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ITEM 2. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED
ITEM 2d(5) MORMON TREK 4 -LANE TO 3 -LANE CONVERSION -
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY
INTERESTS NECESSARY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE MORMON
TREK 4 -LANE TO 3 -LANE CONVERSION PROJECT
Throgmorton: I wonder if staff, uh, Kent perhaps, could begin by just briefly describing, uh, the
project itself and ... and then perhaps Eleanor can say a word or two about, uh....
the legal aspects of this.
Karr: Can we have it on the floor, please?
Throgmorton: Oh, sure!
Botchway: So moved.
Dickens: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Dickens. (both talking)
Ralston: Yes, thank you, uh, Kent Ralston, Transportation Planner. Yeah, generally, uh;
the project that is referenced in the resolution that's before you is for the Mormon
Trek four to three -lane conversion, which we had hired a consultant to look at, uh,
some time ago, um, there was a memo in your Information Packet, uh, for your
last Information Packet, describing the project itself. Generally speaking it's to
reduce the number of lanes on Mormon Trek, uh, roughly between.... Westside
Drive, I believe it is, um.....to Melrose is the idea. So north to Melrose. Uh,
reducing it from four lanes to three lanes, uh, and then the addition of bike lanes.
Uh, any specific questions about the actual resolution before you I'd defer to Scott
Sovers, uh, who put that resolution together.
Throgmorton: Uh..... I'm .... much of it has to do with the intersection itself, does it not, at ... uh, at
Benton and Mormon Trek?
Ralston: Right! Much ... I mean the bulk of the project is to reduce collisions, I mean that's
the real crux behind a four -lane to three -lane conversion or a road diet, as we call
them. Um .... this corridor happens to have, uh, one of the highest collision rates
for a mid -block section in Iowa City and it's also got, uh, Rohret and Benton
Street, which also ranks pretty high, uh, top 20 I believe, in Iowa City. Uh, in
number and severity of collisions. Um.....and, uh, the... the.... the purpose behind
the road diet is much to reduce collisions. That's the real, uh, principle behind it
and the Department of Transportation, as I think you all know, also, uh, backed
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regular formal meeting of February 16, 2016.
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the project to the tune of $500,000 in terms of a traffic improvement safety
program grant.
Throgmorton: Right. Okay, uh.... Eleanor, uh, you want to make a comment or two about the
legal aspects of this?
Dilkes: Sure. It'll just be our standard, uh, acquisition process which for the most part is
set by the State Code. Um, once we receive the acquisition plats that show either
the right-of-way that we need to acquire or the temporary construction easement
or permanent easement that we need to acquire — it looked to me like most of the
right-of-way acquisitions would just be simple acquisitions, where buying the
actual property is around the intersections.
Ralston: Right, right, and I think maybe I missed that question too, or the answer to that
question is, uh, northbound, uh, the proposal is to construct a dedicated right tum
lane, northbound at Benton Street.
Throgmorton: Northbound on Mormon Trek (both talking)
Ralston: Correct!
Throgmorton: .... at Benton Street, yeah. Okay. Good (both talking)
Dilkes: Um, and then we.....we send an offer out. There's a 10 -day waiting period, um,
we have a period of trying to negotiate a resolution. If we're unable to negotiate a
resolution, then .... then there's a formal condemnation process.
Throgmorton: And we're not talking about.... acquiring large amounts of property, right?
Dilkes: No.
Throgmorton: .... this is just minor adjustments really at that intersection and maybe couple other
spots.
Ralston: Correct, and .... and again, I defer to Scott Sovers who's actually working through
that, um, but yes, that's my understanding.
Throgmorton: Okay, any questions for Eleanor or Kent or perhaps Scott?
Botchway: I guess I don't necessarily have questions for ... the property acquisition that's on
the table tonight, and so I .... I guess I'm worried that I'm asking questions that
may not necessarily .... it's .... it's about the four -lane to three -lane conversion
overall, but.....
Dilkes: I think that's okay.
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Botchway: It's okay, all right. So I .... I know that we've talked about safety (mumbled) Kent
has as well, and Kent, you don't have to stand up there. I don't think I have any
questions for you, but um, and maybe somebody else has questions and so I
apologize, but um.....I'm gettin' a lot of pushback about this four to three -lane
and I did spend some time talkin' to John. Um, I know it's an important issue and
I want to be clear and guys in the back that are writing away, I do believe in
safety, like I don't want to say that I'm not believing in safety. It's just.....I live
in that neighborhood. There is .... I believe there will be a substantial traffic flow
issue, and that's, you know, backed up by the evidence that was, you know,
shared with us as far as you know the A to C or A to B rating downgrade from
that perspective. Um, one of the things that John has talked about to me is, you
know, it is about safety. I mean you'll reduce the amount of speed, um .... um, and
it does make it more multi -modal, as far as that's concerned, um, my .... my
question or my ask or request is that we look at it more from a segmented
situation and so we would continue, um, I think that entire project goes from
Westside Drive all the way through... and maybe.... Melrose, okay, and so for that
we would only segment it off for, um, Benton — south to Melrose.
