HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-03 TranscriptionPage I
Council Present: Botchway, Cole, Dickens, Mims (electronically), Taylor, Thomas,
Throgmorton
Staff Present: Fruin, Andrew, Korpel, Karr, Dilkes, Knoche, Ralston, Boothroy,
Rummels, Laverman, Havel, Clow, Hightshoe, Rackis, Ford, Yapp, Panos,
Bockenstedt
Others Present: Simpson (UISG)
Ouestions from Council re Apenda Items:
ITEM 4d(3) WINDMILL HEIGHTS — RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL
PLAT (SUB15-00021)
Thomas/ Well, we received that one letter on, urn... Windmill Heights, which is on our... Consent
Calendar. Um ... so the question would be shall we pull that from the Consent Calendar
and allow staff to respond to the questions in the letter?
Taylor/ I have that same question, John.
Throgmorton/ So which item is that?
Thomas/ It's, uh.... 4d(3) I believe.
Throgmorton/ Uh, without objection we should do that.
Mims/ Eleanor, I guess I have a question. I thought if we had approved the preliminary plat, and
there wasn't major changes, we were pretty much obligated to approve the final plat. Am
I ... misunderstanding something?
Dilkes/ No. I mean ... as long as there ... as long as the ... it's shown that all the standards of the City
are ... for approval of final plats are met, urn ... then yes, it's ... it's not like a discretionary
zoning decision.
Mims/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and I think John's request is simply that staff addressed, uh, the claims.
Mims/ Okay (several talking)
Dilkes/ And I'm prepared to respond on the easement issue and I assume (mumbled) drainage
issue.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
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Karr/ So, Mr. Mayor, just to clarify, then we'll be removing ... for separate consideration 4d(3),
but we'll be pulling from the Consent Calendar 4d(2) and 4e(3), and those'll come back
to you at a later time.
Throgmorton/ Correct.
Karr/ Paperwork is not in order.
Throgmorton/ Correct. Thank you! All right, other agenda items?
Karr/ Do you wish to do ... you've got some Council appointments. Do you wish to do those? Or
wait till...
Council Appointments [agenda item # 151:
Throgmorton/ I just wanted to see if anybody else had any agenda items to bring up. I'm not
hearing any so ... the clock is ticking, so ... think we can move on. So we can turn to
Council appointments. We have two before us. Get my notes ... in order here. So we
have six applicants to fill ... a term on the Housing and Community Development
Commission and there's a female requirement for that. Two of the applicants are women.
Uh, so I would think ordinarily we would consider Christine Harms and Paula Vaughn,
the two women who are, uh, who have applied. What's your sense?
Mims/ I was ... I was impressed with Christine's application. She's done a lot of neighborhood
work, um (mumbled) involved in the Grant Wood neighborhood, got an award for her
work there. (mumbled) was very impressed with her (mumbled) Christine.
Botchway/ Agree!
Throgmorton/ I was very impressed, as well, Susan, and I was also impressed with Paula
Vaughn, uh, and it could well be that I've met Paula and know her, but I'm not able to
connect the name to a face. In any event, I think both seem quite suitable and both
would be good candidates, so ... it's a judgment call. Do the rest of you have preferences?
Dickens/ These are both fine.
Throgmorton/ Sorry?
Dickens/ Those are both fine.
Cole/ Fine with me.
Thomas/ Yeah, I support both.
Throgmorton/ You support both of `em? But we're only appointing one.
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Thomas/ Oh, is it only one of `em (several talking) Oh, okay! (several talking)
Botchway/ ...I agree with Susan (several talking)
Dickens/ ...thought there was two openings. There's just one.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Karr/ The next one ... next week, two weeks'll be the second.
Dickens/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I think I'm hearing at least four people for Christine (several talking) All
right, we'll do that. With regard to the Human Rights Commission, we have one
applicant to fill a five-year term, uh, and that would be, uh, Karol Koltz... Krotz, I'm
sorry. Karol Krotz. She seems ... quite appropriate for the position. Any objection?
(several responding) All right, so we'll go with Karol, as well. Which brings us to a
review of the downtown streetscape master plan. Geoff!
Review of Downtown Streetscape Master Plan:
Fruin/ All right, thank you. Um, we're going to review the 2014 streetscape plan. That was
adopted by Council in ... uh, March of 2014, and what I thought I'd do ... (noises on mic)
got some feedback here, uh, what I thought (noises on mic) Maybe we will, maybe we
won't! Um ... I thought I'd just walk you through the history (noises on mic) why we
started the planning process, uh... generally how the planning process works, and then, uh,
jump into the implementation phase, which we find ourselves in the middle of right now,
and at the end we're gonna ask you for some direction and whether you're able to provide
that tonight or ... or not, um, is ... is completely up to you, but just to let you know kinda
where staff is sitting on this and ... what your options are for proceeding forward. So
the ... the history, um, really starts around 2011 and 2012 when, uh, staff started to notice
deferred maintenance, particularly around, uh, the ped mall area. There was actually a
2013 project in the capital improvement's plan for downtown maintenance at
$100....$850,000. This was generally for things like sidewalk repairs and, uh, light pole,
uh, base replacements, uh, fixing some planter waus... uh, planter walls. Again, kind of
a ... a deferred maintenance type of plan. But there are a couple of larger things, uh, taking
place around that same time that ultimately gave us pause to .... to moving forward with
that. Uh, the first was the January, uh, 2013 downtown Riverfront Crossings master plan.
That's when the ... January 13 is when that plan was adopted, yet the planning process
took place, uh, for the, uh, a couple of years prior to that, and the quotes that you see up
on the screen are ... are taken directly from the plan (clears throat) at that point, urn ... uh,
through the public input process there was some recognition that there's some deferred
maintenance, uh... uh, challenges downtown and that this is a good time to look at, uh,
streetscape improvements and whether those are ... are needed at this time. We also had
the Council's strategic plan, uh, coming together at those times and you see a couple of
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the priorities listed there, and then of course we have the formation of the SSMID, the
Iowa City Downtown District coming together at that same time, and it really came down
to a point where we asked ourselves do we want to go ahead and ... and put forward, you
know, just kind of take care of a ... a deferred maintenance approach or do we want to take
a step back and look at how these public spaces are really functioning and ask ourselves
if there's some, uh, larger improvements that we can make to the area, uh, that would
serve everybody better. So the opportunities that we identified, um ... uh... uh... there ... there
were multiple opportunities and, uh, we'll start with the underground utilities and of
course that's been the focus of Washington Street project so you're familiar with that, but
we have sev ... several utility lines that are in poor condition or undersized for the
downtown, and then we also have some, uh, absent infrastructure, particularly
telecommunication infrastructure that is not in place right now. Uh, for lighting we have,
uh, a lot of the public, uh, concerns around lighting, uh... uh, centered around safety. Uh,
particularly at night. And we also have several inconsistent styles and we're very
challenged from a festival standpoint, uh, to provide the electricity needed to carry out
those festivals. And then, uh, we'll talk more about the lack of tree diversity and the...
really the poor planting conditions, uh, that are there. So here's a ... a few illustrations or
pictures to drive the point home. You see the water main break on, uh, in the 2013 water
main break there on the top left. And these other pictures on the top are ... are trying to
show you the ... the poor planting, uh, conditions. You can't really expect, uh, trees to
thrive in ... in these types of conditions. They just don't have the space they need to, uh,
to ... to grow. Um, on the right here you'll notice how ... we actually have the electrical
located right up against the tree, and that's pretty common because it's so tight there.
Any time we need to do electrical work and get underground, um, you're... you're
intermingling with the tree roots and it's just ... it's not a great situation there. You see
a ... some samples of inconsistent lighting styles. We have the globe light. This is
Dubuque, globe light with a, kind of a shoe box style, uh, light there and then you have
the ... uh, the bell light, which is becoming more of our standard and here's another
example by Chauncey Swan. If this was ... perspective was zoomed out a little bit, you
would see even another, uh, set of lights around the ... the parking deck which are
different. Uh, this is an illustration, uh, showing the health of our trees in the, uh, in the
ped mall and then right above that on Washington Street, right here. We had an urban
arborist come in and do a detailed study on our trees to determine the health of those trees
and help guide us when we do improvements which trees should really be protected and
which trees are probably not worth, um ... uh, protecting at all, and so it's a pretty simple
color code here. Red means, uh, that, uh, it should be removed right now, or at least, uh,
we shouldn't invest in those trees anymore. They're dead or they're dying. And all the
way to green, which is a ... a, really a perfectly healthy tree there. And you can see we
have some significant challenges. Uh, particularly on this block of Washington Street
here, and down in this area of the ped mall. This also goes to show you the tree canopy
that we have, um, on our streetscape and ... and the... the... the best illustration of that, I
think, is ... is this side of the ... of the pedestrian mall, which has little tree canopy and what
little tree canopy it has is not a healthy tree canopy. So it goes back to those poor
planting conditions. We also looked at the tree health on, uh, Dubuque and Clinton, and
you'll see some of those slides later on, um, but what this study also told us is that, uh,
we lack... greatly tree diversity, and unfortunately when you look at this and you ... you see
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the ... the relatively small number of healthy trees, um ... on top of that 24% of the trees in
this study are ash trees. So a lot of these green trees, which ... which, uh, look really good
are ... are likely to die in the next 10 to 15 years anyway. So that's another layer of
challenges with our street tree canopy. Uh, other opportunities, we have some
accessibility, uh, improvement that need to make, uh, whether it's the brick surfacing or
ADA curb ramps, um (coughing, difficult to hear speaker) about the, uh, improved, uh,
creating some enhanced areas for festival, uh, and ... and smaller performances, and then
we have some transportation challenges there, particularly, um, focusing on the
pedestrian and bicycle ... um ... uh, modes of transit. So, again, a few more pictures. You
can see the accommodations that have to be made to carry out different festivals, not
ideal to have, uh, this type of, um ... you know, cords and ... and electrical, um,
arrangements in our festivals on our streets. We have outdated wa... uh, kiosks, uh, you
know, that ... you know, were.... were built at a time when there were pay phones
and ... and, uh, newspaper kiosks were a priority. Uh, we just don't have that same priority
now, and you can see the condition that we're seein', uh, on a lot of those, uh, kiosks
right here. And then getting to the accessibility piece, we do have some areas where
there's some significant brick work that needs to be taken care of. Um, this area here is
the entrance to the ped mall, across from the Old Capitol Mall. So the process, uh, we
got, uh, started in ... in, uh.... uh, 2012, actually with the selection, um, we inter ... or we, uh,
did an RFP and had 18 firms ... 18 firms respond to that RFP. Ultimately selected Genus
Landscape Architects out of Des Moines. There was a steering committee, uh, of 19, uh,
members, uh, that met 12 times throughout the year in 2013. We held stakeholder focus
groups, um, we have ... uh, entities like Summer of the Arts and the University of Iowa.
