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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-17 CorrespondenceMarian Karr 4f(1) From: Bill Ackerman <ba iowacity@yahoo.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2016 9:16 AM To: Council Subject: Valley Avenue Parking Must be Removed Attachments: To The City Council of Iowa City.docx Councilors: I am sending this to you in the hope of getting parking off of Valley Avenue. I have sent copies to the police chief as well as to John Yapp. After a recent incident on Valley, numerous almost being hit head on, cross traffic from the alley with insufficient sight clearances, no stop signs on the alley going into Valley, increased population in the area, much more traffic being generated by those people, and increased construction traffic, parking need to be removed. Questions? Please contact me at 319-430-3737 or via my e-mail. Thanks for your consideration. Bill Ackerman 814 Newton Road To The City Council of Iowa City, Iowa: I am writing this letter to again express the need to remove parking from the east side of Valley Avenue. I have brought this matter up before a couple of years ago to no avail. On April 21% we were having landscaping work done at our home on Newton Road and parked our 2014 Dodge Caravan on Valley in a legal parking space out of necessity to facilitate the landscaping equipment at our home. I do not normally park on Valley but this was what we needed to do and a space was available. Our van was struck by a truck pulling a trailer doing $6000 in damage to the rear quarter panel, breaking out glass, etc. Valley Avene is too narrow and winding to accommodate some vehicles that use it regurarly. Construction vehicles often use Valley to get from Highway 6 to Newton Road. At this time, there is no question in my mind that parking needs to be removed. I use Valley several times a day to go to Coralville, etc. and over half the time encounter oncoming traffic on that crowded street. One time recently, I was almost hit head on by a vehicle that was in the middle of the road as you have to be because of the cars parked on the street. Frequently, I will encounter a vehicle entering Valley avenue from the alley that bisects the street, and there is really no sight clearance from either direction. Parking must be removed on this street. I have lived in this neighborhood for 60 years and with the increases in apartments and more people driving in the area, it is not safe, prudent, or common sense to have cars parked on the side of this heavily travelled street. I have talked to John Yapp in the past about this and will again. Having our vehicle hit by a truck that did not have the side clearance to negotiate the street is the catalyst for my insistence at this time. Also, it makes it much more difficult for the snow removal crews to clean the street in the wintertime and when they do clean them, the cars parked on the side of the street get buried in and sometimes are there for days.The snow is even further out into the street after plowing. and the street just is not safe for the vehicular traffic that it has on it. I hope that you will vote to take parking off of Valley Avenue as soon as possible. Valley is a nice connector between Newton Road and Highway 6 and there are sight clearance issues with the alley as well. There are also no stop signs in the alley as you approach Valley. Thank you for your consideration to this matter. Bill Ackerman 814 Newton Road Iowa City, Iowa 52246 319-430-3737 CC: John Yapp Sam Hargadine 4f(2) 504 East 1 st Street West Liberty, IA 52776 April 21, 2016 Council members 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear City Council members: 2016 HAY -4 P'ti 11: 0'- My name is Adriana Dominguez, and I am writing this to address adding a fenced -in dog park in Iowa City. It is an excellent way for dogs and humans to interact socially, creating healthier bonds, and leading to fewer numbers of dogs ending up in shelters. With leash laws becoming more strict, dog owners are looking for locations where they can spend quality time with their pets. I believe that adding a dog park not only provides a safe environment but also builds a stronger community. Others are also pushing to establish dog parks in their communities, such as the American Kennel Club at akc.org, founded in 1884, who look out for the health of their and others' dogs. Another is the Rover Daily Treat at rover.com, and their lives revolve around helping and caring for dogs, treating them like family. They state that many of us may not have fenced -in areas, making off -leash dog parks a great choice. Which will allow dogs to get sufficient amount of physical and mental exercise. I am aware of some of the disadvantages to having a dog park. One disadvantage is that there may be chances for fights between dogs which could end up in your dog getting hurt, or them retrieving an illness if the parks soil becomes contaminated. By some minor changes we can make the experience better for everyone. If everyone got their dogs up-to-date on shots and cleaned up after them, then we wouldn't have to worry about illnesses being passed from dog to dog. I greatly appreciate you time and consideration in this issue and I hope to hear back from you soon. Sincerely, ��q � _ Qua;�- Adriana Maria Dominguez j>1�u1-S ICIFFC t 7otl May 5, 2016 Dear Adrian Maria Dominguez, Thank you for contacting the City of Iowa City regarding your interest in an off -leash dog park. City of Iowa City and the Parks and Recreation Department share your passion and have recognized the need for facilities for our canine companions. Iowa City currently has two off -leash dog parks in our community, Rita's Ranch Off -Leash Dog Park located at 640 S. Scott Blvd., and Thomberry Off -Leash Dog Park located at 1867 Foster Rd. More information regarding our dog parks can be found on our website here: https://www.imov.oro/doaoark. We currently have no plans for any additional dog parks in Iowa City at this time. If there is anything else I could assist you with please let me know. Kespecttuliy yours, lull Seydell t.1nsQon,(Dqire6tor Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department 220 S. Gilbert Street Iowa City, IA 52240 319-356-5100 juli-sjohnson@iowa-city.org 220 S. Gilbert Street • Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1632 • (319) 356-5100 • FAX (319) 356-5487 05-17-16 Marian Karr From: Kent Ralston Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 1:14 PM To: 'rlalumiere@gmail.com' Cc: Ron Knoche; Jason Havel; Geoff Fruin; Marian Karr; Doug Boothroy; *City Council Subject: RE: Roundabout for intersection of North Dubuque Rd and Dodge St. Hello Mr. LaLumiere —Your correspondence was forwarded tome for response. Prior to considering the rezoning for the property you reference in your correspondence, the City did evaluate the potential traffic impacts the development would have on the N. Dubuque Road / Dodge Street intersection. However, the existing geometry of the intersection includes dedicated turn -lanes for traffic entering and exiting Dubuque Road from Dodge Street and was deemed sufficient for the additional trips anticipated to be generated by the development. While the construction of a roundabout at this location is not currently being contemplated, I appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention. I anticipate observing this location in the future to confirm that it is operating as efficiently as possible. While perhaps not a long-term solution, the traffic signal at the Dubuque Road/ Dodge Street/ Scott Boulevard intersection does provide an alternative, 'controlled' location for local traffic to access Dodge Street. This may be useful during peak travel hours or when traveling to locations north of Dubuque Road. Thank you again for your correspondence. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly should you have additional questions/concerns. Sincerely, Kent Ralston, AICP Executive Director I Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County Transportation Planner I City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 319.356.5253 From: Ryan LaLumiere [mailto:rlalumiere@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 3:29 PM To: Council Subject: Roundabout for intersection of North Dubuque Rd and Dodge St. I am writing to request the city place a roundabout at the intersection of N. Dubuque Rd. and Dodge St. With the current construction going on at this intersection (where the south end of North Dubuque Road intersects with Dodge St.), traffic here will only increase. The city needs to put in a roundabout here. A roundabout would allow people to enter and exit the cross streets here, which is becoming increasingly difficult and will only get worse when the construction of the new buildings there is finished. Moreover, a roundabout at this intersection would slow southbound traffic down before approaching the new HyVee. At the moment, traffic is frequently approaching the HyVee at fast speeds, making it difficult (and dangerous) for people trying to enter or exit the HyVee parking lot. This roundabout would help to slow everything down, as traffic coming from 80 and other places enters a more urbanized and residential area. Please do not, however, make this a traffic light. That would make the traffic slower and, moreover, cause cars to speed in order to make the green light. Roundabouts are safer and allow traffic to flow smoothly. A roundabout would significantly increase the safety at this intersection, which is becoming increasingly busy with cars and will only get worse when the new medical center is finished and the housing next to Dodge street is finished. This will also make this area feel friendlier to cyclists who are increasingly use the bike paths along Dodge and over the bridge over 80. Thank you. Ryan LaLumiere 1731 Quincent St. Iowa City, IA 52245 Marian Karr From: leonardsandler@aol.com Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2016 10:47 AM To: Council Subject: Uber http://www.williamgoren.com/blog/#article/2483 Uber's Settlement with the National Federation of the Blind This week's blog entry discusses Uber's settlement with the National Federation of the Blind. The blog entry is divided into two categories: the terms of the settlement; and just how is Uber covered by the ADA and thoughts. The reader is free to focus on any or all of the categories, but since the blog entry is so short, you will probably read all of it. I have never taken Uber or its counterpart Lyft to date because of the litigation involving persons with disabilities. With this settlement, at least I know that Uber is trying, though from all reports, they still have a long way to go. Accordingly, I think I just might try Uber soon. From the reports I have read, a similar disability discrimination suit against Lyft is still in negotiation. I Uber's Settlement with the National Federation of the Blind Awhile back, September 2014, the National Federation of the Blind sued Uber for disability discrimination. That is, Uber drivers often did not accept requests for rides from those with service animals. The complaint also alleged that blind passengers were forced to pay cancellation fees after they were passed over by Uber drivers. On April 29, Uber announced that a proposed settlement was going to be submitted to the court. I have not seen the settlement, but The Recorder in this article , discusses some of the terms, which include: 1. Uber is on the hook for up to $85,000 to monitor compliance with the agreement over the next five years. With respect to this, Uber said in their press release that they would be paying the National Federation of the Blind $225,000 over three years, and the Federation will run a testing program to evaluate the effectiveness of the settlement by having blind riders request and take trips on Uber. 2. Uber will pay as much at $300,000 to the National Federation of the Blind and $45,000 to the three blind California plaintiffs on whose behalf the original lawsuit was filed and will pay plaintiffs attorneys fees as well; 3. Uber drivers will now have to affirmatively agree to accept service animals in their car and acknowledge that there are no exception for allergies or religious reasons. They also will not be able to charge a cleaning fee for accepting a service animal; 4. Uber will make it easier for blind and visually impaired riders to lodge complaints about service animal access. Uber will have to follow up with those riders as to how it handled the complaint. If a driver is deactivated as a result of that complaint, the rider gets a $25 ride credit; 5. Uber will have to gather data about those complaints and report it to class counsel periodically over the term of the agreement. The settlement is for three and half years initially, but can be extended to five years of the parties agree or if a yet to be appointed third party monitor determines that Uber is failing to comply with the terms. 11 But How Is Uber Covered by the ADA in the First Place and Thoughts 1. When one thinks of the ADA, they think of: title I (employment); title II (accessing governmental entities programs and activities); and title III (accessing places of public accommodations). So, is Uber a place of public accommodation? The places of public accommodation are listed in 42 U.S.C. S 12181(7). Keep in mind, the categories are exclusive, but the examples are not. If one looks at all the categories, the only one that is remotely possible is that of "other service establishment," per 42 U.S.C. § 12181(7)(F). After all, Uber is providing a service. However, the kinds of things listed in that category (laundromat, drycleaner, bank, barbershop, beauty shop, travel service, shoe repair service, funeral parlor, gas station, office of an accountant or lawyer, pharmacy, insurance office, professional office of a healthcare provider, or hospital), are clearly not even close to what Uber is. 2. Since Uber is not a place of public accommodation most likely, how on earth is it covered by the ADA? The answer lies in another provision of title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. S 12184. 