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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-21 Info PacketCity Council Information Packet CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org September 21, 2017 IP1 Council Tentative Meeting Schedule Miscellaneous IP2 Copy of article from City Manager: Iowa's largest property tax cut in history fails to deliver, Register investigation finds I133 Copy of article from City Manager: What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities IP4 Copy of article from Assistant City Manager: Buses, Yes Buses, Are 'the Hottest Trend in Transit' IP5 Memo from Assistant to the City Manager: FY2019 Preliminary Budget Discussion follow-up IP6 Email from Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition: Annual Meeting, September 29 IP7 Bar Check Report: August 2017 IP8 Civil Service Entrance Examination: Community Service Officer IP9 Civil Service Entrance Examination: Maintenance Worker 1 - Parks IP10 Civil Service Entrance Examination: Maintenance Worker 1 —parking Systems Draft Minutes IP11 Community Police Review Board: September 12 IP12 Human Rights Commission: September 19 IP13 Planning and Zoning Commission: September 7 r IP1 J= , City Council Tentative Meeting Schedule Subject to change September 21, 2017 CI F IOWA CITY Date Time Meeting Location Tuesday, October 3, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Monday, October 16, 2017 4:00 PM Reception Emma J. Harvat Hall 4:30 PM Joint Entities Meeting Tuesday, October 17, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting *Monday, November 6, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall (*Revised date) 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, November 21, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, December 19, 2017 5:00 PM Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Saturday, January 6, 2018 8:OOA-5:OOP Budget Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, January 9, 2018 1:0013-7:0013 Budget Work Session (CIP) Emma J. Harvat Hall From City Manager Iowa's largest property tax cut in history fails to deliver, Register investigation finds Kim Norvell and MacKenzie Elmer, Des Moines Register Published 10:01 p.m. CT Sept. 16, Photo Iowa commercial properties paid about $125 million less in property taxes in 2017 as a result of tax reform legislation passed in 2013, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. However, that's $93 million less than the state projected when the legislation was approved. Pictured are Nationwide's offices in downtown Des Moines on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.(Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register)Buy Photo Copyright 2017, Des Moines Register and Tribune Co. When Iowa passed sweeping property tax reform four years ago, state officials projected commercial taxpayers would save $218 million this year. Lawmakers also promised to fully reimburse local governments for the revenues they stood to lose. The law has failed to deliver on both counts, a Des Moines Register review of state data shows. In three years, the state has paid $391 million to Iowa's cities, counties and school districts. But that money has not kept pace with the reduction in property tax revenue brought on by the changes, and local governments have missed out on a combined $107.2 million. Meanwhile, businesses that were expected to benefit the most through lower taxes have saved about half as much as the state projected in 2013, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. Now, city officials fear they could lose millions more. DATABASE: Find out how much your city, school district and county has received from the state's backfill fund With Iowa dipping into cash reserves to cover operating expenses, city leaders say legislators are telling them nothing is sacred — including the state's annual $152.1 million backfill payments. "If this is one of the things that gets looked at and seriously considered, it creates literally thousands of issues across every part of the state," said Ankeny City Manager David Jones. His city received $1 million in state backfill payments this year. "It's not an insignificant amount of money, even for a successful, growing city like Ankeny," Jones said. City leaders say that without the backfill, local governments and school districts across the state would be forced to make cuts in services and staff— or dramatically increase property taxes. City property tax increases could range from 26 to 75 cents per $1,000 in valuation, finance directors from across the Des Moines metro said. And school districts and counties could follow suit. "It would be a Legislature -imposed property tax increase on most everybody that owns a house in Iowa," Des Moines City Councilman Chris Coleman said. Even if the backfill remains whole, cities will continue to lose money under a provision of the 2013 legislation that lowers property taxes on multi -family residential units like apartments and nursing homes. In two years, cities and counties statewide have lost $14.9 million under that new classification. The Des Moines metro has lost a combined $4.5 million. And statewide losses could reach $31 million through fiscal year 2022, according to conservative estimates from the Iowa League of Cities. Photo Statewide local governments have lost $14.9 million in property tax revenue due to a new tax classification for multi -family units created by the 2013 tax reform. The Iowa League of Cities predicts the impact will reach at least $31 million statewide by the time the change is fully implemented in 2022. Pictured are the Woodland West apartments in West Des Moines on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Hohnes/The Register) Savings over -promised, funds slashed When passed, the bipartisan tax relief bill was lauded as a boon to Iowa's economic development. Giving financial breaks to commercial properties would "make it easier for Iowa businesses to invest and grow in our state," former Gov. Terry Branstad said at the bill's signing. Sen. Charles Schneider, R -West Des Moines, said discussion in 2013 centered on lowering Iowa's high commercial property tax rate to make the state more competitive with its neighbors. The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, showed commercial property in Iowa was taxed at about 2.25 times the rate of residential property in fiscal year 2010, rankine the state 40th nationally in terms of that disproportion. At the time, commercial, industrial and railroad properties were taxed at 100 percent of their valuation. Homes, on the other hand, were taxed at a rate nearly half of that. The reforms lowered the level at which commercial, industrial and railroad properties were taxed to 90 percent over two years. From 2013 to 2017, residential levels increased from 54.40 to 56.94 percent. "It makes us more competitive as a state with our neighboring states," Schneider said. "That in turn makes Iowa more attractive to do business in." Photo Iowa commercial properties paid about $125 million less in property taxes in 2017 as a result of tax reform legislation passed in 2013, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. However, that's $93 million less than the state projected when the legislation was approved. Pictured are Wells Fargo's office in West Des Moines on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register) But Iowa still ranks 40th in the Tax Foundation's 2017 State Business Tax Climate Index, a score that hasn't budged since at least 2014. Missouri ranks 15th, Nebraska 25th and Wisconsin 39th. Projections issued by the Legislative Services Agency in 2013 before the bill's passage showed tax savings for commercial, industrial and railroad properties statewide were expected to reach $254.4 million in fiscal year 2017. About $218 million of those savings were expected to benefit commercial properties alone. But those projected savings have not been fully realized. Tax savings in fiscal year 2017 were an estimated $157.6 million, according to an agency review released in January. Commercial properties accounted for about $125 million of that tax break. Former Rep.Tom Sands, a Republican from Wapello who at the time was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the tax reform "did not do enough" for larger commercial property owners. The 10 percent tax break "disappears" for bigger businesses due to rising property assessments, said Sands, who is now president of the Iowa Taxpayer Association. Meanwhile, local government losses have been greater than projected. The Legislative Services Agency predicted in 2013 that cities and counties would lose a combined $17.1 million in fiscal year 2017. Schools would lose $8.8 million. That's a loss even with the state paying governments back for some of the tax breaks to businesses. In reality, cities and counties lost as much as $84.7 million last fiscal year, the agency said. Schools lost $22.5 million. Several city officials surveyed by the Register say they've never talked to business owners who planned to expand or relocate to Iowa because of its property tax reform. Microsoft did not mention lower property taxes when deciding whether to add more data centers in West Des Moines, according to city Finance Director Tim Stiles. Clive City Manager Dennis Henderson said city leaders regularly meet with business officials to discuss how services can be improved. He said "none of them have even mentioned" property tax reform during those visits. "Yes, every single business is going to tell you they'd like to pay less," he said. "But as far as it entering into business decisions, I have not heard any impact at all." The loss in revenue resulting from the state tax reforms has left cities weighing whether to cut services or raise property tax rates — something city leaders say was evident in 2013. "The only solution was to pass taxes on to residential (properties), because if commercial (taxes go) down and services stay the same, what else can you do? You have to increase your overall rate or cut services," Stiles said. " ... That's the only way it could have