We, uh, had event observations, uh, to understand how the needs changed during those
special event periods. We had three public meetings and we had online engagement.
You see some of the numbers, uh, up there. So it was, uh, a pretty extensive, uh,
planning process that took place, primarily in 2013. This image, uh, shows you the study
area. It's 16 -block area, uh, which is really the core of downtown, uh, and the Northside
Marketplace. And, uh, this, uh, this screen snapshot here, uh, just gives you a sense of
the types of things that ... that we looked at here and most of these slides are a compilation
of, uh... uh, presentations that were given to prior Councils, or at ... or at public meetings,
so forgive the lack of, uh, cohesiveness between slides here, but ... uh, full...full inventory
of the streets and an assessment of the streets, and then, uh, some of other components of
the study. Um, I know this is a little bit hard to read, but the top left you have a utility
an ... analysis that we, uh, looked deep into the utility issues to identify what the
underground priorities are. There was a visioning process where we ... we kind of
imagined what a new streetscape would look like, compared to the existing. So here you
see a perspective of Clinton, kind of a before/after type of, um ... uh, visioning process.
Bottom left is a bicycle accommodation network where we started to maybe zoom out a
little bit and think about the ... the best pathways for bicyclists in terms of sharrows, in
terms of, um ... uh, bike lanes. And then we actually looked at the cross-sections of the
roads themselves and started to ask questions about road width, sidewalk width, uh,
planting areas and those types of things. The plan was adopted in, uh, March of 2014 and
we set forward a number of quick -start projects to build some momentum for the, uh, for
the plan, and uh... uh, at the same time focused on our top priority, which is Washington
Street, which is of course you all know under construction now, but a few of the quick -
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start, uh, projects are ... are shown here. We had the playground resurfacing, which is
completed. We have the northside building lighting project, which was a, uh, partnership
with the Iowa City Downtown District, which has been completed. We were able to
introduce recycling, uh, in a pilot level, into the downtown about a year ago, and uh, that,
um, is now going to become a standard feature when we upgrade, uh, our streets. And
then, uh, we also did a traffic model study, and uh, looked at, uh... uh, how bicyclists,
pedestrians, transit users are all moving about the area, and I think that's going to be the
focus of, uh, your next work session on the 17'h. So this is the implementation schedule
that, uh, we have followed and that we are, uh, currently on course to follow. Uh, so the
plan was adopted in early 2014. At that time we wanted to move from plan to schematic
design, uh, on ... on three of the top priorities, which were Washington Street, Dubuque
Street, and the pedestrian mall. Generally speaking I would say the schematic design, uh,
puts us roughly 25 to 30% design, so it gets you a little bit of the way there. It includes a
little bit more detailed planning, so we actually did surveys with that which weren't done
at the planning stage. Uh, but it...it advanced those ... uh, those three components, which
we wanted to advance simultaneously since all those three streets come together and, uh,
they need to be thought .... you know, you need to think of all of `em together when
you're planning those improvements. In 2015, we completed the, uh, Washington Street
design and of course got that project out to bid. And then we had, uh... uh, we also
advanced the north pedestrian mall. The intention, uh, in 2015 was to also take that to a
construction document standpoint so that it would be ready to be bid, and uh, that is
currently on hold. 2016, the current year, um, was, uh, planned to be the Washington
Street construction, which is, uh, active right now, and then we were going to finalize
plans for the north pedestrian mall and, uh, look to bid those for construction in 2017.
2018, uh, we were going to finish, uh, the planning on the balance of the ped mall with a
goal to construct that in 2019, and those funds are provided for in the capital, uh,
improvement budget. Other projects in this area which aren't listed on the
implementation schedule — Dubuque Street. Um, Dubuque Street was in our five-year
CIP, uh, last year and it....it got bumped out this year at staff recommendation, uh, that
we pulled that out due to some other funding priorities, but that is kind of next in line
from the staff perspective. We also have some complete street dollars in the budget in,
um, and as I mentioned on May 17'' we're gonna walk you through some potential uses
for those funds on Gilbert, Clinton, Madison, and Market and Jefferson, and then a little
bit later here I'm gonna ask, uh... uh, Ron, uh, Knoche to step in and talk about the
Burlington intersection projects at Clinton and Madison. So what I thought I'd walk
ya... I'd do next is walk ya through kinda that 25 to 30% design level, where we ... where
we've left off with, um, the three projects that, uh, we ... we did advance design work on,
and I'm gonna skip Washington Street since that's under construction. You've had some
chance to...to look at those designs. So we'll start with the pedestrian mall. Again,
looking at the site conditions in the pedestrian mall, we start with the tree canopy and we
see some significant challenges there. Not only, um ... uh, a heavy ash tree population, but
some really, uh, poor, uh, planting, uh, some ... some trees in poor conditions. We also are
starting to see this in a number of areas, where our planting walls are starting to separate.
Uh, this one is in front of the, uh, Sheraton, I believe, uh, next to their outdoor patio. Uh,
those need to be ... probably completely taken apart and rebuilt, uh... uh... to ... to fix those.
This is where we left the 30%, uh, design at ... and this was prior to us moving forward,
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uh, on the ... on the Lens concept. So you'll see Black Hawk Mini Park looking quite a bit
different there, but I'll walk you through each of these sections. Um, at...at the time, uh,
that we left the design, uh, there was a call for a significant piece of artwork in Black
Hawk Mini Park and what you see up here is really a ... a placeholder. I think
the.... the... the plan update acknowledged that if you're going to have a significant piece
of artwork anchoring Black Hawk Minic... Mini Park, the design really needs to follow
the art. So ... you can kind of think of this as a ... as a placeholder at the time. Of course we
know the .... the Lens proposal and the design that was submitted, um, so we're really...
one of the items we'll need to talk to you about today is kinda where we're at on Black
Hawk Mini Park and get your direction for how to proceed at that. So the Clinton, uh,
inter... inter... intersection here in the entry, uh, looking ... if you were entering kinda from
the Old Capitol Mall, um, and ... and hopefully what you'll see in the majority of these
pictures is the approach that we're takin' is really selective editing. This is not like
Washington Street where necessarily everything's coming out and we're ... we're
rebuilding it. This is trying to take a selective editing approach here and um ... in different
areas, uh, it's done to different degrees. So this doesn't look, uh, probably a whole lot
different than it does now but .... um, you can see we're trying to do more with festive
lighting. So we do have ... uh, some overhead lighting here ... uh, to kind of welcome you
into the, uh, ped mall area. There's also a, uh, a new seating area being, um, centered
around our new, well ... wayfinding kiosks here. Uh, we have a screening element.
There's a large transformer that sits here and one of the concepts were for story walls
throughout the, uh, pedestrian mall to ... in order to screen unsightly elements like, uh,
above -ground, uh... um, utilities, and so ... the ... the, uh, story walls weren't defined at this
level, but they .... think of `em as engravings into a ... a stone wall that's uplit at night. It's
there to tell a story of. ... of, uh, Iowa City that was yet to be determined. The, uh, central
part of the ped mall, uh, probably is the, um .... the biggest change. Um, what we were
looking to do there was create a ... a more flexible space, uh, for, uh, special events to take
place there. So you ... you get a little .... a feeling of a little bit more of a ... of an
amphitheater, but certainly flexible space. The fountain stays as is, uh, with some
additional paving around it, and there's some modifications made to the, um, the seating
area or the steps area to make that a little bit more accessible and provide some better
viewing opportunities. There was a call for a ... a new stage canopy, um, this was a ... a
chance to...to make a .... uh, I think a ... a real statement as a central gathering place here,
uh, and really enhance the .... um, performance space for Friday Night Concert Series and
a host of other events that, uh, that take place down here. See some of the different
lighting opportunities that we looked at, um, certainly the ... the stage canopy, um, could
be lit to provide some ambient lighting, uh, when it's not in use, uh, the, uh, uplighting of
trees, and then you'll see, uh, some modifications to our fountain that could, uh, enhance
the attractiveness of that in the evening. On the west corridor, you again see the overhead
lights and then in the plan view you'll see what we're trying to do is establish a much
stronger, uh, tree planting there, consistent tree planting corridor, uh, which ... which lacks,
uh, right now. These are the new wayfinding kiosks and you'll see these, uh, introduced
with the Washington Street project. Uh, this, urn ... there was a considerable amount of
input, uh, and collaboration on this. Uh, we worked with the, uh, University of Iowa to
select the languages that were used, uh, very tall and ... and slender piece with a, uh,
backlit map, uh, that can be easily changed, uh, throughout the year. And so, uh, these
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are just, uh, slightly taller than our current kiosks, but again, um, much more slender.