42 U.S.C. § 12184(a) states that, "no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of specked public transportation services provided by a private entity that is primarily engaged in the business of transporting people and whose operations affect commerce." 3. 42 U.S.C. § 12181(10) defines specified public transportation as, "transportation by bus, rail, or any other conveyance (other than by aircraft) that provides the general public with general or special service (including charter service) on a regular and continuing basis." 4. So, certainly Uber is providing the general public with general or special services on a regular and continuing basis. Also, transportation services are not being provided by aircraft, the one exception to coverage. 5. Uber has said, according to reports, that they are not primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, but rather they are a technology company. That argument on its face would seem to be a stretch. 6. Notice how 42 U.S.C. § 12184 refers to causation in terms of, "on the basis of disability." That means, mixed motive may well be in play per this bloc entry. 7. If 42 U.S.C. § 12184 applies, then the private entity per 42 U.S.C. § 12184(b)(2), must make reasonable modifications, provide auxiliary aids and services, and remove barriers in the same way as places of public accommodations. 8. It is interesting that this case does not appear to contain any allegations of violating § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. After all, even if Uber does not have a contract with the federal government, it is almost inconceivable that federal government employees are not using Uber and being reimbursed for same by their employer. I suppose in that eventuality, the question would arise whether the pass-through would be sufficient to count as receiving federal funds. A far cleaner question, would be if Uber receives funds directly from the federal government through a contract. It isn't inconceivable that such arrangements exist. While it is true that causation would be different (solely by reason of), a suit under § 504 the Rehabilitation Act would open up damages if deliberate indifference could be shown, which may be possible in this case. 9. Now that Uber drivers have to accept service animals, they may very well want to read this bloc entry discussing lust what is a service animal. Considering the limits on the type of questions that can be asked with respect to determining whether the animal is a service animal, it seems more likely that as a matter of course, anybody with a dog (a miniature horse is not going to fit in a Uber), desiring to ride a Uber vehicle is probably going to be allowed in the vehicle no questions asked even though that goes beyond what the law requires. So, the bottom line here is that sometimes the ADA comes into play even if it goes beyond what one typically thinks of title I, title II, and title III situations. In short, while I don't see how Uber could possibly be a place of public accommodation, a strong argument exist that they are an entity engaged in specified public transportation services and therefore subject to nondiscrimination requirements of 42 U.S.C. § 12184. Accordingly, I can see why a settlement would make sense. Filed Under: ADA, Federal Cases, General, Rehabilitation Act, Title III Tagged With: 42 U.S.C. 6 12181, 42 U.S.C. 12184, ADA, causation, damages, deliberate indifference, mixed motive, national Federation of the blind, other service establishment, place of public accommodation, public transportation services, rehabilitation act, specified public transportation services, title III, Uber, J 504 From Len Sandler, 409 Grant Street, Iowa City Marian Karr From: Sam Hargadine Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 9:43 AM To: jwjshawl@yahoo.com Cc: Council Subject: FW: Community Support and Threat Assessment for Recent Hate Crime Mr. Shaw, Thank you for contacting the City Council, your email was forwarded to me for response. The ICPD is pursuing the assault case, locating and interviewing witnesses and preparing the case for criminal prosecution and this has been our primary focus since the case was first reported. The University of Iowa Communication's Office has sent email blasts to the student body and faculty regarding counseling services that are available. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Sincerely, Samuel Hargadine Chief of Police Iowa City Police Department From: Michael Shaw [mailto:jwjshawl()yahoo.coml Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 5:00 AM To: Council Subject: Community Support and Threat Assessment for Recent Hate Crime Dear Councilors, I was wondering if there has been a statement by the Mayor, City, or ICPD related to the assault committed against Marcus Owens on April 30th. Has there been any coordination of support services for those that might be experiencing a decreased sense of safety as a result of what has been identified as a hate crime in our community? Peace, Michael Shaw 319-541-6778 NO MORE TOGETHER WE GEE a0 W From: Peter Byler <peterbyler@yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 9:30 AM To: Council; Geoff Fruin Subject: New sidewalk ramps Hello leaders, Please pass along the thanks of our neighborhood for the newly installed sidewalk with ramps and curb cuts crossing Rochester Ave from Ashwood Dr. I requested this change only last year and already it is done and done very well. Crossing Rochester on foot this week with my wife and four kids was, for the first time ever, not an entirely terrifying experience. Thanks to the professional staff and contractors who made this happen. Sincerely, Peter Byler 30 Ashwood Dr. From: Oliver, Alison L <alison-oiver@uiowa.edu> Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 1:36 PM To: Council Subject: City response to hate crime Hello Councilors, I am a faculty member at the University of Iowa and wanted to express some issues that have arisen in the wake of the hate crime on April 30. We appreciate how responsive the ICPD had been in coordinating with the University to provide updates and support to University students (and faculty and staff) in response to this traumatic event. However, I have been surprised that in the news coverage and on City website, Iowa City officials have not released any statement that condemns the attack and acknowledges it as a traumatic experience for our entire community, not only University students. I have had conversations with community members of color who are fearful of frequenting downtown businesses after dark while (as far as we know) the assailants are still at large. In addition, I think the entire community would benefit from a public statement that also provides information about resources for community members who are feeling affected by the news of the hate crime. The coverage and information released by ICPD so far seems to suggest that this only impacts University students. I have been waiting for our City leadership to publicly denounce racist violence, inform the broader community of an