turned out." Iowans could see tax bills go up City leaders surveyed by the Register say conversations with state lawmakers indicate the Legislature plans to reduce or eliminate the backfill amid the state's budget shortfall. That could be especially damaging for city budgets in rural Iowa, where population has been declining. It could also mean significant increases in residents' yearly tax bills. Without the backfill, unless the city makes cuts to services, Des Moines could increase its property tax levy by 75 cents per $1,000 in valuation, said City Manager Scott Sanders. "It's such a traumatic exercise," Sanders said. "It's not healthy to go to department directors and say, 'What would you do with a 20 percent reduction of your budget?' Then doom and gloom starts to set in." According to the cities' finance departments, without cuts to services, taxes could increase as much as 71 cents in West Des Moines, 63 cents in Altoona, 42 cents in Clive and 36 cents in Urbandale. For an owner of a $200,000 home in Des Moines, that's an additional $85.42 a year. In West Des Moines, it's $80.85 a year. That does not include potential increases to school and county levy rates, which combined make up the bulk of a homeowner's property tax bill. "The double whammy is the individual homeowner is going to get the tax increase, and he or she never got the benefit of the reduction to begin with," West Des Moines Mayor Steve Gaer said. While losing the backfill may not halt city projects, it could stunt plans for things like quality -of - life initiatives used to attract new residents, Gaer said. It would also limit local governments' ability to stay on top of infrastructure needs leading to deferred maintenance, a more costly way of doing business, he said. Sands said local governments should "do what families and businesses do and look at more efficient ways to provide services" instead of making cuts or taxing citizens. He pointed to rising property values. Home values in Polk County dropped in both 2011 and 2013, but increased 4.15 percent in 2015, according to county assessment data. Residential property values have increased 8.3 percent on average over the past two years. Iowa commercial properties paid about $125 million less in property taxes in 2017 as a result of tax reform legislation passed in 2013, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. However, that's $93 million less than the state projected when the legislation was approved. Pictured is Wellmark's headquarters in downtown Des Moines on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register) Some cities face unique challenges It's likely Des Moines' suburbs could make up losses in short order due to explosive growth, city leaders say. But that's not the case across Iowa. Council Bluffs, for example, has reached its property tax levy limit, so a tax increase to make up a shortfall is not allowed under state law. The loss of the state backfill would equate to across-the-board cuts in city staff, said Mayor Matt Walsh. He estimates the city would need to eliminate 25 to 30 jobs, or 4.5 percent of the city's workforce, to make up for the $2 million loss if the state reimbursement were eliminated. Council Bluffs is already operating under stress, with a budget surplus of $64,000 that was created only "after multiple cuts to get there," he said. Like Council Bluffs, 808 out of Iowa's 947 cities are at the general fund levy limit, according to the Department of Management. Of those, 426 are also using an emergency levy, and 367 have maxed out that allowance. "I don't know that permanently damaging cities is an appropriate plan for the future of Iowa," Walsh said. 'It's a train wreck coming' School districts across the state also rely on backfill revenue for operations. The Waukee Community School District gets about $2.5 million annually. Its tax levy could rise by 20 cents if that funding goes away, said Chief Financial Officer Lora Appenzeller-Miller. The district could also be forced to make "a pretty good cut of humans" to make up the loss, she said. Waukee directs $1.5 million of its backfill money to the general fund, which largely pays for teacher salaries. That represents a cut of 23 teachers. "We told (our legislators in 2013)'it's a train wreck coming. You guys are going to be in trouble,"' Appenzeller-Miller said. Losing the backfill would not be catastrophic for Des Moines Public Schools, said Chief Financial Officer Thomas Harper. The district received $5.46 million in fiscal 2017, just over 1 percent of its $475 million budget. Its tax levy could rise I to 2 cents to make up that loss, Harper said. If the Legislature were to end the backfill this fiscal year — Gov. Kim Reynolds has said she will decide in September whether to call a special session to address the state's budget troubles — Des Moines Public Schools would be forced to dip into reserves to pay teachers, he said. "That creates a bigger problem for the 2019 fiscal budget year," Harper said. Photo Iowa commercial properties paid about $125 million less in property taxes in 