They don't need to accommodate the, uh... the pay phones and the newspaper kiosks and
things of that nature. This was the, uh, pedestrian mall cost opinion with the 2014
update. These are kind of the ... the hard costs of the project, and I've broken it up into
different areas there. And then you'll see the footnote below, uh, which indicates that we
have $6.4 million, uh, budgeted for the project, broken up into two years — the 2017 year
which was primarily focused on Black Hawk Mini Park and that north entryway, and
then the balance of the ped mall, which is $4.1 million. So ... um, that's where things
stand right now. Those numbers are in your adopted budget, and again the ... the plan right
now, uh, as ... at least on paper, would be for the north wing and the Black Hawk Mini
Park piece to go first, and the balance of the ped mall to go, urn ... in 2019. Again, there
still needs to be considerable planning done, really in order to get us to a point where, uh,
we feel good about these numbers and we know exactly what type of improvements are
going to be put into place. Dubuque Street, uh, again this is a 25, 30% design here. Uh,
Dubuque Street, um, I personally feel is one of the ... bigger opportunities that we have
downtown, if you ... if I try to ... if I had to pick kinda the worst -performing street
downtown, urn ... perhaps outside of Burlington and Gilbert, I ... I would say, you know,
Dubuque Street is where ... is where that lies. We just don't have very good pedestrian
accommodations there and we have huge swaths of..of roadway that, um, are
really... really underutilized. So, uh, the first thing that stands out is the lack of tree
canopy on Dubuque. Because we have narrower sidewalks there and we also have the
presence of underground vaults that are really no opportunities ... no good opportunities
for ... for trees to thrive. So, uh, you can see here, even the ... the couple of healthy trees
that we have are relatively small canopies and uh, most of the trees are ... are, uh... on ... on a
decline. This is the, uh, cross-section.... this is a little bit ... little bit tough to read but, um,
what we have now is about a 14 -foot sidewalk on both sides. We have 16 1/2 -foot travel
lanes, and then, uh, parking areas. And 16 1/2 foot is incredibly, um, generous in just
about any setting, much less an urban, uh, downtown setting. So the new concept
expands the pedestrian zone to, uh, 19 feet, 7 inches on ... on this side, 19,4 on the other
side. Shrinks those travel lanes down to 11 feet and still provides the parking areas. The
enhanced pedestrian zone would really help expand the use of cafes, expand
opportunities for .... for, uh, trees to, uh, to do well, um, so I ... I think that'd make a huge
difference in that, uh, that streetscape. Here's the plan view, uh, again .... urn... uh, you'll
see the, uh.... more evenly distributed, uh, trees. Still have to work around the vaults,
which is a challenge, um, but you get a .... a much, um, much more consistent canopy
there. And then, uh, there's talk of, uh, introducing overhead lighting into the ... the
Dubuque Street concept and, uh, again, that needs some more planning refinement, but
there's lots of examples that we can look at, and actually the Washington Street project
that's going on, those poles, uh, can support over -the -street lighting and it's one of the
things that ... that we're looking at perhaps for seasonal uses as, uh, doing some ... some
lighting over the street. Couple of perspective rend.... renderings, uh, in order to, uh,
make Dubuque a little bit more festive and attractive, we are, uh, contemplating, uh,
trying to work with property owners to do a series of...of lights, not unlike what you see
with the cafes now, but draping over the sidewalk, connecting from our utility poles to
the, uh, businesses themselves. The cost opinion on Dubuque Street... you could see
about $2 million. We have, uh, the previous CIP was ... had $2.5 million in for the ... the
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project, but the current cost opinion is right around $2 million. Uh, nearly half of that is
in the utilities and the ... and the lighting improvements that are, uh, planned right now.
Okay, uh, I think with that I'm going to tum it over to Ron, who's going to walk you
through the Burlington, Clinton and Burlington and Madison projects.
Knoche/ Uh, so the ... these two intersection projects are ones that have kind of been on our books
for a while. Um, 2013 we had a schematic design completed for the Burlington, Clinton,
um, but then with the University projects that were going on at that intersection, we kind
of put it on delay in regards to going into the ... the final design of that. Um, we are... and
actually on your Council agenda tonight, is a ... a contract amendment with Shive-Hattery
for a, um, to finish out the final design of the intersection project. Um ... we'll do that this
year and then our plan right now is to go to construction next year on this intersection.
Um, and that's just due to the ... the Art Museum project kind of, um, going away now.
Uh, it's ... it's time to get that, uh, pavement put back together, uh, especially with the, uh,
School of Music opening up and ... uh, the Hilton Garden's project coming to fruition.
Urn .... but there again if...if somethin' would come up and ... and a development project
comes in it...it may change our schedule once again, but it ... it's just a ... our process of
trying to accommodate the best we can, uh, in this area. So, uh, with this project, this is a
picture from the Hieronymus, uh, corner, looking across. We would go ... um ... to a ... a
three -lane cross-section, um, and then accommodate, uh, bicycle lanes, uh, on both sides
of the intersection. Um, here is, uh, this is where the School of Music is going in at. Um,
the curb line that has been put back in with that project is where the final curb line will
be, um, so ... kind of the ... the west side of that part of the intersection is already finalized.
Um ... and ... and, uh, so we'd ... be a three -lane cross-section in there, so we'll go from a
four -lane to a three -lane in that area. Uh, we'll be ... put in a dedicated right turn lane, uh,
on the west side, um, on the north side of the intersection, which is in front of the, um,
parking structure, um, and as we move forward, um, we'll....uh, upgrade the signals all
the way around this intersection. Um, this project is about $1.1 million, which is, uh,
what's in the budget, um, and we have $500,000 in traffic safety funds, uh, from the DOT
in this intersection. Um, the Burlington, Madison intersection, uh, is one that's also been
on the books for quite a while. Uh, this ... this project has ... has gone through a couple
different iterations just from the standpoint of the ... the Burlington Street median project
that was, uh, out there, um, in ... in the mid -2000s. Um, and ... and we do have a final
design on this ... on this corridor, which basically goes from, uh, Riverside Drive all the
way to Madison. Um ... we ... we need to revisit that ... that design, um, you know, one of
the things that we did hear from the bicycle community in this corridor is, um, the ... the
importance of this corridor to be able to get from the east side of Iowa City to the west
side, and so, um, our original plan was just for sharrows in this area. There was some
dedicated bike lanes as you got closer to Madison, but just due to the ... the, how tight
the ... the corridor is, it made it difficult to get the bike lanes in all the way through. Um,
but uh, with the 2017 final design, uh, we would be looking at how to ... how to
accommodate bicycles in this corridor in a ... in a better manner. Um, and the intent would
be to ... go into construction in 2018. Um, this project has ... has been on delay, um ... one
was because of the flood, uh, two was also, uh, with some development that was going on
in the area, um, with the ... the Lovetinsky site, um, kinda coming up as the development
site, and I think, um, you know, there again it's ... it's a matter of accommodating the best
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we can, uh, in ... in the process. Um, so this... this... this is looking west in the corridor, um,
basically this is showing where we were, um ... having sharrows... this is bike lanes in this
area and then (mumbled) actually it was sharrows in the area on the ... on the east end and
then it went to bike lanes as you got onto the bridge itself. Um ... you know, around the
area of, kind of the Front Street right-of-way, the railroad tracks is where it got awful
narrow, and it was tough to be able to accommodate the on -street bike lanes in those
areas. Um ... the Madison Street corridor, um, there again we were looking at going from
a four -lane to a three -lane section there. Um, in the original plan that we had, uh,
previous, uh, we weren't ... the four -lane to three -lane concept hadn't been, uh, brought up
yet. So that's somethin' that we'll need to accommodate in the final design. And in this
project we have $2.3 million, uh, we have $1.5 million in STP funds and uh, $500,000 in
traffic safety funds. Um ... so, uh... it's ... you know, the .... we have, uh, you know, and in
this project it's ... it's one that we still need ... there's a lot of work that needs to happen yet
on this design, um, to....and bring this project forward. Uh, so, uh, I'll let Geoff
(mumbled) summary.
Fruin/ Okay, so urn ... here's a summary of where we stand right now. The ... the 2017 north ped
mall project, uh, which again we don't have ... we're not at a .... a stage in the design right
now where this is likely to go forward, unless it's more of just a straight maintenance
approach, um, and then as Ron mentioned, the Burlington, Clinton intersection, uh,
barring any... significant change, uh, there with a new development project coming
forward would go ... would happen next year. 2018 would be the Burlington, Madison
intersection and then the budget contemplates the completion of the ped mall in 2019.
We do have annual complete street funding in the budget, and uh, again on May 17`s
we'll talk to you about the potential uses for those on the road diets for Clinton, Madison,
Gilbert, and then on Market, Jefferson, uh, the potential for going two-way traffic on
those, uh, those two streets. Dubuque Street was removed from the five-year CIP, but we
will, uh, consider that with the next budget session. Uh, and uh, present that to you next
winter, if indeed it, uh... uh, makes the cut from .... from a staff level, but that is the next,
uh, priority for the downtown streetscape plan. So this is a busy slide here, but I wanted
to ... to try to put this on writing so you could look at the screens in front of you. Um, this
is where we need direction, and again, you know, any conversation tonight is helpful, but
uh... uh, direction can come, um, at a later date as well. We do have some significant
deferred maintenance on the pedestrian mall and we need to take, uh, you know, one
or ... one of two approaches, uh, we can go back to where we were, uh (coughing, difficult
to hear speaker) in 2013, may just take on a maintenance project, look at, uh, taking care
of the worst, uh, spots where we have some brick issues, looking at rebuilding some of
the planter walls, um ... replacing bases of the globe lights and ... and just staying kind of as
is for now. Um, I would say that it's likely that that $850,000 number has grown over the
three or four years as more maintenance issues have come up, but we haven't gone
through and estimated exactly what that maintenance, uh, project would look like. While
we can push forward with the goals of the master plan in ... in a number of different ways,
um, so we can ... we can go back, uh, and really focusing on the north end of the ped mall.
