Hearing for Franchise Fee.................................................................. 5 SF257— Gas Tax Increase............................................................................................. 5 SF435 — Public Access to Data Processing Software ..................................................... 5 SF457 — Access to Closed Sessions by the State Ombudsman ...................................... 4 FS 499 — Iowa Economic Development Authority Omnibus Bill - Abandoned Nuisance Properties.................................................................... 7 SF510 — Standings Bill ................................................................................................. 7 Iowa League of Cities I June 2015 MIP12 DRAFT IOWA CITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MONDAY, JUNE 22,2015--5:30 P.M. CITY CABLE TV OFFICE, 10 S. LINN ST. -TOWER PLACE PARKING FACILITY MEMBERS PRESENT: Alexa Homewood, Derek Johnk, Laura Bergus, Nick Kilburg MEMBERS ABSENT: Bram Elias STAFF PRESENT: Ty Coleman, Mike Brau OTHERS PRESENT: Josh Goding, Bond Drager SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION Coleman said subscribers received a letter from Mediacom informing them that the final steps in the conversion to all-digital transmission will be taking place. Measures will be taken to inform the public that those without digital tuners in their televisions who receive their signal straight from the tap will not find channels 2-22 on those number assignments. The conversion is expected to be completed in late August. Homewood said she saw the article about PATV in the Press -Citizen. Coleman said that there was a quote in the Press -Citizen article from a high-ranking Mediacom official that Mediacom had no plans to revert to the municipal franchise in August. Coleman contacted the Iowa Utility Board (IUB) and asked them if they had notified Mediacom of the revocation of the Alliance Technologies franchise. The IUB was unsure and is working to clarify the situation. There is a possibility that the process will need to be repeated with regard to the Phalanx franchise, which is still technically on the books. Bergus said it is unclear what, precisely, the Mediacom official was responding to in the article. The City will be preparing an application to enter into discussions with Mediacom regarding a community Wi-Fi project. There are no developments regarding the two potential competitive providers, Metronet and ImOn. Coleman sent them copies of the local access channel survey. Homewood said that she and Johnk meet with representatives of some of the local access channels to discuss ideas generated by the survey. There was a consensus to develop a website that would consolidate programming information for all the access channels, including links to on-line programs. Additional information about each channel's services would also be included. Getting a Roku channel was also discussed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Bergus moved and Kilburg seconded a motion to approve the amended June 1, 2015 minutes. The motion passed unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS None. SHORT PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS None. CONSUMER ISSUES Homewood referred to the complaint report in the meeting packet. The only issue was regarding a customer uncovering an abandoned buried cable in their yard. MEDIACOM REPORT Coleman said he had contacted Grassley who said he had nothing to report. Coleman said subscribers received a letter from Mediacom informing them that the final steps in the conversion to all-digital transmission will be taking place. Steps will be taken to inform the public that those without digital tuners in their televisions who receive their signal straight from the tap will not find channels 2-22 on those channel number assignments. The conversion is expected to be completed in late August. . LOCAL ACCESS CHANNEL REPORTS Homewood noted that the City Channel and the Library had written reports in the meeting packet. PATV sent a report by email earlier in the day. Homewood said she saw the article about PATV in the Press -Citizen. Coleman said that there was a quote in the Press -Citizen article from a high-ranking Mediacom official that Mediacom had no plans to revert to the municipal franchise in August. Coleman contacted the Iowa Utility Board (IUB) and asked them if they had notified Mediacom of the revocation of the Alliance Technologies franchise. The IUB was unsure and is working to clarify the situation. There is a possibility that the process will need to be repeated with regard to the Phalanx franchise, which is still technically on the books. Bergus said it is unclear what, precisely, the Mediacom official was responding to in the article. The City will be preparing an application to enter into discussions with Mediacom regarding a community Wi-Fi project. There are no developments regarding the two potential competitive providers, Metronet and ImOn. Coleman sent them copies of the local access channel survey. LOCAL ACCESS CHANNEL SURVEY Homewood said that she and Johnk meet with representatives of some of the local access channels to discuss ideas generated by the survey. There was a consensus to develop a website that would consolidate programming information for all the access channels, including links to on-line programs. Additional information about each channel's services would also be included. Getting a Roku channel was also discussed. Coleman said the website would service to provide a unified presence for the channels. Brau will be sending a memo to the channels to inform them what information will be needed from them to get the project underway. ADJOURNMENT Homewood moved and Johnk seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. Adjournment was at 5:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Michael Brau Cable TV Administrative Aide TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 12 MONTH ATTENDANCE RECORD (X) = Present (0) = Absent (O/C) = Absent/Called (Excused) Elias Ber us Kilburg Butler Homewood 6/2/14 0 X X X X 6/23/14 0 X X X X 7/28/14 0 x x x 0/c 8/25/14 X X X X X 9/22/14 X X X X o/c 10/27/14 X X o/c o/c X 11/24/14 O/C O/C X X X 1/26/15 X X X X x 2/10/15 X X X o/c X 2/23/15 x x x x X 3/23/15 X X X X X Johnk 4/27/15 x x /c X X 6/1/15 X X X X X 6/22/15 o/c X X X x (X) = Present (0) = Absent (O/C) = Absent/Called (Excused)