update on whether the investigation has unearthed whether the assailants are still a threat to other citizens, and where community members can access support (e.g., the Crisis Center). I think that a public statement from the City leadership to the entire community who has been shaken and unsettled would be incredibly valuable as we come together to heal and move forward. Thank you for your consideration and your leadership, Alison Oliver 1802 7th Avenue Ct Iowa City, IA 52240 Alison Oliver, MSW Lecturer University of Iowa School of Social Work 353 North Hall Iowa City, IA 52242 (319)335-1253 Marian Karr From: Lula Palmer <lula@brentopalmer.com> Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2016 8:53 PM To: Council Subject: Marcus Owens Assault To: Iowa City Council Members I am concerned about the Marcus Owens Assault this past week and the progress in apprehending the assailants. A despicable hate crime of this sort diminishes the livability, safety, and respect for people of color in our community. Please provide to me and the community any information you feel pertinent to continuing to make Iowa City a safe and respectable place to live for minorities. A public statement of support from City leadership would be helpful. I recently attended a Racial Equity Workshop taught by the Racial Equity Institute (htto://rei.racialeciuityinstitute.or¢/wpsite/). The workshop was sponsored by the University of Iowa College of Public Health and spaces were opened to the public. It would be a very beneficial workshop for you, as City Council Members, Iowa City Administrators and workers, and the Iowa City Police Department. Sincerely, Mr. Kim W. Palmer 803 McCollister Ct. Iowa City, IA 52240 269-579-1968 Marian Karr 4f(8) From: Harry03 <Harry03@aol.com> Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 1:13 PM To: Marian Karr Cc: Geoff Fruin; Simon Andrew Subject: Fwd: Why New York Citys Underserved Communities Deserve a Plastic Bag Fee - Cityl-ab Sent from my Galaxy Tab® A -------- Original message -------- From: HarryO3 <HarryO3@aol.com> Date: 05/06/2016 1:09 PM (GMT -06:00) To: marion-karr@iowa-city.org Cc: Geoff Fruin <Geoff-Fnrin@iowa-city.org>, Simon Andrew <Simon-Andrew@iowa-city.org> Subject: Why New York City's Underserved Communities Deserve a Plastic Bag Fee - CityLab Marion please pass this article on to city council members. htto://www.cityIab.conilcitvfixerl2016/05/why-new-vorks-underserved-communities-deserve-a-plastic-bag- fee/481554/?utm source=nl link5 050616 HarryO Sent from my Galaxy Tab@ A CityFixer Free Shopping Bags Have Already Cost the Poor Too Much New York's new five -cent fee is exactly what low-income communities need to lighten the waste burdens they live with daily. • Brentin Mock • @brentinmock • May 5, 2016 Ask the Whole Foods worker to double -bag your groceries in New York City and that'll add an extra dime to your bill now, thanks to a new five -cent bag fee passed by New York City Council Thursday. You might think that this will suck for the average low-wage resident. However, providing unlimited free bags for purchased goods has been harmful for the health and environmental protection of poor communities of color, say proponents of the new fee. The New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (NYCEJA), a coalition of organizations focused on strengthening low-income communities, came out in strong support of the bag fee, even as many city council members said the fee would hit poor customers' pocketbooks the hardest. The bag fee bill passed with one of the most narrow margins of victory in the city council's recent history, 28-20, according to The New York Times, due to entrenched opposition along class lines. Simcha Felder, a New York state senator and former city council member who fought against the fee, told The Times that it is "nothing less than a tax on the poor and the middle class—the most disadvantaged people." However, considering the waste created by discarded bags—which too often end upin the streets and rivers—those pollution costs already fall hard on the poor. So wrote Eddie Bautista, executive director of the NYCEJA, in a Gotham Gazette op- ed he penned this week along with Brooklyn Movement Center executive director Mark Winston Griffith: What do "free" plastic bags have to do with environmental justice? The bag that many of us were given today is just one of 9.37 billion plastic bags that make their way into the city's waste stream every year—assuming it doesn't end up polluting our waterways. A whopping 91,000 tons of plastic bags are hauled on diesel trucks for processing at transfer facilities clustered in industrial waterfront neighborhoods, including North Brooklyn, Sunset Park, and the South Bronx. Our communities, more than all others in New York, suffer the noxious fumes and noise pollution, the traffic congestion and unsafe streets, the high rates of asthma and respiratory problems, and the general neighborhood blight caused in part by our city's love affair with this icon of disposable convenience. Customers can expect to pay the nickel fee at most major retail and grocery outlets (not restaurants and small street vendors) as a measure to encourage people to bring along their own reusable shopping bags. Those shopping with food stamps or who are on other financial assistance from the government will not have to pay the fee. While cities including San Francisco and Washington, D.C., also charge a fee for shopping bags, New York's version is strikingly different: For one, the New York City fee will be applied to both paper and plastic bags (the other cities only charge for plastic). D.C.'s bag fees have gone to helping clean up the A_nacostia River, once one of the nation's most polluted rivers—and one that is located near one of the district's poorest black neighborhoods. The New York City fee won't be linked to any charitable or environmental efforts. Instead, retailers get to keep the nickels. The D.C. method of applying bag fees to river cleanup has created multiple benefits for low-income families in the Southeast portion of D.C., east of the Anacostia River. Residents get jobs supporting the river restoration efforts, and school kids now can go on nature field trips funded by the fee—though these benefits have been under -appreciated. Greater Greater Washington also notes that disposable -bag use has been reduced by nearly 72 percent since the fee kicked in, which means less waste flowing through these neighborhoods. With over 9 billion plastic bags circulating through New York City's waste stream every year, low-income residents could certainly live better with D.C.'s level of bag - use reduction. As Bautista and Griffith wrote in their op-ed, "Faced daily with these burdens, low-income New Yorkers of color already know the high cost of `free' plastic bags." 4f(9) Marian Karr From: BLT <blt376@aol.com> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 9:39 AM To: Joseph Lear Cc: annem.duggan@gmail.com; sandraarmbruster@msn.com; laplandlarry@gmail.com; Geoff Fruin; Kent Ralston; nehringhome@aol.com; Derek Johnk; Council