We can go back and... and... and redesign Black Hawk Mini Park, um, starting at that kind
of 30% level and, uh, we could ... we could do that with or without a significant public
piece of art. Um, with the Lens project going away, um, kind of the .... the natural
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inclination, okay, well let's go back to the master plan and ... and try to move forward
again, um, again, that's going to call for a signature piece of art that the space is designed
around. So that's going to take a little while to go through that, and urn ... uh, you know,
there has to be a ... a commitment to that ... that public process. We can, uh, again, redesign
the space without the, um ... uh, without the public art piece, but that ... that's again another
significant community engagement on ... on what Black Hawk, uh, Mini Park becomes.
Uh, and so we're more... certainly not looking at a 2017 project. We can, um ... look at
a ... a 2017 or 2018 project that tries to keep Black Hawk Mini Park as close to as is as
possible, that basically just leaves it as an open, flexible space, and uh, but ... but takes
care of some of the planter and the lighting issues and the brick issues, and then really
move the .... shift the focus, uh, to the 2019 project, which is the balance of the ped mall.
So I think that northern part of the ped mall really needs some discussion at the Council
level and ... and some direction to staff, and we can walk through any number of those
scenarios with you on how ... how we might approach it. And then if ..if you do want to
realign our master plan priorities, um ... uh, that's certainly within your purview to do that.
Again as I mentioned, uh, our focus is really on the pedestrian mall and Dubuque Street
and, um, as the Washington Street project's completed, you'll see some new .... new
amenities with that, whether it's the recycling bins or whether it's the wayfinding kiosks
or ... or light fixtures, um, you're gonna want to start to implement those slowly
throughout the rest of the district. Um ... you know, the... the.... the competing bell lights
and globe lights eventually need to be rec... reconciled and our intent was to ... to do that
slowly, um, over... over time, uh, because it's ... it would be quite a bit to, you know, go
through and replace all those at one time. So, I think as the Washington Street project
becomes com... complete, the older parts of the downtown are going to stand out quite a
bit more and there's going to be a push to ... to upgrade those amenities with similar types
of features. That's it! This is a quote from, uh, that our consultants used when they
presented to the Council at the master plan stage, uh, which I thought was, uh, pretty
good so I left it up there. What kind of questions can I answer? I know I went through
that, uh, it's a lot to digest in a...20, 30 minute presentation, urn .... anything we can
elaborate on?
Throgmorton/ You know I want to say quickly, I think it was a great deal of information to
absorb. I wonder if you could go back to the ... to that ... what (mumbled) ultimate slide,
uh, the one with all the words on it (laughs) Yeah, so ... so we ... really be clear about what
our choices are, yep! So I ... I don't know, maybe people want to ask questions about the
whole presentation and the whole streetscape plan first, but then I want to come back to
the ... what really are our choices, so we can focus our attention on that.
Fruin/ So ... let me, um, let me get back to ... this here, this is where we left this in .... in 2000 and,
uh, and urn ... 2014, okay, so we advanced .... we had the master plan in, uh, 2013. It was
adopted in early 14, and then in 2014 we up ... we ... we progressed the design on the ped
mall, along with Washington and Dubuque, and this is really where we left it, and we
haven't—haven't touched it since, except for this piece right here, which was, uh,
which .... we ... we all know the Lens project was ... was the focus of the redevelopment
there. So, we really need to decide how we want to tackle the ped mall going forward.
We can completely scrap this on one end and just look to maintain and button up what we
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have, um ... and uh, that was the original approach before we started this planning project.
We can ... um, go back to the master plan, which really calls for a signature piece of public
art. So we can go through and select an artist or do any type of, uh, process we want for,
uh, choosing an artist or an art concept and then design the space around it, just like we
did with the Lens, and ... basically bump the project a year or so, or .... we can (coughing,
difficult to hear speaker) third option would be scrap the public art piece and just
reimagine what Black Hawk Mini Park might look like independent of a signature art
piece. And we did some of that during this planning process, um, so you're not
necessarily starting from scratch, but urn ... you're looking at least a year's worth of
design.
Cole/ Geoff, I'm wondering how easy it would be to move the east -west ped mall up a year, is
that possible, cause it does seem like there's an enormous amount of consensus there, um,
is that possible?
Fruin/ Yeah, we're... we're probably at ... we need a year's worth of planning on the east -west and
that's currently budgeted for 2019. So, our intention was to finish the design in 2018, so
yeah, we could ... we could flip-flop the two, certainly, and take care of the most, you
know, dire maintenance needs on the north end next year and focus our attention, uh, for
a ... a, uh...probably a 2018 or 19 project on the east -west leg. That's definitely possible.
Cole/ I guess that's what I would like to do, because .... and then allow us more time to, um, focus
on the north end and maybe do some of the maintenance. That's my two cents.
Botchway/ To Rockne's point though, I mean, or I guess to your answer, are you saying that,
excuse me, guys, I'm coming with ... I have the allergies right now and so it's really
backed up, but ... um ... the north end ... and you're saying that we're just going to do some
patchwork there in order to focus or refocus on the east and west?
Fruin/ Well that's... that's certainly a possibility. Um, there's.... there's some maintenance needs
that are need... going to need to be addressed, irrespective of what we do. So....
Botchway/ I guess my question is then, to clarify more, is ... I mean, the way that you designed
this, was it with the thought that ... there was serious maintenance needs that need to be
addressed on the north end and then we were going to move to the east and west?
Fruin/ Um ... I don't think that the maintenance needs are concentrated in the north end. No, I
think they're pretty well distributed throughout the ped mall. The north end was, uh, a
higher priority, uh, one because Washington Street was ... was being constructed and it's
just kind of a natural to ... to build off that. Uh, but two during the planning process,
people identified the north end of the ped mall as one of their, um ... uh, I wouldn't say
least favorite but the ... the space is ... perhaps the space that was most underutilized. So
that .... that drew a lot of attention.
Taylor/ The photo of the brick walkway was that the east -west ped mall section? Cause that's
alarming and I think we'd received a letter in our packet from a concerned citizen
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(several talking) the bricks, it's very uneven and very unsafe, I mean, just looking at that,
it's very easy for someone to trip over that, which that seemed to me like that'd be a very
immediate need. (both talking) ....2018, 2019 to do that.
Fruin/ Something like this is likely to be addressed this year. Um, so I don't ... I don't want to
give you the impression that has to wait for a larger project, but this is just indicative of
the types of conditions and... absent a larger project, you'll start to see more of these types
of settling issues with ... with the bricks. So, I ... I would hope that we would get this
corrected this year, irrespective of the larger project.
Taylor/ Good!
Thomas/ (both talking)
Mims/ Geoff ..Geoff (both talking) I have a question. If...if the Lens project had gone forward,
would we have been on track to do ... the north part of the ped mall in 2017?
Fruin/ Yes. Assuming the fundraising also, uh, came in line, yes we would of.
Mims/ Okay. And so that would have been not just doing maintenance but doing all of the, uh,
utility work that needed to be done, as well as all the redesign and that ... and that would
take care of any maintenance that was needed as well, is that correct?
Fruin/ Yes, that's correct.
Throgmorton/ On the north end.
Fruin/ On the north end.
Mims/ Right, on the north end. My .... my preference would be ... given that that was the way the
plan was laid out, and that ... that flip-flopping would ... would still delay ... we still would be
an extra year out on the east -west because of where that's at in the design stage, I would
prefer to move forward and follow the master plan ... and do that construction for the north
part of the ped mall in 2017 with the idea that we leave Black Hawk Mini Park basically
as an open area that gives us flexibility going forward to determine what kind, if any, art
piece would go in there and so that any ... any final design of going into the Black Haw...
Black Hawk Mini Park would be done if and when, um, an art piece was selected and if
we ultimately decided not to then we could... could finalize design into that part of the
park, but I would... given that we're doing all this work on Washington Street, and the...
and for the continuity and also to save us a year in terms of getting all of the ped mall
done, I'd rather see us move forward with the master plan now in 2017 and con ... and
reconstruct that north part of the ped mall.
Botchway/ Susan, I ... I kind of agree. I guess my question though is ... isn't that going to be two
kind of construction situations, and so we're .... we're doing what Susan's proposing for,
um, the north end of the ped mall at first, and then presumably if the Council does not
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want to go forward on any public art piece, um, we would have to rip it up again in order
to put whatever's going to be there, if it's, I mean, whether a public art piece or just the
trees?
Mims/ No, I ... I think ... I think staff, we've got it ... we've already got a master plan. I'd ... I would
foresee any design work and construction work that would be done now would be done in
a manner that ... we're not going to go back and rip anything up. You .... you leave plenty
of extra space, if there is an art piece selected, and it ... and if there is, then we finish the
design in around that, and if there's not then maybe it's just additional planters and trees
that are put in, into Black Hawk Mini Park, but that everything else that's done and
constructed is done with the idea that it's permanent. It's not going to have to be redone
no matter what we would choose to do in Black Hawk Mini Park.
Throgmorton/ Geoff, is that ... I mean I understand Susan's suggestion. Is ... is that feasible from a
technical point of view?
Fruin/ Yeah, I ... I think it'd still .... you know, we'd have to go out and get a design contract and
work through that, um ... I think it's feasible, but the differences with the approach we
took with the Lens, we essentially gave the artist a blank canvas and we said, desi... you
know, work with our designers and come up with a piece and a complementary design. If
we're gonna go ahead and plant a few trees and ... uh, basically create (coughing, difficult
to hear speaker) can go in the future, that artist won't necessarily have a blank slate. He
or she is going to have to work with that existing environment to ... to some extent, cause I
don't think you're gonna want ... you're not gonna want to leave Black Hawk Mini Park at
the end of 17 just completely barren. You're gonna want some trees around there
and ... and other amenities in that space.