Throgmorton: You mean only do the road diet for that part?
Botchway: Correct. Only do the road diet for that part.
Mims: You mean Benton north to Melrose?
Botchway: There you go! I'm terrible (laughter and several talking) ...Benton north to
Melrose. Um, you know I think that Kent has shared some concerns, and
obviously John has as well as far as, you know, obviously the .... the.....the fact
there's a lot of residences in the area, um, and you know, that being where some
of the collisions may lie, from that standpoint, and I do agree that it's important
and so I don't want to not do it, um, but I .... I just don't see it, I mean, personally I
think it still messes up traffic flow and so I'm ... still in my head about that, uh, but
I ... I would feel more comfortable if we just segmented it off. It would be, I feel,
more of a "experiment," uh, it'd feel more like an experiment because it wouldn't
be the entire roadway. It would just be that segmented piece. Um .... that's my
proposal.
Throgmorton: Further discussion?
Dickens: I kind of follow Kingsley's thinking on that as well and .... mine is not the Benton,
or the ..... the Melrose area there. It's the First Avenue, which is ... will be coming
up too, and I hear a lot of pushback on that as well.
Throgmorton: But we're not addressing that (both talking)
Dickens: I know but that ... it follows with if we're gonna do this, most likely that's gonna
go through so it kind of is connected in a way.
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Mims: Well (both talking)
Dickens: But this is mainly acquisitions, I understand that (both talking)
Dilkes: Right, but we don't want to acquire property we don't need.
Dickens: Right.
Dilkes: So if you....
Botchway: But we would need.....we would need the right .... we would need the right turn
lane on Benton.
Dilkes: Right. I just...I don't know what .... I don't know all the specific acquisition needs
that are necessary so (both talking)
Botchway: Oh, okay!
Dilkes: ....in terms of carving off apiece of the project, if.....we would want to know
what that was before we started acquiring property.
Botchway: Gotcha!
Dilkes: Right. (several talking)
Throgmorton: Let's hear further discussion and .... then talk about (both talking)
Botchway: Okay.
Throgmorton:.... talk about Kingsley's specific proposal.
Taylor: I was confused when this actually came up because I also live in that
neighborhood and I'd heard more from my neighbors their concern about, uh,
southbound on Mormon Trek and trying to turn left onto Benton. I had not heard
any concerns or questions about turning right onto Benton from Mormon Trek.
Uh, a lot of folks complain that there ... you know, five, six, seven cars deep often
times waiting on Mormon Trek to turn left onto Benton, and they say they've
been requesting through the City to have a left turn light there for quite some time
but had not heard anything, and I was told well, give it some time and then if we
do the conversion there .... there would be a left tane... lane designated turn there,
so.....but that was my confusion.
Mims: Yeah, I think that will help. I ... I guess I would prefer to see us go ahead with the
whole scope that's laid out. I think particularly because you've got a number of
residential areas that streets come out onto Benton, south.... excuse me, that come
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out onto Mormon Trek, south of Benton. So if you're going to try to .... um...
facilitate more, um, bicycle traffic, then it seems to me we want to have those
bicycle lanes for people coming out of those residential areas, as well as ... I think
that turn, um, at Rohret Road and that ... that whole area is still an issue in terms of
protected left turn lanes from a safety standpoint. So .... again ..... yes, we're going
to do some .... some property acquisition, particularly where we're doing the right
turn lane, and maybe we'll have to come back and undo parts of these. We've
said we can do that if we need to, um, but I'm in favor of going ahead with what
we've got laid out so far.
Throgmorton: How bout the rest of you?
Cole: I am too .... and can we..... sort of talk a little bit about the safety issue as well?
I ... I just wondered if Kent could talk about ... just very super quickly, the actual
number of anticipated serious injury collisions we're projecting to reduce.
What ... what's our expectation on that?
Ralston: Right, so what the consultant said to the public, um, they indicated that a 25%
reduction in overall collisions might be a good number. If you actually look at
FHWA documents, they'll say up to like 44, or excuse me, 47% reductions have
been shown. So somewhere in that area, I think, is what we're looking for, but
needless to say, the reduction should be significant and measurable. Um, but
again, you know, upwards of 50% is what the FHWA will say. The consultant
saying more like 25%, and I think that's just them being conservative.
Cole: Okay, because I know we're just talking about the property acquisition, but I
think it is important to explain exactly why we get the safety improvement. It's
the left to left turn because of the blind spot. Most obvious example of that is on
Gilbert and Iowa, even though we're talking about, uh, Mormon Trek, where
you ... you can't see the car coming, have reduction in speed, and then you have a
dedicated turn lane. So there's a ton of research and I think for the next, um, Info
Packet I'm actually going to print out and put in the Council packet a complete
DOT study so people can review that for themselves. It's very simple, and I'll
also encourage people to sort of watch some Jeff Speck, um, he's outlined these
concerns, and I think every community that goes through this process articulates
these concerns, but after it's done the resistance goes down. So although we're
just considering the property acquisition, I'm fully in favor of making this next
step.