Subject: Re: Keokuk/Highlans Avenue Traffic/Bike Lanes Joseph, Thank you for responding and for sending me the email chain. I am not at all surprised by Ms. Nagel's response. This is why we must join as a group and continue to make our concerns known. Once those stop signs are installed at Kirkwood & Summit we can most certainly see an increase of traffic moving thru the Highland - Keokuk intersection. Raised -marked crosswalks and/or median dividers might be our suggestion. I'd to hear from others. IMi Sent from my iPhone On May 9, 2016, at 7:56 AM, Joseph Lear <learjoseph(a)gmail.com> wrote: Dear Bob (and everyone else), You have my full support. Bob, I mentioned to you that I have been in contact with someone in the city offices. I will forward you what the email exchange I had. All the best, Joseph The Rev. Dr. Joseph Lear Lead Pastor Iowa City First Assembly of God 1330 Keokuk St. Iowa City, I.A. 52240 leariosenh(aburtail.com On May 7, 2016, at 12:22 PM, blt376aaol.com wrote: Dear Friends of Lucas Farms/Keokuk Street/Highland Avenue area, I am writing to you as most of you have expressed an interest in improving our neighborhood's traffic flow and bike/pedestrian safety. As long-time advocate of slowing the traffic in our neighborhood I am reaching out to you for your help. Highland Avenue residents have attempted to improve the traffic speed in our neighborhood twice. Two traffic studies have already shown that speeds exceed the established mean. Unfortunately, we have failed to come up with a viable solution to this problem. Every day I watch as cars or trucks race along Highland Avenue. I believe that the future placement of the "3 -way stop" at the intersection of Kirkwood Avenue and Summit Street will significantly impact Highland Avenue. Motorists will be looking for a speedy alternative to Kirkwood and/or Highway 6. Highland Avenue will be that alternative! The only stops are at the end of the street and in the middle at Keokuk. Residents on Keokuk have recognized that they already have a speeding problem. Many are concerned about the potential for injury to residents, especially children, once the Highland Park renovations are complete. I would ask each of you to help join me in looking for potential improvements to Keokuk and Highland Avenue. How can we make these streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists? We have seen accidents on Keokuk in the recent past. We have also had a drunk driver rear -end a school bus on Highland. And, the 3 -way stop on Kirkwood is being reestablished in part due to a bike -car accident. It is my belief that we can make these two streets "gateways" into the Lucas Farm neighborhood, Highland Park, and Sycamore Marketplace. Is it feasible to develop bike lanes on these streets? Might we create decorative "medians" that would force traffic to slow at our intersections and crosswalks? Could "elevated crosswalks" be considered near the school crossings on Highland and Deforest Avenues? I think there are many possible alternatives. But, I cannot achieve this alone. Please contact me if you are interested in joining me to petition the City of Iowa City for their help. Share your ideas with your neighbors, solicit their help to join us. If you are members of bicycle, neighborhood and/or Blue Zone groups, school associations, or church groups please enlist their help. It is time that we as neighborhood members stand together to make our streets safer, more beautiful, and an enjoyment to share with the drivers passing through. I welcome your help and comments! Bob Temple 1402 Yewell St Iowa City b1t3760aol.com 4f(10) Marian Karr From: Jack Cumming <john.henry.cumming@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 7:00 AM To: Council Subject: Uber in Iowa City Attachments: LTE IC Uber.docx Hello, I sent in a hard letter to Mayor Pro -Temp Botchway, however I'm not sure if it reached him. The reason why I wrote in was regards to Uber in Iowa City. I understand that the vote is over, and the measures have passed to allow ride -sharing companies exemptions from our background checks, established by the 2014 City Council. After seeing the New York Times article about Austin, Texas and their vote on Uber/Lyft driver background checks, I decided to send in my original letter(something I should have done originally). I don't expect anything to change, but I hope that you take a look and consider the points I made. Best, Jack Cumming I/ Jack Cumming 12111 Street SE Washington, DC 20003 Dear Mayor Pro -Tempore Botchway II, My name is Jack Cumming and I am an Iowa City native and currently live in Washington, D.C. I am a former student body vice president at the University of Iowa and lived in Iowa City for 23 years before to moving to D.C. for my current job. Despite living in D.C, I still wear my Iowa colors with pride, and follow up with the current events that go on in town. One of the things that recently caught my attention was the online newspaper story about the Iowa City Council's unanimous support for Uber after the Wednesday, March 23 meeting. I am not 100% opposed to Uber coming to Iowa City; in fact, I'm sure that there are plenty of people who have been enamored by it when they visit cities that have this new wave cab service. Living in D.0 where the metro system isn't always the most reliable, I've taken my fair share of Lyft and Uber rides, and understand the convenience and simplicity of the system. I also understand the frustrations that these services add onto clients such as sporadic surge pricing. I also agree with statements from your colleagues in the Council that the transportation sector is changing, and that we shouldn't halt progress in our community. However, with progress comes the responsibility to maintain everyone's safety and best interests. I'm asking that as a voting member of our City Council, you stand firm and not drop the current requirements of an ICPD background check and a Class D Drivers License to receive a city issued permit. According to an article written in the Detroit Free Press, Uber will not change their current policies regarding background checks despite last month's Kalamazoo shooting, and numerous assaults by their drivers since the company launched. They responded by saying that the current system was sufficient without going into too much detail. I hope that as you make your decision, you stand strong with our previous council's decision to uphold and strengthen the measures to keep our community members safe as they use taxi services. Finally, I also ask that you think about the current 263 licensed drivers (according to the taxi driver list on your website) and their vulnerability to the current change in the market. I believe in capitalism by all means, and I think that the addition to Lyft and Uber to Iowa City would be popular to many community members, especially students. I worry that those who will profit from this won't be the drivers who are currently making a living off of taxi services, but part-time drivers, most likely students, who already have the updated vehicles required