Botchway/ So, Geoff, let me ... let me understand this, and so basically if...we're gonna have to
redesign... so if we're not gonna use the Lens piece kind of design that was put forth,
we're gonna have to redesign that particular place?
Fruin/ Correct.
Botchway/ And how much is that gonna cost?
Fruin/ Um ... difficult to say. I'm ... I'm trying to recall... when we ... we advanced the Washington
and the pedestrian mall designs in the same contract, um ... to go from that 30% to
construction documents and ... I'm gonna guess that design contract was mid -200s,
200,000. So if you're looking at just the north end of the ped mall, um, you don't have to
go all the way back to square one, I wouldn't be surprised if it's 100,000.
Dickens/ I guess I'm lookin' at just going with the master plan. We went through the whole
project before the Lens. It was vetted through the public. It was vetted .... Jim was on
that committee. We went through all that. We've gone through it this spring. I don't
know that the people that were looking to help ... build a ... an art piece are going to be
willing to start over again. So ... that's just my feeling from talking to some of them, that I
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think we should just design this as a park, as much as I'd like to have seen a major art
piece there I think ... I think .... I don't know that that can be done now. I don't know if
you can get those people excited again after they've gone through all the work they have.
So I guess I would just continue on with the north because you're working on
Washington Street. You know what's underneath there ... (mumbled) watching them from
our window I can see they're finding things all the time, and when they're doing this that
it would be a natural progression to work down the north section there, uh, and then east -
west can be done at a ... an appropriate time.
Thomas/ Terry, when you say the master plan do you mean the ... the concept for the north end of
the ped mall (both talking)
Dickens/ Right.
Thomas/ ...as shown in this (both talking)
Dickens/ Yes.
Thomas/ Because I ... I would ... I would not support that. I think it's ... I think if we look at the
master plan, not so much as a drawing but as a program, which you know there is a
narrative in the ... in the report, but there is enough to build ... a design around that program,
um, that would not necessarily end up in the same place that this particular (both talking)
Fruin/ Yeah, let me ... this concept here, um ... there wasn't a whole lot of time spent ... and energy
spent on this, cause it was known that the art piece was going to come in and basically it
was going to be ... going to be scrapped, so .... uh, I wouldn't say there's... there's much, if
any, consensus around this piece right here.
Dickens/ That's still pretty open for interpretation, whatever we decide we want to put there,
but...
Thomas/ Geoff, where I would disagree with you, it sounds like, is I would suggest that we
begin ... begin with the program as its been laid out, at least as a starting point, and there's
some good stuff in there. It talks about the, you know, the interpretive work with
related...uh, as it relates to Black Hawk Mini Park and the history and the redevelopment
and so forth. Um, some concepts related to seating, planting — a whole range of things.
Um, I would start with that. I think that starting with how we develop the park so that
everyone's pleased with the park and at the same time think about where ... where within
that space the public art piece would go ... that that would be the most sensible approach. I
think it may end up that the art piece, if we go that direction, would more or less end up
where the Lens ended up, because that seems like a ... a reasonable place for it. Um ... but I
think that approach... and we end up with a park, which I think was missing from the Lens
project was the ... the Lens became the ... the defining element of Black Hawk Mini Park. I
think there's a better chance of defining the park in a way that we're all pleased with and
it will attract in and of itself a wide range of use, and then incorporate the art piece
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in ... into that, making adjustments as necessary, that will end up with a more ... a park and
an art piece that we're happy with.
Throgmorton/ Here's the thing I'm wondering — first of all, I don't think tonight we're in any
position to decide what should be done with Black Hawk Mini Park. I don't think we're
prepared to do that. So my question really is can we proceed with the north part of
the ... of the ped mall to do the work that's already... basically been laid out, knowing that
we're not going to be able to pen things down for Black Hawk Mini Park right now, and
we're not gonna be able to do it tomorrow either, for that matter. Can we do that, or is
there, you know, design... are there design obstacles that really make that (both talking)
Fruin/ I think when you start to get into the underground features and you're lookin' at the
electrical systems and the lighting systems, it...it becomes more complicated to ... to carve
out a piece like that. Can it be done, I'm sure that the design team can ... can figure that
out, urn ... I ....I don't know right off the top of my head where the utility lines are running
and ... and you know kind of the underground bones of this, but... urn ... I ... I think it should
probably be done at the same time, and if Black Hawk Mini Park needs to ... uh, needs
some more time to ... to come around, then ... then we're lookin' at just a ... a quick
maintenance project and... and pushing it back a year or so. Again, in the schedule we
had a 2017 construction and a 2019 construction. We skipped 2018, um, for financial
reasons, but we have some of...we have some flexibility there. We've got a year of no
construction built into the ... the ped mall improvements, so we ... we have some ability to
flex but—we do have the short term maintenance needs too.
Botchway/ I guess to Jim's point, cause I agree. I don't know if necessarily we can say anything
right now, I mean is this ... kind of to Council, is this an opportunity for, I mean, looking at
scheduling a special work session?
Throgmorton/ Not ... not on that ... not on Black Hawk Mini Park at this point. I personally would
not favor scheduling a session on that at this moment. I (both talking)
Mims/ (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ I do think it's very ... it would be very helpful to follow Susan's suggestion and do
the work on ... on the northern part of the ped mall ... if we can leave Black Hawk Mini Park
as, uh...
Dickens/ Potential...
Throgmorton/ ...as a potential space for ... we don't know what yet ... uh, and use it for
experimental, temporary installations in the interim. Like I ... I noticed that there are two
ping pong tables there right now. I saw Nancy Quellhorst playing ping pong. It's pretty
funny and she was laughing a lot about it. Uh, but if we can do that, it seems... that seems
to me to be a reasonable way to proceed. But if we have to decide how Black Hawk Mini
Park now, then I don't want to move ahead with the north part. I'd rather focus on the
east -west.
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Fruin/ You don't have to decide right now. Um ... and ... and we can ... we ... I can go back and talk
with staff and ... uh, with ... with the design team and ... and see what they think about that
option, trying to stay on .... as close to on schedule as we can, while leaving Black Hawk
Mini Park as flexible as we can for a decision down the road. I could come back (both
talking)
Mims/ I would be ... yeah, I would be interested in hearing, Geoff, what staff thinks about that,
because I really would like to see us try and go ahead with the north part in 2017 if at all
possible.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and, Susan, that's pretty much what I was suggesting, with the,
uh... intentional ambiguity about the Black Hawk Mini Park because we are not capable
of, at this moment, of coming to some decision about it.
Mims/ Right, I agree, Jim!
Cole/ I guess I agree and I think if we could take a look at this May 170' to get more information
we'd be in a better position, I think, to give clear direction, don't you think? In terms of
the feasibility, cause that's what I was wondering is how contingent the final design
element is on that sort of base level foundational work that you have to do, and I think
that was your ... what you were getting into, Jim.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Cole/ Um...
Fruin/ Yeah, we'll ... we'll have to talk as a staff and with the design team to get you an answer,
but we'll do that as quick as we can.
Throgmorton/ Do you think this is a clear enough response for you?
Fruin/ Yeah. What .... what I'm hearin' is stay the course with the plan, uh... try to ... to come up
with a ... a 2017 project, um ... but .... leave Black Hawk Mini Park as flexible as possible,
uh, for.... experimentation and ... and things like that.
Throgmorton/ Are we agreed?
Cole/ I'd agree with that, Jim.
Information Packet Discussion [April 21, 281:
Throgmorton/ Susan (both talking) Yeah. Think you've got it! Okay, it's 20 till. We could take
five minutes, I guess, to, uh... enter the Info Packet discussion. So why don't we take a
shot at that. Uh, I don't remember which is the first Info Packet (several talking) Yeah,
April 21. Any comments on any of the material in that packet? Well I want to say with
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regard to IP #5, the systematic inspection of University impacted neighborhoods and the
housing exterior alone program, HELP. Bravo to the staff. I mean I was really pleased to
see the HELP, uh, announcement and I tweeted it. I was very pleased to be able to do
that. So, bravo!
Simpson/I had a question about that, um, IP. I was curious, um, how many properties that
they've looked at so far, um, had a code violation.
Throgmorton/ I don't know. Is Stan here? Ah! (laughs)
Laverman/ Hi, Stan Laverman, Senior Housing Inspector. If you visit the project page, uh, that
was linked on there also, uh, there's a map, uh, that shows all the properties that we've,
uh, been to, uh, and there's, uh, pictures of the code violations. Probably about 95% of
the properties that we visited have some sort of, uh, code violation. Uh, that could be as
simple as a pop can in the front yard to ... uh, some major, uh, problems with the ... the
painting and the surfaces of the ... the property. But it's all ... you can ... you can go and look
at every house that we've, urn .... we've done the Dubuque Street corridor, so if there's
not a .... not a star on the property, then there wasn't anything found, or it's under a major
building permit right now. So ... but if you click on that star on the attachments are all the
pictures that we took of issues that we're looking at.
Thomas/ Stan, it says in the memo that ... after the Dubuque Street corridor you'll move on to
other arterial streets.
Laverman/ We've moved to Burlington already, yep, and that ... and we're just in the
documentation stage right now. We're having some informal conversations with the
property owners, but we're gonna have to get that ... that conversation started with those
owners first to give `em an opportunity.
Thomas/ And then .... I'm assuming you'll get to the local streets.
Laverman/ Local streets'll come after that, yep.
Thomas/ Okay.
Laverman/ Yep! But I'm not really broadcasting exactly where we're going, but we're letting
people know that (laughter) you know, now might be a time to get out there and look at
it. So...