Throgmorton: I should have asked whether anybody wanted .... in the public, wanted to address
this topic, so having not done that, I should do it now. Would .... would anybody
care to address this topic? Okay, I don't see anybody. So .... well I'd like to
express my view about it, uh, and it kind of gets to the overall project, but in the
end it's really about the particular resolution. So it seems to me that this specific
proposal will improve the flow of traffic and facilitate turns at the .... at key
intersections, especially Benton and Mormon Trek. It'll reduce the risk of turn -
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related collisions on Mormon Trek, and it will provide dedicated space for
bicyclists, and it's not as if we're inventing the wheel with this project. There are
at least three similar roadways that have already been converted to three lanes —
Muscatine, part of First Avenue, and a substantial part of north Dodge. So I ... in
the end I agree with the City staff and .... and it's, uh, memo, um, providing
recommendation that the potential for slight increases in travel times and
congestion with ... with the project are secondary to the potential for making
meaningful increases in safety for the traveling public. So I certainly will support
this particular resolution.
Botchway: I would ... I would just state that I agree with, you know, your points on the ... the
particular, um, streets that you talked about but .... um, or not all .... all the way
agree but .... urn, this is a different road, I mean, it's a major arterial that's not only
connecting the highway into Iowa City, but also connecting Iowa City into
Coralville. It's not.... it's not a ... interior or ... it's not an interior street, um, and I
think all the ones you mentioned were streets that are more interior from that
standpoint (both talking)
Throgmorton: North Dodge is not .... that kind of street you just described. It ... it is, you know, a
major arterial coming into the core of the city.
Botchway: And that ... and I think that was a great point because I had the opportunity to work
on north Dodge, and it is packed with traffic, you know, I mean it's
not .... (laughs) it's not .... it's packed with traffic and there's no, you know (several
talking) I do think that there's some.... there's a change where, uh, you have the
majority of folks that may be coming in from the interstate go off on, you know,
to ACT but... it ... it's not a .... a great traffic flow location, and I think when you
take north Dodge and then you connect that to, um, kind of the two lanes that then
are created later on, I mean, you do get some, you know, heightened speeds
because people are trying to .... or maybe me or somebody else that looks like me
are trying to, you know ..... you know, get faster when they.....and then get past,
um, that kind of traffic jam that's there — HyVee to whatever that street is. So
I ... I ... I am supportive of safety, um, and I .... I am supportive of (laughter and
several talking) I was supportive (laughs)
Mims: ...except for projects! (laughter)
Botchway: ....as a form of safety (several talking and laughing) I am inclined ... I ... I actually
am inclined, um, to vote no, um, simply because I think that we can work on, um,
a better mix of, um, this particular area. I think, Susan, your point is well taken as
far as you know that we should go all the way up, and I think everybody wants it
to go all the way up, but you're the one that mentioned it, um, but urn .... I still
think that you know I'd be willing to do a better compromise of just .... or I think
it's a better compromise of, uh, you know.....(both talking)
Mims: You're out voted!
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Botchway: ....north Benton (laughter) to .... to Melrose, so.....
Throgmorton: Well, in a sense and spirit of fairness, is there support for Kingsley's suggestion,
that we do this.... segmented approach.
Cole: No, sorry.
Throgmorton: I don't .... I don't want to support it.
Dickens: I don't mind the turning lane but I think it needs to go all the way through... if
you're gonna do it.
Throgmorton: I think you don't have enough votes.
Taylor: I have to admit I'm a little torn on this because we .... we're always talking about
listening to public input, and it seems like when they had the public meetings,
there was a lot of anti -feelings (both talking)
Throgmorton: That's true!
Taylor: ....Mormon Trek, uh, conversion particularly, uh, as opposed to the First Avenue
one. So if we were listening to the public, we would think about those... those
kinds of concerns.
Throgmorton: That's true but we also have received I think in ... in excess of 25 emails from
people supporting, uh, the three-way... conversion to three-way.
Thomas: And I would just add it's....it's not uncommon before a project like this is
implemented to hear concerns and .... and then once it's implemented
it's... everyone's, not everyone but the majority of people support it.
Taylor: That happened with the Des Moines' project (several talking)
Mims: I think we always have to remember that .... we are elected to make the decisions. I
mean I ... I agree we have to listen to public input and .... but that to me is one thing
that we take into consideration, along with .... the, lots of time more detailed
information that we have and spend time studying, and the staff recommendations
that we spend time studying. Um, so .... I think that public input, while it's
valuable, that's why we're elected to make those decisions.