2017 as a result of tax reform legislation passed in 2013, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. However, that's $93 million less than the state projected when the legislation was approved. Pictured is John Deere Des Moines Works facility in Ankeny on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Hohnes/The Register) What will the Legislature, governor do? Lawmakers have scrambled to shore up the state's finances, making $118 million in cuts to programs and services and pulling another -$I 31 million out of the state's emergency cash reserve funds. State lawmakers mulled cuts to the backfill earlier this year, but a proposal never went beyond committee discussions. In a statement to the Register, the governor's spokeswoman pointed to Iowa's unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, three straight months of job growth and more than $14 billion in private capital investment since 2010 as successes related to the 2013 property tax reform. "All point to Iowa creating a more competitive business climate," said Brenna Smith, spokeswoman for Reynolds. She would "not speculate" if there may be changes to the backfill, saying it "was part of the compromise property tax reform bill, and it remains the law." Schneider, the West Des Moines state senator who voted for the tax reforms, said city officials realize the state may "ween itself from the backfill," but he's not aware of any "immediate plans" to do so. "But if it does come to that, we need to work with the cities to do it in a manner that it doesn't impact the services they provide to their citizens," he said. Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, called the reform the "worst tax policy bill of all time." "Any time you're using one tax to backfill another tax, that's not true tax relief," he said. "You're just affecting one taxpayer more than another." Jacoby, who voted against the 2013 bill, agrees that commercial properties should not be taxed at 100 percent. But he proposes a gradual approach — an annual 1 percent decrease over 20 years — to reduce the burden on local governments. That would in turn result in less of a financial commitment from the state to backfill lost revenues, he said. He believes lawmakers should review all tax credit programs, as well as this reform, in the next general session as they deal with the state's budget shortfall. In the meantime, he wants to see the backfill honored. "It was a promise made to local governments. If we break that promise then that's going to just send a jolt in the residential property tax owners' pocketbooks," Jacoby said. "That's a tough call, and that's what happens when we make stupid decisions." Republicans hold majorities in both the Senate and the House. Several Des Moines metro GOP lawmakers did not respond to requests for comment. They include Sen. Jack Whitver in Ankeny, Rep. Peter Cownie in West Des Moines, Rep. Chris Hagenow in Windsor Heights, Sen. Brad Zaun in Urbandale and Rep. Zach Nunn in Bondurant. Photo Statewide local governments have lost $14.9 million in property tax revenue due to a new tax classification for multi -family units created by the 2013 tax reform. The Iowa League of Cities predicts the impact will reach at least $31 million statewide by the time the change is fully implemented in 2022. Pictured are the Springs at Jordan Creek in West Des Moines on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register) Slow, steady drain of revenue Meantime, a slow steady drain to city coffers is happening as a result of a new tax class for multi -residential properties. That decline started last fiscal year when apartments were taxed at 86.25 percent of value, down from 100 percent in previous years, when they were classified as commercial properties. That level will continue to decline in 3.75 percent increments each year until apartments are taxed at the same level as residential properties in fiscal year 2022. According to the Legislative Services Agency's latest review, local governments statewide lost $14.9 million in property tax revenue from multi -family units due to the change. The Iowa League of Cities predicts the impact will reach at least $31 million statewide by the time the change is fitly implemented in 2022. The Des Moines metro alone could lose $18 million over the next four years, the League said. Alan Kempf, executive director of the Iowa League of Cities, cautioned that the League's model is based on assumptions, including new construction, rate of growth and a city's tax rate. Cities' actual losses could be higher, he said. Des Moines has been hit hardest in the metro with a loss of $2.3 million over the past two years. West Des Moines follows close behind with a loss of $1.9 million. The capital city is projected to lose another $9 million by 2022, according to the Iowa League of Cities' model. West Des Moines could lose half that, representing about 2 percent of its operating budget each year, Stiles said. None of that money is backfilled by the state. "And it's a loss of revenue that grows over time," said