Throgmorton/ Good deal! Thanks! Any other items on that, uh (both talking)
Mims/ (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Go ahead, Susan!
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Mims/ (mumbled) on IP7, uh, just wanted to thank, uh, Tracy Hightshoe and Chris Ackerson on
the upcoming, um, `So You Want to Start a Business' program. That looks great. I know
they've gotten a number of people signed up at least some of the sessions and appreciate
their work on this.
Throgmorton/ I agree, it was very pleasing to see! So, Tracy, where are you? Congratulations!
And well ... let's see, and Chris! Anything else on the April 21 packet? April 28h?
Thomas/ Uh, IP5, I ... included a response, and I don't know that it gave the ... the source of the
response (laughs) actually it was, uh.... Tim Redmond who's a writer in San Francisco,
used to be affiliated with the San Francisco Bay Guardian. He's now with ... has a blog
called 28 Hills. It was ... it was a response to Geoff s piece, urn ... that he had included the
previous week, uh, you know the housing question in San Francisco is a very complex....
landscape and so, um I ... I thought it was interesting to see kind of a counterpoint to the
first article.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Botchway/ Uh, IP #4. It's just the ACT closing, the McCarrel Center, um, 2018. Just I think
something we need to be aware of, um, as we're talking about ecomom... economic
development opportunities. Been talking to some folks over there and you know it's
kinda one of those situations where, um, as education's moving to more, you know,
technology -driven type of things, um, there's going to be some changes and I just think
that as a city that I think some of those issues come back to us, um, sometimes and so we
just need to be aware.
Throgmorton/ Agree!
Cole/ Where are we on IP6, the Rose Oaks' situation?
Throgmorton/ It'll have to be very brief. We have about a minute.
Cole/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. So maybe we should come back to that (both talking) afterwards.
Cole/ Yep!
Throgmorton/ Anything else on IP28? Or April 28? Okay, why don't we stop there. Okay, so,
Susan, we're gonna stop there, uh, and take a break.
(BREAK FOR FORMAL MEETING)
Throgmorton/ We were discussing Information Packet, uh, for April 28. (several talking)
Cole/ And I had concerns about IP6.
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Throgmorton/ That's right!
Dickens/ Rose Oaks.
Cole/ Rose Oaks.
Throgmorton/ Uh... and those... concerns or questions or whatever were what?
Cole/ Well, I think it's more just sort of I ... you know, it's sort of obviously quieting down in
terms of an issue, but I still think major concerns exist, and um, I think we need to do
more. Uh, I don't think we're doin' enough, and I would ... and I don't know if this would
be a subsequent work session, um ... but I would like to consider review us ... review of our
site plan review process, uh, for future consideration. I'd like to consider a possible
urban renewal district in that area. Um, and the third is I'd like to appoint a, uh, a
community liaison. I know we can't all discuss that tonight, uh, or decide that tonight,
um, but I think that part of the problem I see is we're getting these reports and I don't
think the reports are giving us the clep... the clear picture. Um, I think we need to have a
liaison from, um, either the Rose Oaks' community or Center for Worker Justice, so we
can get a more accurate picture, and I also think this particular process really reveals a
hole in our planning process at this point. We have no regulatory tools to deal with this,
and I think we should have regulatory tools, and we need to look and evaluate, uh, what
those regulatory tools would look like in the site plan review process, and I mean there's
the technical requirements of, you know, reviewing storm water and reviewing other
technical aspects, but I think this particular process reveals, at least as far as I can tell, no
mechanism to address human impact, and I think we need to do more as far as that goes.
So I don't know.....is this, Mayor, is this something we bring at a separate work session?
Um, I don't think we can vote on it tonight. Obviously it hasn't been posted for public
consideration, um, but I frankly think that we have not responded in a way that I think we
should, given the magnitude of this particular problem. Um, and I think it's really
underscored in the letter that we got tonight, um, from Mazahir Salih in terms of, um...
where we are at this point. It's a lot to digest, I know, but (both talking)
Throgmorton/ (mumbled) yeah...
Cole/ You know, I think we need to do more.
Dickens/ I would think you'd have to do it in a work session, plus you would have to have some
legal opinion on, you know, as a....
Cole/ Yeah!
Dickens/ .... private ... this company's a private company and how that affects... not getting City
dollars, how that affects whether it affects someone or not or ... I mean we'd have to go
through all those (both talking)
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Cole/ Oh absolutely! We can't decide that tonight, but ... urn .... I would like to have it on the
agenda in the near future.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... I want to address one part of it. Uh, at a certain point, I don't know —
what, two weeks ago, Eleanor, I wrote you asking if there ... if you could identify or
suggest... legal ways in which we could, uh, address this situation and .... and avoid future
instances, or minimize the likelihood of future instances like this, and my recollection,
please correct me if I'm wrong, my recollection is you said when we get .... when we
come to the strategic plan discussion, that you might be...be in a position to actually make
some suggestions at that time (both talking)
Dilkes/ I think we talked about bringing that to you at the same time as the affordable housing
comes to you ... in June.
Throgmorton/ That's what I meant — affordable housing, yeah. Thank you.
Cole/ So which meeting would that be?
Throgmorton/ Well, it's (several talking)
Fruin/ Second meeting in June, I think it's the 21st. (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Uh, but that only addresses part of what you had ... what you had brought up,
Rockne. Can you give us, you know, a really short version, like I heard four (several
talking)
Cole/ I think there's three things.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Cole/ Um, the urban renewal district to allow us to do TIF, um...
Throgmorton/ Okay, hold right there.
Cole/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ I know you had a conversation by email with Geoff about this earlier, and it's my
understanding that some exploration of that or related possibilities is (several talking)
Fruin/ Yeah, presumably the purpose of either creating an urban renewal area or extending an
urban renewal area into that area would be to provide funding for long-term affordability.
And, um .... we are having those discussions with Rose Oaks, but there's a number of, um,
funding sources or ... or mechanisms that could provide that, urn ... uh, that same benefit.
So, before... before we go and ... and start the really lengthy process of creating an urban
renewal area, we first need to know if the Rose Oaks' ownership group is willing to
partner with us on long-term affordability, because if they're not, that's really the end of
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the discussion. We can't compel that. Um .... and then .... two, if they are, under what
terms, and then we'll know the, you know, the financial amount that the ... that it's going
to cost the City to, um, ensure whatever percentage of units remain affordable for any
number of years. And once we know that financial number, we can begin to match that
with the best revenue source. So, those discussions are occurring. Um, and I think it's,
uh, little too early to .... to jump to the conclusion that we need an urban renewal area.
That may be the case, but it may be that we can provide that, urn ... uh, financial assistance
through other mechanisms.
Cole/ How long would it take from start to finish?
Fruin/ Creating an urban renewal area is, urn ... gosh, two to three months ... with all the pub...
required public hearings.
Dickens/ Does blight have to be ... part of (both talking)
Fruin/ I don't think there'd be a ... a (coughing, difficult to hear speaker) justifying an urban
renewal area (several talking) Um, but ... but again, it could be that we want to ... um, there
are urban renewal areas across the highway for the industrial, uh, area there, and it ... and it
could be that extending the boundaries of those, uh, provides us with more flexible
funding because there ... there could be an urban renewal ov... area over there with, uh,
money that we could draw from immediately, as opposed to creating a new urban
renewal area, which then relies on increment created by the, urn.... the.... the increased
value of the redevelopment. So if we just create a new one, there's no increment
generated until the renovation takes place, and even then because it's replacing with
similar number of units, that increment may be pretty small. You have some new
buildings, remodeled buildings, but the overall value of the property may not change that
significantly.
Throgmorton/ So the suggestion's not off the mark. There might be a better way to accomplish
(both talking)
Cole/ I think that's right, but I think that should be part of our toolbox, um, is what I'm thinking.
Throgmorton/ Well, so we'll (both talking)
Cole/ Second thing is the liaison. I think we need to have someone from, uh, either Center for
Worker Justice, or one of the residents, to report directly to us. I'm quite confident that
we'd be able to get that. Uh, I don't think we're getting the full picture, and by the way, I
don't mean to think that that in any way impugns staff. I think staff has done, under very
difficult circumstances, a great job of getting us as complete a picture as possible, um, but
frequently what I've experienced is is that I get a report here and then I get dia...
diametrically opposed reports from the residents. Now in some cases there can be
narrative explanations in which those are reconciled. So I think really it's more just that
opportunity, and I think that's something we should work on relatively quickly, um ... to
get a liaison so we can have that information that we need, to have better policy making,
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and I think we can move on that relatively quickly, um, whether that would be, you
know, May 17th. Cause the other thing too, where are we on the permitting process? I
mean if. ... if we're waiting until June 21"...um... time is of the essence in my view. Uh,
they're pretty much already ready to go through or...
Fruin/ The site plan has not been approved.
Cole/ Okay.
Frain/ That's still pending and it's still likely at least a week away from being approved. Um,
they did apply for demolition permits, which again cannot be granted until the site plan is
approved. However, one building was posted today, so part of the demolition permit
process is that you ... you have to post notice on ... on a building for a period of time. I
think it's 10 days, um .... that posting can occur pending site plan review. So, um, when
you ... when that notice is posted, understand that even if it hits that 10 days, if the site
plan's not approved, we won't issue the permit. Uh, the remodeling permits, um ... as of,
uh... yesterday had not, uh, yesterday morning had not been issued, but they were ready to
go, just awaiting essentially payment from ... from Rose Oaks, and again, those can be
issued without the site plan. That's just remodeling of existing units.
rwo
Throgmorton/ If I could, Rockne...