to operate Uber. I don't know what the solution would be to help those who may be vulnerable to this expansion, and maybe there isn't one, however, I do think that it is worth discussing as a council. Thank you very much for reading my letter. I understand that you're incredibly busy, and I appreciate everything that you do for the Iowa City community. I'll be looking forward to hearing how everything turns out with this issue. Good luck coming up with a decision. Best, Jack Cumming 4f(11) Marian Karr From: Fred Meyer <Fred.meyer@BackyardAbundance.org> Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 10:56 AM To: Council Subject: Outdoor Edible Classroom Establishment on May 15 Attachments: EdibleOutdoorClassroom.pdf; Media Release - Edible Classroom Establishment.docx Greetings, City Council Members. We invite you to join Iowa City Parks and Recreation, Backyard Abundance and other community members in establishing the Outdoor Edible Classroom, a beautiful space on the south side of the downtown rec center. Outdoor Edible Classroom Establishment Sunday, May 15 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center 220 S. Gilbert Street, Iowa City The classroom provides important educational support for the recent "Regenerative City Day" proclamation. Thank you for this proclamation and all you are doing to expand urban agriculture, composting and native plantings. All these components will be easily demonstrated and taught in the edible classroom. Please see the attached media release and design document for more information. We have many other events lined up for this year as part of our Regenerative Landscapes program. We hope you can join us at the event this Sunday or at an event in the near future. Fred Meyer Co -Director, Backyard Abundance hq://www.BackyardAbundance.org https://www.facebook.com/BackyArdAbundance 319-325-6810 ROBERT G. DOSTAL 326 DOUGLASS ST 05/05/16 TO: Jim Throgmorton, Mayor City of Iowa City RE: Sidewalk infills Douglass St., Douglass Ct., Greenwood Dr. Honorable Mayor: IOWA CITY IA 52246 0 —TriTfr- 4f(12) After deliberations over improving the Miller -Orchard Neighborhood were completed in the spring of 2009, an attractive booklet was issued summerizing transactions. I was stunned when I came to the subject of sidewalk infills. I don't think the subject was brought up at the sessions or I would remember wall maps and comments. I would have made comments. Several months later, I had a telephone conversation with the City Engineer over sidewalk infills. I was amazed at his familiarity with this part of town. After he explained to me why they had to do what they were doing on Hwy 1, 1 brought up the Miller -Orchard proposal. I told him it was just plain dumb. He said to convey my thoughts to the City Council and there was no hurry. He should have left out "no hurry" because I put it off until I forgot about it. This afternoon, I was mowing the lawn. There was a portion of a sheet of paper in the grass. I picked it up and looked at it and noticed that it pertained to an April 28 meeting of residents of the immediate neighborhood on the subject of sidewalk infills on Douglass St. & Douglass Ct. I guess it got loose when I emptied the mail box. But I don't see how it would have survived out there for approx. 3 wks. without totally disentigrating. (The battered paper is enclosed along with pages of the neighborhood improvement booklet.) The infill map in the booklet looks like the urban planning students who were assisting us got out the sidewalk map and arbitrarily filled in the blanks. (They were interesting guys but nobody other than myself would visit with them after the meetings.) I highlighted my own personal objections to sidewalks on Douglass St.& Douglass Ct. on the paper found in the grass. I am also taking the liberty to speak for Greenwood Dr. A sidewalk through the wildlife refuge behind the Roosevelt Center makes no sense unless your relatives are bats and snakes. There is a sidewalk on the opposite side of Greenwood. The wildlife refuge is an abandoned outdoor natural science classroom. If restored, the trail would be renewed with the appropriate gravel. On P.30 of the booklet, we note that "Owners of properties where sidewalk gaps exist need to approve of sidewalk placement." The neighbors have a sidewalk and you don't, or vice versa? I could comment on a few more things but this is not a thesis on stupid public works in the midst of a castle of learning. Thanks for listering, encl. 2 -> cc. Paula Swygard o plans for new of Douglass 5t. '�ryou? Find out! . ithhyour neighbors Til 28, at 5:30P d I at 426 Douglass Str6d- atlp as 2014,' with the additions �Kdewalks illerand Hudson StNpts-�--bot'busy - .,a connectivity canoe. enhanced in`ott; e sidewalks constructqd With great scnsitvdPtQ nent of those streets. U1 neighbors are objecting I to the extent Rk- ,LANS TO ADDS 5 FOOT WIDE CONC )F DOUGLASS ST. & CT. Because these streets -sac, they arguably do not need sidewalks at, all, of warrant bekng torn up and paved over on a scale hrZ)IIstreets like 4 V'4"09 our la s will hove significant impact ghborhoodiind.WQing the following 'PHIIP:.. ting in our driveways by 11. feet. For drl4tMY0Athoqt a that'does not even toave enough room to*egally paik twq� of houses responsible for cqnstaT i:�a. it snow ftrqo n average 250 otf�r face fines fpr pon CQM -s inside that.1 I feet, including some with beauelf4l fa.4- es would have to be rnovedprtorn down.- ' lawns size by an average Of 1/3 MMIC , nnglng 4estn vt�alki.' A g dogs I i feet closer bto our hurnfis. -tend this meeting, please, contact one of W Paula Swygard 426 D6d ss St. '-,334 Douglass St. Co cn Planning for Action, Neighbors for Improving Miller-Orchard w &x��aa�..2"i k•* x &a '^ "--.'� § • ''" ," \ - e�eocy �. S9 J` P flx s, ^a y+ x •:�,.-: ��'4•'� '�" 3� s :w �'�a5 g¢�"a' +ams'- `"� �k s k r s�wa... u:4:�., e rn-w� i mrT 5 nax� G•• � 3.. '�` ;. '�eie�.^y "� � �, a�L�. RAeiMd a1. # ✓" a .tet a 'S.� m`a'memn � - 3i cie.x xis x'S<�`^.;- Y� F4 d`�'. oe v P' ®/ The columns under the Iowa Interstate Railroad bridge creates a: dangerous pedestrian way along the west side of Riverside Drive. Photos Doug Ongie Iowa City, Iowa 30 STRATEGY 3: CREATE A SAFER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR RESIDENTS, PEDESTRIANS, AND VISITORS Goal 3: Improve Neighborhood Sidewalk Network Long-term, 5 year project Sidewalk Infill Program WMy. The. City of Iowa City designates money to support sidewalk infill in each budget cycle areaswheEe gaps In thesidewalk network exist . Money can be used fo a Y' . m.y" Neighborhood Advocacy Miller -Orchard residents should work with lCCOG to identify gaps in the sidewalk net- work • Owners of propertieswhere sidewalk gaps exist need to approve of sidewalk placement.` Residents should also work with JCCOG for the widening of the pedestrian way under the Iowa Interstate Railroad bridge along the west side of Riverside: Drive in order to improve pedestrian safety . Advocate for Capital Improvement Project #49: Riverside Drive Pedestrian Tunnel . Advocate for Capital Improvement Project #29: Sidewalk -Benton Contact . Kent Ralston, Transportation Planner at(319)356-5253 or kent-ralston@iowa-city.org . Kris Ackerson, Transportation Planner at.