Throgmorton: Okay, we have a motion on the floor. Any further discussion? Hearing none, roll
call. Motion carries 6-1 .... uh, Botchway in the negative.
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ITEM 3. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). [UNTIL 8
PM
Throgmorton: Oh my gosh! Nineteen after we're getting to community comment. All right!
So, uh, this, uh, any member of the public can speak to, uh, address any particular
topic that's not on the formal meeting agenda. I'd like to ask you to keep your
comments to not more than five minutes, uh, and.....then we'll move from there!
So .... good evening, Crissy!
Canganelli: Good evening! Good evening, my name's Crissy Canganelli. I'm Executive
Director of Shelter House and also a resident of Iowa City. I've misplaced my
document! In the early spring, Shelter House was asked by the City to assist
tenants facing relocation due to redevelopment of the Rose Oaks' apartment
complex. The City made $15,000 in federal Home funds available, and the
development company and new ownership of Rose Oaks, the Tailwind Group,
made $30,000 in a private gift for this purpose. I thank both the City and
Tailwind Group, not only for the funding made abail.... made available, but for
their trust in our stewardship. I must emphasize this point because prior
communication has referenced this money as Shelter House money, and this is
simply not accurate. This is not Shelter House money. We are stewards of these
resources and for that matter, all funds that we manage in service to our mission
and to our community. With this pot of $45,000 we were given a job to do — to
assist Rose Oak tenants with relocating. We began offering relocation services
the week of April 1 Ia', on-site at Rose Oaks. We did so in a manner consistent
with our standing practices, documenting every expense, accounting for every
penny, and verifying the impact achieved. All funds were expended for client
expenses. We did not compensate ourselves for any staff time, meaning that my
staff donated their services to this project, volunteering over 300 hours of service.
These were salaried employees, so they were not paid additional, uh, payroll. Uh,
this was in addition to their regular work weeks. I also thank the Crisis Center,
Salvation Army, and Johnson County general assistance for the weeks that they
helped us out there too. We applied the lesson.... lessons learned from many
years of service to our community, and created a .... created as simplified and
streamlined a process as possible, while still remaining objective. Along the way
we learned important lessons about things that we consider obvious and intuitive
that simply confound people that do not come face-to-face with people .... with
poverty and rationing limited resources on a daily basis. We had animated
conversations with people about the fact ... that if we were working with a single -
parent household requiring a three-bedroom apartment versus a single adult
seeking an efficiency, the amount of money needed to secure an apartment would
likely be more than the other. The criminal histories and poor credit may
necessitate multiple applications for one, while another with no such history may
only require assistance with one application before securing an apartment, and
that from time to time financial assistance wasn't sought at all. Instead what was
needed were moving supplies, strong backs, a patient ear, and a truck. We sum...
soon learned that Home funds proved to be quite restrictive and inflexible. They
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are not well suited to this particular need. As a result very little of these funds
have been committed, with only $2,382 to date; however, there are currently three
households for whom we may be able to utilize Home funds in the future. In
contrast the private funds were entirely flexible and we were able to help
households in ways that we do not ordinarily have the ability to do at Shelter
House. These are also hard working individuals who are maintaining two and
three jobs, and through no fault of their own have become homeless. All the
while we remain true to the expectations and directed use of relocation. With that
said, I must re .... I must correct the figures that have been referenced in recent
correspondence to the Council dated July 28a, indicating a remaining balance of
$14,000 in private funds. I know this was addressed in your work session, but
these figures have been out and proliferated throughout the community through
all sources of media, and it creates a great concern on the part of the .... the tenants
who hope to apply for these funds. This figure was reported on July 5a' to the
City Council when dozens of tenants were finally faced with an August I51 move -
out deadline. Many were finally motivated to meet with us. With the move -outs
completed yesterday, we now only have a balance of $2,321.99. To date we've
assisted 42 households with financial assistance and many more with resources,
referral, and other support. Forty of the households assisted moved into
permanent housing. Even as late as yesterday afternoon a couple with whom
we'd worked for three months to find housing finally secured a lease and were
able to move. With that said, we moved 20 households yesterday and I thank all
of the volunteers from throughout our community who assisted with that effort
and in particular Geoff Fruin, Simon Andrew, and Jim Throgmorton. When
Shelter House was originally asked to help, I came to the work session and
forthrightly shared with you the fact that this was going to be messy, that we do
not have a magic wand, cannot make affordable housing appear, and that we do
not fix poverty. We were given a specific task and we educated that task with the
resources available to us. We've demonstrated both the use of the funds and their
impact. Over the years it's taken .... it's taken many years; we've built substantive
relationships with public and private partners throughout our community, all with
the intent of helping people in our community to move beyond homelessness.