Cole/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ ...uh, I ... I too have.... observed a disconnect between reports we've received either
from the owner or from staff or perhaps from Shelter House and other ... and other reports
we've gotten from residents and... indirectly at least, uh, through the Center for Worker
Justice, and .... and allies. Uh, and it would be good to ... reconcile that, I mean, it's really
frustrating from ... I'd say from my point of view, to .... to observe the disconnect and ... and
not know ... really what to make of it, and I would agree with what you said about how the
staff work has really been good. So it ... (laughs) and I have great faith in what our staff is
doing. Uh, but there is a disconnect, so it'd be good to ... try to invent some way of
narrowing that gap. Maybe a liaison is a good way to do it — I don't know, but something
(both talking)
Fruin/ Well we've started with the late handouts to include the ... the update from the Shelter
House who's ... who's now on site, um ... and so I know that's not a complete picture and
they talk about the number of households that they've had contact with, which certainly
isn't the ... the universe of folks living out there, but .... um, we thought that that would
help provide another, um, another view point, urn .... I think you know (coughing, difficult
to hear speaker) updates that we're sharing with you is ... is the information that we
received directly from the Rose Oaks' management. Um, we're passing that along and
we're including that information that, uh, is relevant to the permit process. Um,
regarding a ... a liaison, I haven't ... I haven't seen the letter that was dropped off this
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afternoon, so I don't know what that, uh.... entails. I understand there's been some
confusion. Um, in the past a ... a couple of you have reached out to me to ... to talk about
the different points of view and I've tried to be that liaison essentially and talk with Rose
Oaks' management and say ... you know, we have a story of. ... of this person here; this is
what we're hearing; can you shed some light on this and ... you know, I ... I can simply
relay that information, um .... you know, if you want to receive information from a
different group, you're certainly within your purview to do so, urn .... it sounds like ... it
sounds like that information's coming to you in the form of a letter tonight. Again I
haven't seen that.
Cole/ I guess from my point of view, I would like an organization, either like the Center for
Worker Justice or .... someone directly from the, uh, the Rose Oaks' tenants association,
and I think we need that information. I think our ... our Shelter House has done an
excellent job as well, um, but I'm not ... I don't think that's the complete picture. So I ... I
think in terms of it either has to be one directly from, uh, either the tenants association or,
uh, Center for Worker Justice. Um .... and of course we're getting this information, but I
think to formalize that, so then when you're preparing this report, you're reaching out to
them, um, because I think ... I think part of the problem is some of those early reports, I
don't think we really had a sense of the urgency and what was happening out there, and I
think that's because we're getting it from management, and it's not that management has
done a bad job either, but it's not the full picture. So ... I would think that we could move
on this one relatively quickly, um .... either tonight or maybe for the next meeting, to ... to
develop that process for the liaison, and I can maybe put together a proposal as to what I
would like to do on that. Uh, to see if we can get Council support for that, but ... if we
(both talking)
Mims/ I guess my ... Jim, I've got a question.
Throgmorton/ Sure!
Mims/ I ... I guess my question is ... how ... how do you decide who to chose as a liaison when we've
got staff, which I hear you saying that you think is doing an excellent job. You think the
management is doing an excellent job, but you're hearing conflicting information from
the tenants association and from the Center for Worker Justice, and then you're
suggesting choosing one of them as the liaison. To me you've got ... four organizations
that you're talking about, that I just mentioned, two giving you maybe more.... similar
information, two others giving you different information, and the suggestion is being one
of those organizations from which you're getting conflicting information as being the
liaison. To me, that immediately says that you're trusting their information more than the
other two organizations. It seems to me ... if there is a desire to get more information, it's
more about getting these different groups in the same room at the same time so that ... the
differences can be reconciled. I don't see choosing one ... that is one of those that's giving
you different information as being the liaison, because that to me says you're
automatically taking their information as being more credible.
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Cole/ No, what I'm saying is is that I think the other reporting entities are reporting accurately
what they're observing, but they're not giving us the full picture. And I think that I'm
not saying that, uh, Center for Worker Justice is more reliable, but I think that they're
another voice that should be part of this organization, or a member of the Rose Oaks'
tenant association. I think one of those two things should happen, uh, so that we have
multiple channels of information in our decision making process. So I don't know that
we need to decide that tonight, um, but I would like to at least make a proposal for
consideration at next meeting to .... to get that in place, um, for ... for further Council
discussion. It is something I brought up in the context of the work packet. Um, but I
think we need to move on that.
Taylor/ I ... I would go along with Rockne, because I think there's an urgency to it, uh, because
these folks, the ... the clock is ticking as far as their options of...of where they can go to
move and ... and they're concerned, and their lives are disrupted, and I ... I disagree with
Susan. It's not like four different entities. The CWJ has been working very closely with
the tenants' association and ... and meeting with them, so they're... they're working
together on things and ... and know the issues and... and the tenants and their needs and
what's going on. So if they could be an excellent resource for that.
Dilkes/ Mr. Mayor, can I just .... it might make sense to do what Rockne has suggested and have
him do the proposal for the May 17`h (both talking)
Throgmorton/ That's exactly what (both talking)
Dikes/ ...I'm worried about the notice situation here (laughs) (several talking)
Tbrogmorton/ Yeah, yeah, so .... yeah, why don't you do that, Rockne, and we'll (mumbled)
Cole/ Okay. (mumbled) proposal on the site plan (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... I noticed also that we did get, uh, that letter today from Mazahir, uh....
Cole/ Yes!
Throgmorton/ ...which constitutes basically an update ... from a particular point of view.
Dilkes/ You may .... want to wait on the site plan review, because I'm going to make that, I mean,
I'm going to talk to you about that in June, and I'm not sure that's ... has the urgency of
the ... of the other. I mean there's some legal issues there that you're gonna have to
consider.
Throgmorton/ Was there ... another point?
Cole/ Those are the three concerns that I had, yes.
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Thomas/ I ... I had just one ... one question on the memo from ... staff to Geoff, where it said that,
um ... the Housing Authority will consider allowing housing vouchers to be used in Rose
Oaks upon completion of their redevelopment project. Is that something whereas units
become...uh... renovated and ... uh, you know, on inspection ready for occupancy, could
those units, could... could the Housing Authority look at releasing, or, urn... allowing
vouchers for those units as they become available?
Fruin/ Yes. Yeah, I .... I, my sense is probably upon, uh, final inspection of the property, um, that
that decision would be made, but it wouldn't necessarily have to wait for the entire
renovation project to be complete.
Thomas/ Cause that may provide the gap financing.
Fruin/ That's correct.
Botchway/ I guess my only comment as well, um, not to that point in particular, but .... Eleanor,
just to be clear, we can talk about this document in relation to ... what was provided at the
work session, right?
Dilkes/ This document, the one that was handed out (both talking)
Botchway/ The one that was handed out (several talking) I mean, in relation to the packet.
Cole/ Yeah, yeah!
Botchway/ Okay. The reason I say that (both talking)
Dilkes/ Yes. I mean, the Rose Oaks, there was information on Rose Oaks in the Information
Packet (several talking) but I think what ... if you're going to start making decisions about
an issue... then we need to give some more notice (both talking)
Cole/ Yeah.
Botchway/ Yeah, so the only thing that I would say, and I guess I'll throw it out to the Council as
well, is that I think there's a lot of things being discussed as far as, um, maybe things that
need to be changed down the road, um, but I ... I think that was communicated in the letter
that went out, was an immediate need as far as moving expenses and some other things,
that may or may not be addressed from a Shelter House standpoint, and so one, I think
Geoffs right. I think, you know, as we're hearing more information from Shelter House,
I'll be interested in getting that full report as far as talking with families, but I do feel like
eventually there's going to be a financial gap here where there's going to be some
families that aren't going to be able to, um, move because, you know, the money that we
may be giving (clears throat) from our standpoint, and also the money that's coming from
Rose Oaks, isn't going to cover the financial gap for all the residents, and so I ... I'm not
sure what that looks like. I think that we might need to have discussions as far as, you
know, what Rose Oaks' community is doing and what maybe City Council's prepared to
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do for, you know, really that immediate need as far as making sure that families can find
some place to go and have that... those financial resources. That make sense? So overall
it's about 100 (clears throat) Sorry! I mean if we're talking about 100 and so families,
it's about $100,000 and right now looks like that amount is that, um, is that $30,000
altogether? Geoff?
Fruin/ Our ... our understanding, and again ... we haven't audited (both talking)
Botchway/ Right!
Fruin/ ...books or anything like that or asked for proof, but what Rose Oaks' management has
represented to us is that they have contributed $30,000 on top of the City's $15,000.
Botchway/ So we have ... $45,000, and so there's a ... there could be a gap there that we need to
consider, so I don't know whether or not we need to discuss that another, um, at a work
session. Maybe... what you're proposing at the next meeting, but I think that's .... an
important thing to think about as we're ... as we move forward. So I guess I would
propose we talk about it at the next meeting.
Fruin/ Yeah, and I think ... I think, uh, one of the things I've ... I've heard, urn ... through our staff,
uh, from Shelter House is that they're... there is, uh, perhaps some confusion on ... on how
to access those funds and .... and there was a ... um, a belief by some that, you know,
households would be given a check. You ... here's your X number of dollars and here's
your X number of dollars and ... um, that's not the way the process was intended to work
or is working. It is a, uh, kind of case management situation where you have to come in
and there's paperwork and there's an assessment of your current situation. Those dollars
are not going directly to the households. If you're getting rental assistance, those dollars
are going to your future landlord, or if you need money for an application fee, that's
going to that landlord. Um, so I ... I think that has been a ... a source of confusion, where a
lot of the, uh, residents out there felt like they were going to just be given a ... a check, um,
that they could use at their discretion for, uh, for their moving expenses. So, um, that is
something that we have, uh, we have heard and uh... um, again, that's not the way the
process was intended to work, and it's not the way Shelter House is processing it.
Throgmorton/ All right. Challenging situation! Uh, let's move on.