(319)356 5247 or kristopher- Marcia Bollinger, Neighborhood Services Coordinator at (319) 356-5237 or marcia- bol I i nger@ Iowa-city-org J INCOMPLETE SIDEWALK NETWORK MAP: MODSIOE DR li Continental Crosswalks -- -� Missing Sidewalks Residential District Commercial District Parcels .I i r YELLOW= DOAl r aD /T 31 From: Jeff McGinness <jmcginness@winestyles.net> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 1:29 PM To: Council Subject: Asleep at the Wheel? Council Members, First, thank you for your time and service to our community. Having served in a similar position on the School Board I recognize there is never enough time to address the many important issues in our community. While I am no longer on the board and I am enjoying more time with my family I remain deeply involved and committed to the well-being of this community. My father worked for the City for nearly 35 years and oversaw most of the downtown improvement projects you are now looking to refresh. I am nearly a life-long resident of this community and a product of Wood, Horn, SEJH and City. I now live on the West side with 3 kids currently attending Weber. I returned to the community after 6 years away to raise our family here with the belief they would get as good of education I had. I am no longer certain that is the case I am writing to express my extreme disappointment in last night's attendance area vote by the new school board. I am similarly wanting to express my disappointment in you, Council members, at not becoming more involved in this process. By way of background, something this district needed for a long time was a clear vision and strategic plan. For too long, and across multiple areas, it seemed our district was always operating in a reactionary fashion. Not only reacting to the growth and equity issues, but equally reacting to whichever voices seemed the loudest in any given moment. This reactionary stance placed the district in a hypercompetitive position over limited funds and crippled any real progress with regards to the balance and equity issues in our district. While boundaries were repeatedly examined and acknowledged by the district and community as needing attention the result was always "not now," "next year," "when the next school opens," "let's wait to see what happens with funding," and, the most troubling, "why should we do anything when it can just be undone by the next board." For once, in a very long time, the district put in motion a clear plan and vision for the district. What seems particularly important with the plan is that it wasn't merely just a "facility plan" adopted after a few board meetings. Rather, it was a plan developed after thousands of hours of input from our community. Even then, it wasn't left as merely a facility plan. Rather, it was overlapped with a comprehensive funding and development plan. Yet, it didn't stop there. The last, and perhaps most crucial piece, was the equity issues and initiatives that were interwoven into the "facility" plan. The board unquestionably recognized the interdependence of those three items in finally brining our district together — facilities, funding and equity. I recall when the ICCSD was going through the Revenue Purposes Statement vote not too long ago. This was the first step in insuring the future funding needed by way of SAVE funds for our Facility Master Plan funding. The City and Mayor at that time were very involved with the board and superintendent in insure pieces were in place that would harmonize with the City's goals of balance and equity. The end result was support from the City on the RPS and a balanced plan across the spectrum. It seems clear based on last night's ICCSD Board vote that the current board is reversing course on its promise to the past council and has no intentions on working with the City on addressing the equity and imbalance issues that exist in our community. On the contrary, last night's vote will serve to only exacerbate the equity and imbalance, compromises the bond vote and return us to a situation where we are again competing with ourselves over limited funding — funding that will unquestionably be diverted away from aging infrastructure in our core to the new seats needed to keep up with the growth in the north. Stated another way and bluntly, you can kiss goodbye those 10 mil rehabs to Mann and Longfellow. I recall many of you campaigning on "progressive" ideals which would seem to run contrary to last night turn of events. With that in mind, this wasn't something that arose out of the blue. The writing was on the wall and many were seeing a clear push towards this vote. It begs the question, therefore, where were you? Why was the City Council not informed and involved? The current Mayor has shown up to meetings before when we dialed back the addition to Mann — why was he not there last night? Doesn't this have equal or greater impact on our community and potentially lead to revisiting the closure of core schools? If you truly are a "progressive" council, I respectfully request that you become involved; immediately. Request a meeting with the board. Hold hostage support for the bond similar to what was done with the Revenue Purpose Statement. Demand that equity and balance be returned to our attendance zones. Anything short of that will undermine the credibility of your progressive vision for our community. Jeff McGinness WineStyles Tasting Station - IRL 920 E. 2nd Ave, Suite 115 Coralville, Iowa 52241 (t) (319)383-4485 (f) (877) 917-1699 www.winestyles.net Marian Karr From: redjcmarie2 . <redjcmarie@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 10:23 PM To: Council Subject: ICCSD Dear Iowa City Council, Thank you for your time and service. Every election I follow your impassioned platforms and this last round there were many who stood for representing progressive voices. I would humbly ask, WHERE were you over the last weeks as the ICCSD Board dismantled a set of approved secondary boundaries, boundaries that created equitable learning environments for all children, regardless of zip code and family income. Once again, we have a slim majority of the ICCSD BOE supporting a two-tiered school system in which wealthy and largely white students have advantaged schools and low SES students are in less and sometimes much less than optimal educational environments. I would expect you all to be fighting this tooth and nail, and that you do not support racial and socioeconomic segregation in our schools. For many children in poverty, their public education is their one, last, best springboard to a better life for themselves and their children, and a means to break the cycle of generational poverty. I ask you to act, clearly and decisively, to make clear to the BOE that this offensive action must not stand. Janet Clark Marian Karr 4f(14) From: Jeff Biggers <jrbiggers@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 4:30 