We have stuck to the facts, found common ground, worked to build bridges,
established open and forthright communication, and built trust. We're building
substantive relationships with local developers — Hodge, Southgate, and (can't
hear) to name a few. Each has given of their time, talent, and resources, and in so
doing have advanced our .... advanced our mission and made a difference in the
lives of many experiencing homelessness in our community. I see no purpose in
vilifying or disparaging an entire industry, or in holding them uniquely
responsible for the challenges that we have .... as a community have created and
are together responsible for. I do not understand the politics of division,
exclusion, and negation for the challenges we face, in particular the affordable
housing crisis that we must confront require the abundance that can only be
achieved when we were all welcome to the table. Thank you.
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Throgmorton: Thank you, Crissy. Uh, I know we don't usually do this but I want to .... uh....
acknowledge the terrific job that you and your staff have done over the past many
weeks, under very difficult circumstances, and to .... praise you and to thank you
and to be very clear how important that work has been for ..... this situation.
Scott: Uh, good evening, uh, my name's Sally Scott. I'm Chair of the Johnson
Couty... County Affordable Housing Coalition. Slight change of name from the
Affordable Homes Coalition, and um, I'm really here to thank you. Uh, to thank
the Iowa City Council and the staff, uh..... some of whom are here, some of whom
are not here. Um .... it's .... it's been I think a really significant year for affordable
housing policy making, uh, in ordinance passing in Iowa City, uh.... in particular
there's the inclusionary housing ordinance in Riverfront Crossings, which, uh, if
I'm correct went into effect yesterday, I think, August I", um, which was passed,
uh, earlier this year, and (clears throat) it's really incredibly important step, I
think, in this long-term complex effort to address affordable housing. Um, and it
took time, it took a lot of time and a lot of effort on many people's part, but
without your.... willingness to consider it and your, uh, willingness to pass it, um,
we wouldn't be where we are, so I want to very much thank you for that. (clears
throat) Secondly, urn .... I think we're .... our Affordable Housing Coalition is, uh,
very excited to be working with staff and eventually with all of you on the
affordable housing action plan. Um, that's really a complex document with I
think 15 recommendations, some of which have .... have passed, but most of which
are, you know, to be considered to be .... to be researched, hopefully some of
which can... can, um ... be put into action sooner and others of which will take some
time. But .... truly appreciate the willingness of you and of staff to look at this
problem from a number of angles, um, you know we would all love .... I think as
Crissy said to kind of poof, make affordable housing appear. None of us can do
that. Um .... and it requires, um .... you know, really good policy, uh.... sustaining
that over time, improving it as we go along, and working with all the partners, uh,
developers, for-profit and non-profit, social service agencies, um, and, uh,
ordinary citizens to convince them that this is a .... a needed, um, addition to our
community, not ... not something that should be put somewhere else. Um, so...
very excited to see the next year or more, I think, devoted to putting that
affordable housing plan into final shape and into action. I think it'll make a huge
difference and it will be, um, you know, I think something we can, uh, look to as
we're talking to .... to other jurisdictions as well, not as a thing to copy necessarily
but as a model of ...um.....of willingness to address this issue in a very serious
way in this community, and I think ... I would just like to finish up saying I hope
we can get to the point where we have clear and measurable goals for affordable
housing. I think we're, um.....you know, it's hard to tell if we're making a
difference if we don't have those goals. So, that ... that'll be a .... a topic of
discussion in the future. Um, so .... again, thank you for, um, you know for taking
this very seriously. It's a national problem, um, and I think Iowa City's, uh, kind
of one of the places in the country that's really doing a good job in addressing it,
so thanks!
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Throgmorton: Thank you, Sally. Anyone else? Good evening.
Spencer: Hi there! I'll be brief. Um .... I just wanted to take an opportunity to introduce
myself. My name's Jamie Spencer, uh, new General Manager at the Iowa City
Press -Citizen and Press -Citizen Media. Um, as I, uh, hit the ground and .... and
get going in my new position, I look forward to meeting and knowing you all, uh,
and getting your perspective on.....on how the Press -Citizen can best serve the
community and facilitate discussion. So, uh, with that I'll leave you be, but uh, I
hope to get to know and meet you all! Thank you.
Throgmorton: Yeah, congratulations, Jamie, and welcome!
Spencer: Thank you very much!
Throgmorton: Others?
Beyhl: Roger Beyhl, I live on the east side of Iowa City.
Throgmorton: Hi, Roger.
Beyhl: How ya doin', guys? Most of ya! Um, recently they just installed some speed
humps. I call `em bumps but they're .... call `em on the signs says `humps,' but
uh, on Sandusky, and I also understand — I haven't been there yet — but over on
Langenberg, uh, they installed some also. Uh, I guess my question is, uh, can we
get `em some place else? I mean there's a hell of a lot of streets over there that,
uh, they drive pretty fast. I live on Sycamore, uh, Taylor Drive is a speed demon.