Simpson/ Um, for IP 10, um, I just wanted to say that Uber's... a lot of students are really happy
with Uber and I'm thankful that the Council is, um, working with the implications that
came with passing that ordinance — working with the taxi cabs to make sure that they're
getting some of what they want, yet still keeping public safety in mind, so thank you.
Appreciate it!
Karr/ Mr. Mayor, since Jacob opened that door I was going to talk about IP 10 as well.
Throgmorton/ Yeah!
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Karr/ Uh, we did meet, uh, staff did meet with a number of representatives from taxi companies
and drivers as well, on the proposals that you had in your packet, and the meeting went
very well. We did have to get passed, obviously, um, the, um, concern they had about the
differences in the regulations. Um, and we very quickly then clarified, we were there for
the purpose of what we can do to improve the taxi regulations, not to further discuss the
Uber regulations.
Cole/ Yep!
Throgmorton/ Right.
Karr/ Okay? Um, so you have that memo in your packet that Jacob referred to, and ... um ... I
certainly can take the time to go through some of the... generally it went very well. There
was not unanimous consent of all of them, but I can tell you there were very minor
changes, um, in ... in a couple of them and many of them were very, very favorable. So
staff, uh, I will be happy to respond to questions this evening, or we can certainly proceed
with a proposal for your next meeting, unless there's some of the proposals that you have
questions on or that you wish not to consider, or us tweak further on.
Cole/ The only question I have is just related to ... the pricing discrepancy for surge. You know,
so we adopted the Uber ordinance which allows the surge pricing. How is that going to
impact a ... a taxi cab driver on a Saturday where Uber's able to charge.... whatever? What
will the taxi cab be able to charge?
Karr/ Well what (both talking) what we're proposing is that we identify, uh, certain times or
dates, uh, which are the busiest, and that they would enable them then to post them on
their rate card and that the consumer then would have notice of those.
Cole/ Okay.
Karr/ The proposal that was mentioned was, for instance, home football games, on Friday,
Saturday, or Sunday. University graduation. Those type of things that would be posted
on the rate card and would allow those type of dynamic pricing that ... that Uber has, but
allow some sort of a surcharge option. Uh....
Cole/ Sort of a taxi version of that.
Karr/ That ... that would be our response.
Cole/ Okay.
Karr/ That was one of the issues that, um, they also pointed out, for instance, they would like
New Year's Eve, or other certain dates. I think staff's concerns were very open to this
type of thing, as long as A, it's on the, uh, rate card, and that the consumer is aware of it
ahead of time, but that #2, it'd be limited. It's not every Friday, Saturday, or that ... and
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we will come up with some different language if you're interested in that. That was (both
talking)
Cole/ Probably be similar to Uber anyway, I mean ... their surge pricing's relatively limited — on
game days and those sorts of things.
Karr/ Their surge pricing obvious... their dynamic pricing is Uber's phrase, uh, the dynamic
pricing is obviously easier to do because it's electronic versus the ... the, um, rate card
proposal, but it would not be difficult to file a new rate card use for that period of time, or
to list all the dates on it. And we are (both talking)
Throgmorton/ I'd like to see us ask Mar..Marian to give us a proposal, uh (both talking)
Karr/ We can have it on the next agenda.
Throgmorton/ ...process (both talking)
Cole/ (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ ...detail, instead of trying to do it right here, right now.
Botchway/ Well I have multiple questions about the surcharges, as well, but I guess if we're
going to move on, let's move on and I can send it to her via email.
Karr/ And we can amend it on the floor, or you could .... yeah, please do. Send it electronically;
we can consider it prior to proposing.
Cole/ Okay!
Council Time:
Throgmorton/ Okay, any other questions on .... April whatever it is, 28a'9 All right, Council time.
Uh, Kingsley!
Botchway/ Let's move on!
Throgmorton/ Terry?
Dickens/ Nothing!
Throgmorton/ Rockne?
Cole/ What is the difference between Council time and what we did before? I'm still confused
about that. (several talking)
Dickens/ Well before we weren't televised, so Council time was (both talking)
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Cole/ ...still trying to figure out (both talking)
Throgmorton/ I think of Council time in the work session as more a matter of tellin' people what
meetings you've gone to, what events you've gone to that really are of value to the other
Members (several talking)
Thomas/ ...as opposed to future oriented?
Throgmorton/ Uh, can be future oriented (several talking and laughing) All right, so anyhow
you want to (both talking)
Cole/ I understand. I have nothing to add. I am silent for once!
Throgmorton/ Pauline, do you have anything to add? John?
Thomas/ I ... I would like to add something (several talking and laughing) Because I do, you
know, uh... Pauline and Rockne and I all attended, and Jim, we didn't speak to one
another (several talking) uh, at the Worker's Memorial Day (clears throat) and one ... one
comment I wanted to make was there were a number of workers who died in, uh, trench
failures on the job ... I don't know if any of these jobs were City (several talking) buried
alive. Uh, this is a very preventable accident and it's tragic to hear about how many just
in the past year died due to trench failures. And it's ... it's a very easy thing to avoid.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Thomas/ So I don't know what rule we as Council, but in terms of the City making sure that, um,
certain work standards are enforced.... within the City of Iowa City (several talking)
Dickens/ ...standards that had to be used (mumbled) supposed to be.
Throgmorton/ Supposed to be, yeah.
Fruin/ We have a safety specialist that works with departments, urn .... to ... to ensure that we're
not only meeting the ... the requirements, but that we're ... we're exceeding them in many
cases. So that's run through our risk, uh, mitigation program and ... and our Finance
department. And of course we benefit from having the Fire department, um, as well,
who's involved in a lot of the rescue operations for that, so they can provide their
expertise to, uh, departments.
Throgmorton/ Okay, my turn. I have four things — sorry, Jerry. I have four things I want to
mention. First, on April 26h, Geoff, Kingsley, and I had a very constructive meeting
with some County Supervisors — Steve Dolazol and the Sheriff's office and Jessica
Peckover— concerning... Susan, concerning CIT and .... a possibility of a
restera... restoration center of some kind or another being located here. It was an
exploratory conversation, uh, that was very constructive but, you know, further work has
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to take place. Secondly, on April 29 I conducted the first of my regular Mayor's Walks.
I knocked on around 50 doors, spoke with around 20 people, uh, and, uh.... had, I think, a
really terrific experience doing it, and I rode the bus on the way out, so I talked to riders
on the bus, spoke with the drivers going out and coming back, uh, and ... and it was all on
the whole really fruitful, and some of you know that it was televised by Channel 2, a
Channel 2 crew, and appeared on TV. Uh, I hope it proved to be, uh, pretty successful
thing from a public point of view. One thing I noticed, Geoff, is something that's driven
me, and I know a lot of other people crazy for a while, is all the Press -Citizen newspapers
that are in plastic bags, lying in front of driveways. Is there anything we can do to get
them to stop throwing those newspapers in plastic bags all over the place?
Fruin/ We've had several conversations with them. Um, and we've, uh, tried to, uh... work with
residents who have called us to complain, to make sure that they get removed from the
list. Um ... the Press -Citizen has assured us that their drivers not only deliver those, but
they go back through the neighborhoods a day or two later and take note of...newspapers
that have not been picked up and ... and remove those addresses from the delivery list.
Um, we continue to get complaints, uh, we continue to call and try to ... try to work ... work
through those on a case-by-case basis. Um ... I ... we haven't had any discussions. I don't
know, Eleanor, in your office if you have exactly what could be done, uh, to ... to stop that,
but we could take a look at that if you'd like.
Cole/ Think it's sort of littering, isn't it? I mean....
Throgmorton/ It's what?
Cole/ Littering! You're leaving garbage on people's yards.
Dilkes/ We have looked at the littering ordinance and it would not do it, but we haven't looked
beyond that as to what we might....
Throgmorton/ I've heard plenty of complaints from people, uh...
Dilkes/ I have too.
Throgmorton/ ...around town, so .... it'd be good if we could do something about it.
Dickens/ Kind of like being on a do not call list (mumbled) as a nuisance. (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah ... so wanted to mention two other things. Uh, on ... May 11 I'm gonna be
participating ... participating in events sponsored by the Urban Land Institute at the Cedar
Rapids' Marriott on Coral ... on Collins Road. It's ... a `potchacoocha' type of event, where
I guess I talk for 10 minutes, somebody else talks for 10 minutes, somebody else talks for
10 minutes, just ... I don't know. Uh, but it's about balancing development opportunities
in our social shed. To me social shed is a new term, but there you are! And lastly, uh, on
the 17th I'll be meeting with the editorial board of the Corridor Business Journal,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of May 3, 2016.
Page 32
and .... speaking with them about economic development in the corridor as seen from
Iowa City. So there's that! Uh, meeting schedule!
Meeting Schedule:
Throgmorton/ I'll mention one thing. The Economic Development Committee's going to meet
here, 11:30 to 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday the 10th, and the meeting's going to be televised.
Per agreement from our committee.
Pending Work Session Topics IIP # 3 Info Packet of 4/281:
Throgmorton/ Anybody want to add to the list?
Mims/ No! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ You know, actually, Susan, we've been nibbling away at it and we're doing pretty
well with that, I think! On the 17th we're gonna review the downtown traffic model
report, right Geoff?
Fruin/ That's correct.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Mims/ I think we need to keep nibbling before we add.
Throgmorton/ Well you're not going to get any argument about that, uh, because we know it's a
long list!
Mims/ Yep!
Throgmorton/ All right, uh, I think there's ... is there one other thing? What else?
Dickens/ Upcoming community events.
Upcoming Community Events/Council Invitations:
Throgmorton/ Upcoming community events, Council invitations. Anything? I think we've
been ... are we done? (several talking)
Dickens/ So moved.
Throgmorton/ Thank you everybody! We're done, Susan. Good night! (several talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of May 3, 2016.