Jones, the city manager in Ankeny. "To be frank, there's a number of people in local government who look at that particular part of the reform and are challenged as to what the overarching goal was." Photo Statewide local governments have lost $14.9 million in property tax revenue due to a new tax classification for multi -family units created by the 2013 tax reform. The Iowa League of Cities predicts the impact will reach at least $31 million statewide by the time the change is fully implemented in 2022. Pictured are the Prairie Lakes apartments in Ankeny on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Zach Boyden-HolmestMe Register) According to Register archives, while the new property class lowers costs for landlords, they are not required to pass those savings on to tenants. Landlords statewide saved $24.7 million on property taxes in fiscal year 2017, the Legislative Services Agency said in its January review. Rental rates in Des Moines have crept up 15 percent in the past five years, according to data collected this summer by Zillow. Apartments are the fastest-growing property class in Des Moines, Sanders said. That puts more pressure on the city to raise its property tax rate, he said. He estimates the city's tax rate would need to increase 18 cents to make up for the tax break given to landlords in just one fiscal year. "I would feel better about the multi -family tax rollback if I had heard of even one landlord reducing the rent," Coleman said. "This was a handout to commercial property owners, not to residences." In March, the Des Moines City Council approved a 12 -cent property tax increase, the first in five years. That was enough to hire 16 new city staffers. Before this year, Des Moines had cut its workforce by more than 300 employees since 2005. "I want lower taxes for our citizens, but I want a responsible and sustainable commitment from the state," Coleman said. "As they play pingpong with policies and tax rates, it creates real problems for the citizens of Des Moines and residents all over the state." Tax cut impact on Des Moines metro See how much money each city has received from the state due to the 2013 property tax changes, how much revenue they've lost, and how they may fare if changes are made. O DES MOINES STATE 11114gNFlLL FUNDING • FY15:$2,7 million . FY16: 55.6 million • FY17: $5.3 million• Property tax threat it backfill is re¢inded 75 CENTS Loss in revenue from new mufti -residential dasediaatkin over two years. $2.3 MILLION Projected loss in revenue from new multi -residential dasiNication through 2022: $9.1 MILLION © WEST DES MOINES STATE BACKFILL FUNDING FY15:$1.5 million . FY16: $2.9 million + FY17: $3 million` Property tax threat if backfill is re mooed: 71 CENTS Lass in revenue from new multi residential classification over two years: $1.3 MILLION Frojected loss in revenue from new multiresidential classification through 2022: $4.5 MILLION ©j ANKENY NATE BACKRLL FYNMNG . FYI5: $476,000 . FY16: $1 million . FY17: $1 million` Properly tax Threat D backfill escindad: 35 CENTS Loss in revenue from new multi residential classification over two years: $100,000 Projected loss in revenue from new multi -residential classification through ZO Z: $1.3 MILLION O URBANDALE • FYI5: $475,000 • FY16: $985.000 • FY17: $977,000' Property tax threat it backfill is rescinded 36 CENTS Loss in revenue from new multi residential classification over two years: $97,000 Prolectetl loss in revenue from new multi residential classification through 2022: $1.1 MILLION 4 WAUKEE STALE BACKFILL NNMIIG FY15: $140,000 FY16: 5247,000 FY17: 1220,000• Propend tax threat it backfill s reuindool 26 CENTS Lose In revenue from new multi -residential classification over two years $280,000 ProjMed loss in revenue from new mufti -residential aWsei6calion through 2022: $642,000 O JOHNSTON NATE BACIIFlLL FUNDING • FY15: $227,000 • FY16: $474,000 • FY17: IWO,000` Property Tax threat K backfill is eesinded: 38 CENTS Loss in revenue from new multi -residential classHiution enwo years: $29,000 Projectetl loss m revenue from new multi residential dassification through 2022: $36,000 MK oW,m conwr`.R 0 CLIVE NATE BACKFILL NNMINS • FYI 5: S271,000 • FY16: $544,000 • FY17: $549,000• Procell tax threat if backfill B n uinded: 42 CENTS Loss in revenue from new multi-rnidential claudication er two yearn $68,000 Proje'ed loss in revenue from new multi residential classification through M22: $278,000 O ALTOONA NATE BACKFILL LANDING x FYI5: $253,000 • FY16: 1544,000 • FY17: $615,1)00' Property tax threat H backfill is andoced: 53 CENTS Loss in revenue from new multi residential classification over two Serve: $155,000 Protected Ion in revenue from new multi residential dandimtion through 2022: $425,000 PROJECTED TAX SAVINDS VS. ACTUAL TAX SAVINGS in minion. Is' A n Is m a w .