Burns, they come down Taylor and turn left on Burns and I mean they can't get
there fast enough. I mean even the little kids that are playin' know how fast
people drive over there, so I don't know if the intention of the City is to put more,
uh, speed humps some place else, uh, in that area or any place else in Iowa City,
uh, I ... I personally think that they won't be there in one year, uh, soon as the snow
falls, the City trucks, snow plows, are gonna take `em out, I think, you know,
unless they drive over `em very carefully like the rest of us have to do now, but
uh.... anyway, that was just my concern. It ... it just happened yesterday, I mean I
drove on the street the first time today. You guys probably haven't even been
there yet, but uh, none of you probably even driven on it yet but, uh, I don't know
if you remember, uh... few years back on Highland they tried this and they weren't
humps, they were islands.
Throgmorton: Chicanes. (both talking)
Beyhl: (mumbled) technical name for em, I don't know Huh?
Throgmorton: Chicanes.
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Beyhl: Chicanes, yeah, that's what it was, uh, they lasted probably about a year and the
same thing happened, uh, the winter months came along and City, uh, snowplows
took `em out. You know, they were damaged, people were driving over `em, and
about a year later they took `em out. So ... I don't know what the intention is. Uh,
I heard about this from some of the people that live down there, and it seems to
me that they're just congregated in one area. They're not all the way up and
down Sandusky, uh, the first block or so of Sandusky, off of Taylor, they're not
even there. Then they get down a little bit and they got about four of `em before
you get to Keokuk, uh, where you turn up the hill on, uh, I think Pepper Drive, uh,
from there on they're not even there, so .... they seem to be concentrated in about a
block area, and uh, must have been the residents of that area must of, uh, put a lot
of pressure on you people to, uh, get `em in front of their house, uh, to slow down.
It's like puttin', uh, oil on a .... on a gravel road so that the house doesn't get full
of dust, uh, just in front of their house. You know, so .... I don't know what the
plans are, to put more of `em down or .... put more out there or what but uh,
anyway, just....wanted to express that. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Roger, uh....(clears throat) I'd like to say something just for the
public's, uh, benefit. Uh, at our, um, what is it August 16th, in our August 16th
work session we will be discussing our neighborhood traffic calming policy. We
do have one and it, uh, we've been following it for years as a City Council, but
we'll be revisiting that policy on the 16a' because we know that there .... it needs to
be tweaked in various ways. So .... stay tuned! Would anybody else, uh, care to
address us, uh, on any other topic? That's not a part of the regular formal meeting
agenda. Good evening! Good to see you again!
Hampel: I ... I always kick this thing (laughter) when I come up here. Um, I'm Martha
Hampel. I'm on East Court Street. Um ... some of you probably know why I'm
here. Back in January ... urn ... the Hawkeye Chapter Board of the ACLU sent the
City Council a letter, urging you to make a change to the City Charter. Um, we
wanted to, urn .... have the City Charter comply with Iowa Code 362.4. Uh, we
want to reduce the number of signatures required for an initiative and referendum.
Um, since then members of our group, um .... have.....talked to Members of City
Council, individually I believe, um, and .... tried to get something to happen there.
Urn .... so we've decided to go ahead with a petition to amend the City Charter, uh,
we .... we tried to wait long enough for the City Council to have time to consider
the issue, but, um, do it in time to get it on the November ballot or if that's
possible, urn .... and so we've completed that petition. We have the signatures we
need, um, for that, uh.... to get that on the ballot. Um, I guess as a courtesy we're
...want to let you know that, uh, we're ready to file that petition, um, I think we're
gonna do that next week. Um .... and we are also aware that it does cost the City
money to put an issue on the ballot, even for.... for a special City election or even
to add an issue to an existing ballot also costs quite a bit of money, which we,
um .... learned recently, speaking to the Auditor's office. Um, so just so you
know that's out there, um, and I don't know if this gives you even any time to
consider it officially, uh, before we file the petition, urn .... I don't know how
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many considerations that kind of thing would have to have in order for the City
Council to act on it. Um, so, um, just so you know that's... that's out there
(laughs) Thank you for your time.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Martha. Anyone else? Okay. I don't see anybody else so we'll move
on to Item 4, Planning and Zoning Matters.
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ITEM 4. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS
ITEM 4a REZONING JOHNSON COUNTY AMBULANCE AND
MEDICAL EXAMINER FACILITY — REZONING PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 818 SOUTH DUBUQUE STREET FROM INTENSIVE
COMMERCIAL(CI-1) ZONE TO PUBLIC (P-1) ZONE. (REZ16-00005)
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: John Yapp! Well, no, I need a motion, don't I?
Mims: No. (several talking)
Throgmorton: Oh, right, public hearing. Sorry, it's on the next page (laughs) Gonna open the
public hearing. (bangs gavel) John Yapp.