PM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; Jim Throgmorton; John Thomas; Pauline Taylor; Susan Mims; Terry Dickens; Rockne Cole; Kingsley Botchway; Brenda Nations Subject: Regenerative Cities info Dear Mayor Throgmorton, council and staff, Thanks again for your support of the "Regenerative City Day" proclamation issued on May 3rd. The proclamation received considerable praise from local, national and international organizations --from noted urban revitalization expert Storm Cunningham in Washington, DC to the Compact of Mayors in New York City to the World Future Council/Future of Cities Forum in Germany. Below are some clips from the Huffington Post, the national Ecowatch journal, and Revitalization News newsletter. I'm pleased to note that the University of Iowa Press will be publishing a book, Ecopolis Iowa City: Creating a Regenerative City in the Heartland, in the spring of 2017, featuring the contributions of 50 UI scholars, local and nationally known writers, urban planners, farmers and advocates, focusing on Iowa City as a case study in regenerative urban development. Over the past two years, we've shared various reports on regenerative city initiatives with IC city staff and officials. Some backbround reports from the Future of Cities Forum might be of particular interest: Imagine a Regenerative City ft://www.energy-cities.eu/IMG/vdf/future of cities forum report public.pdf Regenerative Cities Report http://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/WFC 2010 Regenerative Cities.Rdf Thanks again for your time and work. We look forward to working together with city staff and officials in pursuing the goals of a regenerative city. Revitalization News: Iowa City Regenerative City hgp://revitalizationnews.com/article/mayor-says-iowa-city-to-become-regenerative-city-for-climate-action/ Huffington Post: IC Mayor Issues Regenerative City Proclamation http://www.huffin t�oppost.com/ieff-bipgers/iowa-city-mayor-issues-re b 9838340.htm1 EcoWatch: Breakthrough Proclamation Puts Iowa City in Forefront httr)://ecowatch.com/2016/05/04/iowa-citv-regenerative-citv-dav/ Best, Jeff Biggers Jeff Biggers www.ieffbiggers.com Late Handouts Distributed\�) Marian Karr From: Becky Ross <beckyross@aol.com> Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2016 10:00 PM (Date) To: Council Subject: "Regenerative City Day' proclamation on Tuesday at the Iowa City council meeting. Dear Mayor Jim Throgmorton and city council members, I am so proud of all you are doing to make Iowa City a clean, green place for citizens and future generations. I can't help but think that Barbara Schlachter is smiling about this proclamation. I wish I had been at the meeting last Tuesday! Congratulations! I and many others are behind you all the way! Becky Ross Marian Karr 4f(15) From: MurphyGeerdes <mg9425@mchsi.conn> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 12:14 AM To: Council Cc: Marcia Bollinger Subject: Invitation to Neighborhood Council Meeting Dear Council Members, On behalf of Iowa City's Neighborhood Council, I am writing to invite you to send one or more council members to an upcoming Neighborhood Council meeting. Our Neighborhood Council would like to hear from you about where you envision Iowa City heading in the future and have you listen to the thoughts of those in attendance. Upcoming dates for Iowa City's Neighborhood Council meetings are as follows: June 8 July 13 August 10 September 14 People may be more likely to be on vacation in July and August so if we could make the June or September meeting work, that would be great. The time is from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Marcia Bollinger of Iowa City staff coordinates these meetings, which are scheduled for the Helling Conference Room (Lobby Conference Room, Iowa City City Hall - 410 E Washington). If we can settle on a date, Marcia will determine whether there is a larger room available. If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to having you attend one of our meetings. Mary Mary Murphy 890 Park Place Iowa City, Iowa 52246 319/400-7464 m 90425(i�mchsi.com r ^�� CITY OF IOWA CITY 4f(16) ®��� MEMORANDUM - Date: May 2nd, 2016 To: City Clerk From: Darien Nagle-Gamm, Sr. Transportation Engineering Planner Re: Item for May 17`h, 2016 City Council meeting; Installation of YIELD signs at (21) uncontrolled four-way intersections As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (5); Install YIELD signs (where indicated) at the following intersections: Pickard Street (YIELD) at Ginter Avenue Yewell Street (YIELD) at Ginter Avenue Franklin Street (YIELD) at Ginter Avenue Ginter Avenue (YIELD) at Ash Street Yewell Street (YIELD) at Friendly Street Friendly Avenue (YIELD) at Franklin Street Ash Street (YIELD) at Friendly Avenue Friendly Avenue (YIELD) and Pine Street Ridge Street (YIELD) at Friendly Avenue Lukirk Street (YIELD) at Friendly Avenue Cottonwood Avenue (YIELD) and Broadway Street Crescent Street (YIELD) at Euclid Avenue Broadway Street (YIELD) at Euclid Avenue Tempe Court (YIELD) / Tempe Place (YIELD) at Flagstaff Drive Tempe Place (YIELD) at Lake Shore Drive Dunley Court (YIELD) at Lake Shore Laredo Court (YIELD) / Laredo Drive (YIELD) at Wild Prairie Drive Heather Court (YIELD) / Heather Drive (YIELD) at Glendale Road Chadwick Lane (YIELD) at Eversull Lane Charles Drive (YIELD) at Gustav Street Indigo Court (YIELD) / Indigo Drive (YIELD) at Whispering Meadow Drive Comment: This action is being taken to assign the right-of-way at these uncontrolled four-way intersections to make negotiating the intersections more predictable for the travelling public. The City's recent policy has been to assign the right-of-way to one street at all four-way intersections. These particular intersections were constructed before that policy was implemented; therefore YIELD signs are being installed to clearly identify the right-of-way. r �I.p CITY OF IOWA CITY 4f(17) n 91 nr';7`1 MEMORANDUM Date: May 2nd, 2016 To: City Clerk From: Darian Nagle-Gamm, Senior Transportation Engineering Planner Re: Item for May 17`h, 2016 City Council meeting; Installation of STOP signs at (6) uncontrolled intersections As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (5); Installation of STOP signs (where indicated) at the following intersections: Swisher Street (STOP) at Foster Road Brighton Green Street (STOP) / Guildford Court (STOP) at Village Road Brighton Green Street (STOP) / Tyler Court (STOP) at Village Road Calvin Court (STOP) / Calvin Avenue (STOP) at Westgate Street Keswick Street (STOP) at Westgate Street Gilmore Court (STOP) at Westgate Street Comment: This action is being taken to assign the right-of-way at these uncontrolled intersections to make negotiating the intersections more predictable for the travelling public. The City's recent policy has been to assign the right-of-way to one street at all four-way intersections. These particular intersections were constructed before that policy was implemented; therefore STOP signs are being installed to clearly identify the right-of-way. f m 4L, 11-1 A * W-1 seamNva ,