� ism a_ Bid eommerdal lMoi Woad mum -Early O PLEASANT HILL STATE 0=IUgLL FUNDING + FY15: $66,000 • FY16: $140,000 • H17: 5728,000• Property tax threat U backfill b "Rounded: 27 CENTS Loss in revenue from new mWti residential cbidfi'tion over two years: $55,000 Pinioned lossm revenue fromnew multi residential classification through 2022: $261,000 41 GRIMES STATE BACKFILL FUNMIM • FYI 5:$134,000 • FY16:5272,000 • FY17: 5283,000• Property tax threat if backfill Is reuirMM: BS CENTS Loss interstice from new multi-residelnial classification over two yean: $71,000 Projected loss in revenue from new multiresidential classification through 2022: $266,000 *1 WINDSOR HEIGHTS NATE BACKFNA RMMMS • FYI5: $59,000 • FY16: $120,000 • FY17: $1211,000` Froperty tax threat K backfill is eoinded: DATA NOT PROVIDED BY THE CITY. Loss in revenue from new mmi residential darchunion over two years: DATA NOT PROVIDED BY THE CITY. Projected lo% in revenue from new multi -residential Bassi is itmn through 2022: $152,000 •Ddlw ...''need .'this level. PROJECTED Lo'Igwwmlenb ldlksaM caank+l LOSS IN - 817.1 PROPERTY TAX REVENUE VS. ACTUAL xnoab LOSSIN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE _ $21A 1.onx our nor, IN Dnaomarm al management, ut, hnanv depanei-H -1me Iowa league of "in THE REGISTER 2017 backfill payments The state provided $152.1 million in backfill payments to local governments in fiscal year 2017. Here is how much Des Moines metro cities, school districts and counties received: CITIES • Des Moines: $5.3 million • West Des Moines: $3 million • Ankeny: $1 million • Urbandale: $977,000 • Altoona: $615,000 • Johnston: $570,000 • Clive: $549,000 • Grimes: $283,000 • Waukee: $220,000 • Pleasant Hill: $128,000 • Windsor Heights: $120,000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS • Des Moines: $5.5 million • Waukee: $2.5 million • West Des Moines: $2.5 million • Ankeny: $1.6 million • Johnston: $1.3 million • Urbandale: $695,000 • Southeast Polk: $975,000 COUNTIES • Polk: $6.2 million • Dallas: $655,000 • Warren: $125,000 • Madison: $51,000 *Information from the Department of Management. What did 2013 tax reform change? The bipartisan property tax reform legislation approved in 2013 included changes intended to benefit both commercial and residential taxpayers. Included in the reform was: • A rollback for commercial, industrial and railroad properties. These properties were previously taxed at 100 percent of value. The tax reform lowered that to 90 percent of a property's value. • A backfill fund for cities, counties and schools to make up for revenue lost from the reduction in commercial property taxes. The state paid $78.3 million in 2015, $161 million in 2016 and $152.1 million in 2017. That fund has been capped at $152.1 million per year going forward. • The creation of a new property tax credit that lowered the assessed value on a portion of commercial, industrial and railroad properties. • A 3 percent increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit, which applies to families that make less than $52,427 a year. • A reduction to the level that residential property assessments can increase in a single year. Residential assessments can increase a max of 3 percent, down from 4 percent allowed before the tax reform. • And the creation of a new property tax class for multi -residential properties that reduces property taxes for apartments, nursing homes and assisted -living facilities. What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities Harvard Business Review From City Manager Page 1 IP3 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT What Amazon's HQ2 Wish 49 List Signals About the Future Of Cities by Amy Liu and Mark Muro SEPTEMBER 08, 2017 Jennifer Maravillas for HEIR https://hbr.orgl2O l 7/09/what-amazons-hq2-wish-li st-signals-about-the-future-of-cities%20... 9/18/2017 What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities Page 2 Amazon's big announcement that it will build a second headquarters has caught the attention of local officials, economic development professionals, and pundits across the U.S. and Canada. And for good reason: "HQ2," as it's being called, would create upwards of 5o,000 high -paying jobs and billions of dollars of new investment in whichever city it locates in. The city that lands this historic deal will see its economic and physical landscape transformed, albeit for a hefty price tag in the form of tax breaks. Thus far, public attention has largely focused on two aspects of Amazon's announcement: Speculation about which of the 5o eligible North American metropolitan areas are most likely to be chosen for HQ2, and how much public subsidy the winning city will offer the world's 4th -largest corporation to seal the deal. But this announcement carries far more profound implications for regional and local economic developers, Amazon HQ2 hopefuls or not. Amazon's selection criteria, as described in the company's request for proposal, sets out a compelling list of the attributes cities must have if they aspire to be a serious part of the America's growing digital economy. As our research has shown, the vibrant metros of the future will be those that are home to high-tech advanced industries. That's because those industries spur the collision of digital technologies and cutting-edge business development, also brought about by tech -savvy workers and R&D investments, and generate jobs and good wages in a period of sluggish economic growth. Digital industries are a main driver of growth within these high-value industries. Yet for all their benefits and buzz, digital jobs continue to geographically concentrate in established high-tech meccas at a time when our nation needs more metro areas, especially in the heartland, to gain a competitive foothold in the digital future. https:llhbr.org/2017/09/what-amazons-hq2-wish-list-signals-about-the-future-of-cities%20... 