Yapp: Uh, John Yapp, Development Services. Uh, this is a pretty straight forward, uh,
item. The property, uh, shown on the overhead at, uh, 818 S. Dubuque Street is
owned by Johnson County. It was purchased as part of their, uh, development of
the new ambulance and medical examiner's, uh, facility. Uh, properties owned by
a, uh, government entity such as Johnson County, Iowa City, or the School
District are to be zoned public, uh, as an indication to surrounding property
owners of the public ownership of the property. Uh, the ... Johnson County
already... the.... the properties to the north of this property are already owned,
zoned, uh, public. Uh, this is an image of the ambulance, uh, and medical
examiner facility, which is currently under construction. Uh, the property is in the
Riverfront Crossings District, uh, and Johnson County did make an effort to
comply with the Riverfront Crossings, uh, standards for building placement and
materials on the building. Be glad to take any questions.
Throgmorton: Questions for John?
Taylor: Nice looking building!
Yapp: (laughter) It will be! Uh, we're all looking forward to it.
Botchway: Do we have any, um, you know, is there any amenities or, you know, normally we
were thinking about projects we asked whether or not there's LEED certification
or other things. I know that the County is always touted out as far as doing those
particular things. Is there anything .... in regards to the building that, you know,
that has that type of amenities?
Yapp: I know there .... there was an effort for energy efficiency, uh, I do not know the
specific LEED standard...
Botchway: Okay.
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Yapp: ...uh, that was pursued for this. Uh, no City funding was used...
Botchway: Okay.
Yapp: ...in this facility.
Throgmorton: Thank you, John. Would anybody else care to speak? All right. Seeing no one
else I'm going to close the public hearing. (bangs gavel)
2. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Botchway: Move cons ... go ahead!
Mims: Move first consideration.
Botchway: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Botchway. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call.
Motion carries 7-0.
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ITEM 5. NEWSPAPER BOXES IN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY - ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 16 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED "PUBLIC
WORKS," CHAPTER 1, ENTITLED, "STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY," TO ESTABLISH A PERMIT SYSTEM FOR
USE OF NEWSPAPER BOXES IN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
Botchway: Move first consideration.
Dickens: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Geoff, is there
someone who might be able to briefly describe this?
Fruin: Well, generally what we're doing here is, um.....particularly in the downtown
area where you see a number of, um, newspaper or publication receptacles, uh, a
lot of them, uh, are no longer used or have fallen into a state of disrepair. Uh,
they're stuffed full of garbage. They have graffiti or stickers on them. Uh, we
don't, uh, necessarily have the ability to just remove those from the right-of-way.
Um, but what we're recommending, uh, for you tonight is that there be a, uh,
permit system, uh, moving forward where, uh, if somebody wants to place a box
like this, they come to City Hall, they get a permit, and then if they fall, uh, in a
state of disrepair again, um, we can ask them to remey... remedy it and, uh, if they
don't then we'll have actually the authority to remove it. So ... um, this is
something that, uh, the Police Department and Eleanor's office have been workin'
on for... for quite some time.
Dickens: Is there a cost?
Fruin: No, the .... the permit, there's no cost (mumbled)
Taylor: So, Geoff, the ones that are already in existence that, uh, perhaps would be used,
uh, they would have to go through that process then, even though they're already
established they would have to go to City Hall and get .... get permission.
Fruin: That's correct and Officer Schwent, um, representing the Police Department has
been in touch with the, urn .... owners of those publications and has made sure that
they're on board with this process.
Throgmorton: Thanks, Geoff. Uh, any discussion?
Thomas: Yeah I just .... I just wanted to mention that I was ple... pleased reading in the staff
report how this sort of took place, that Officer Schwent noticed (laughs) these, uh,
these boxes for periodicals and what have you that were really cluttering up the
downtown and took some initiative in terms of discussing it with the Downtown
Association and the City Attorney's office, and have remedied the situation. That
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was, you know, he was clearly thinking beyond his job description in terms of
looking at....at something which would improve the downtown.
Cole: There doesn't seem like there's been any objections either, or any other concerns
expressed.
Fruin: No, uh, I think, uh.... any initial concerns, uh, have been, uh, accounted for in
the .... in the policy.
Cole: It's good work!
Throgmorton: Yeah, well done, Officer Dave! (several talking)
Fruin: Sue Dulek, uh, from Eleanor's office played a major role in drafting this, as well.
Throgmorton: Well done, Sue! Uh, any further discussion? Hearing none, roll call. Motion
carries 7-0.
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ITEM 9. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION
Throgmorton: Uh, we can start with, uh, I don't know.....I tried that last time; it didn't work.
Botchway: Um, so .... this weekend, August 6`h, I'm looking at Terry cause normally he's the
one that gives announcements first is, um, Soul Fest. So if you can make it out
there, um, please do. Um, it is, um .... little bit smaller this year. Um, I think the
committee, um, there was many challenges but I think the committee wanted to
put together something that still, you know, resonated with the community. Um,
there is a variety of different things that are involved in that, um, there's going to
be a....a business discussion or .... excuse me, a business (clears throat) panel, uh,
from 11 to 12 at the Merge, um, site so that's an opportunity to participate in that,
and then there's also going to be a fashion show, starting at 1:30, um .... um, where
many different kind of, uh, people that, uh, you know, are given the opportunity
to show different clothing lines that, um, they haven't necessarily had the
opportunity to show. So (mumbled) obviously the, uh, entire, um, entirety of the
actual, urn .... Soul Fest, I just keep saying fashion show, Soul Fest is from like 12
to 6. So, or 12 and 6, um, and on, so please participate and be a part of that.
Dickens: I'm glad to see Soul Fest was, uh, continued. At one time they were talking about
canceling it, so .... it's nice to see it because they weren't sure where they were
going to do it with all the construction. I'm glad to see that. Friday Night
Concert Series continues and the Saturday Night Movies on the Pentacrest also
continue.
Cole: Um, maybe I shouldn't be talking about another community but I just went to
RAGBRAI on Friday night in Washington and I was very impressed with the city
of Washington, so kudos to them on their downtown. Um .... it was just quite an
experience. I felt proud to be an Iowan. If you haven't been there for a while, go
there. It's a beautiful community. Nothing else!
Throgmorton: Pauline?
Thomas: I .... I am, fortunately I have some sad news to share tonight. Uh, Claire Sponsler,
a northside resident, passed away last Friday of a, uh, brain aneurysm. Uh, Clair
was a professor in the English department at the University of Iowa and she
specialized in medieval literature, but I knew her and many people knew her for
her active work in community affairs in Iowa City, especially the Northside
Neighborhood where she was a staunch advocate for neighborhood preservation,
parks, and beautification. Uh, through her eloquent letters, she was after all an
English professor, uh, and her public speaking in this Chamber, uh, she was no
stranger to City Council. And our sympathies, especially, go out to Clair's
husband Jeff Porter and to her family.
Mims: I would like to comment on an incident from a week or so ago, and I, um, we all
know that there's been an awful lot in the news, uh, nationally in terms of, uh,
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police relations with, uh, many members of our community and especially our
minority community. And, um, as sure as most people watching and most
certainly everybody sitting up here knows, uh, we had a bank robbery on the west
side of town and information was relayed to police, description, um, of the
suspect and direction in which that person had called, resulted in officers not only
from the Iowa City Police Department but from Johnson County Sheriff and I
believe also the UIPD, um, of stopping an individual who turned out to be, um,
University of Iowa athlete who was totally innocent, just happened to be in the
park at that time playing Pokemon. Um, but .... one of the things I want ... two
things I really want to commend, urn .... one is, uh, the students' response in
putting out information on social media. He ... he talked about the incident, um,
explained what had happened, explained his fears, certainly, in that situation with
guns being drawn on him, but also, uh, very much commended the
professionalism and the actions of all the law enforcement people involved. Um,
and said, you know, sure he was worried for a few minutes this could have turned
out very differently, but it was ... was handled very well, um, by all involved. I
also want to commend City staff, uh, from the City Manager's office and from the
PD department to make the decision to release the body cam videos, um, I've
been a proponent of the body cameras, uh, from before we got them. It was a
conversation I had with Tom Markus two or three years ago about some pot of
money and the Police Department was trying to decide how to use it, and .... I
strongly recommended that we consider the body cameras, and I think this is an
absolutely prime example of where it is very beneficial to everybody. Uh, I think
it's beneficial to our Police Department, uh, I think it's beneficial to the public in
general. I think it's beneficial to the nation. This thing has gone viral nationally,
to show that not every interaction between a police department and a person of
color is racially motivated. I am not by saying that in any way diminishing the
atrocious incidences that have happened across this country over the past years,
not at all, but this is one of those cases if you lis .... if you watch and listen to that
footage, you will hear the officers talking about the initial description they got and
actually how the description had changed based in terms of clothing, was it shorts,
was it pants, etc., um, you know, the individual's wearing something on his head.
Well, you look the guy ... he had like goggles on his head that he said he used when
he was riding his moped. So, again, I just ... I really want to commend .... the local
law enforcement, um, in terms of their action. I want to commend the young man
in terms of his response, and ... and reaching out to the public, explaining what
happened, um, and the decision by our staff to review .... redu.... release, thank you
(laughs) to release the video. I think that was very, very helpful, given, um,
everything that was going on nationally, so thanks, Geoff.
Throgmorton: Well said, Susan. I ... I completely agree. I only have one thing I'd like to
mention. The Chamber of Commerce recently named Kim Casko as it's
Executive Director. Although Kim won't officially begin work until a few weeks
from now, I'd like to extend her a very warm welcome and I've already connected
with her by email and asked to meet with her and that kind of thing. So, welcome
aboard, Tim ... Kim!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of February 16, 2016.