9/18/2017 What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities Page 3 So how can cities garner a bigger share of high-tech growth? The answer is not to just polish up branding and marketing materials and wait for the next Amazon -scale business attraction opportunity. Nor is it to concentrate entirely on traditional economic development strategies of bundling available plots of land for prospective businesses and offering generous subsidies (though admittedly, Amazon seems to want a bit of that, too). Rather, cities need to look closely at the criteria in Amazon's RFP and ask whether they've done enough to build up the fundamental assets prized by innovative firms and industries. Amazon's wish list is an unusually public confirmation from one of the most recognized corporations in the world of the factors that make a local ecosystem relevant in today's innovation economy. Among these factors are: • Capacity to produce skilled, technical talent. The importance of talent pervades the Amazon RFP, with special mention of a "strong" university system, computer science programming in the K-12 education system, and opportunities for creative partnerships with community colleges and universities. • Access to domestic and global markets through modern infrastructure. Amazon dwells extensively on the importance of proximity and connectivity to population centers. It seeks a strong infrastructure network of highways, international airports, and high-speed broadband to streamline logistics, conduct business, and access major employment pools. • Connected and sustainable placemaking. The Amazon RFP reads like an urban planner's dream, brimming with calls for energy efficient buildings, recycling services, public plazas, green space, and access to multiple modes of transportation. While Amazon will apparently consider greenfield sites as well as existing developments for its new headquarters, it emphasizes its interest in promoting walkability and connectivity between densely clustered buildings through "sidewalks, bike lanes, trams, metro, bus, light rail, train, and additional creative options." https:lfhbr.orgl2O l 7/09/what-amazons-hq2-wish-list-signals-about-the-future-of-cities%20... 9/18/2017 What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities Page 4 Culture and diversity. Promoting an inclusive culture matters to Amazon. The RFP specifically calls for "the presence and support of a diverse population," along with excellent higher education institutions and functioning local governance. In sum, the Amazon RFP very clearly embodies a series of forward -thinking business values of global engagement, diversity, and environmental stewardship. Amazon is also signaling very clearly and publicly what the market demands for modern, state -of -the -urban economic development going forward. As each of us has written about extensively, regional economic development is about growing from within. It requires helping existing firms expand and innovate, supporting entrepreneurs, creating industry -relevant skills programs, and strengthening other local assets that improve the economic prospects of local industries and workers. These attributes, even more than incentives packages, will attract the attention of outside firms interested in being part of a region's unique ecosystem. So rather than get distracted by the city vs. city competition brought about by Amazon's announcement, state and local economic development leaders need to bear down on reinventing the way they do business. Amazon's HQ2 will only be located in one city, but the path to prosperity in a hyper -digital global economy is attainable for cities that invest in people, infrastructure, and quality places. Amy LI U is Vice President and Director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. Mark M Uro is a senior fellow and director of policy for the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. https:llhbr.org/2017/09/what-amazons-hq2-wish-list-signals-about-the-future-of-cities%20... 9/18/2017 Page 1 of 5 i IP4 From Assistant City Manager Buses, Yes Buses, Are 'the Hottest Trend in Transit' Technology, declining ridership and changing demographics have spurred cities across the country to redesign bus systems that are more convenient. It's no easy task. BY: Daniel C. Vock I September 2017 A few years ago, as the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) was marking the 40th anniversary of its bus service in the Columbus area, a new employee came into the office of Curtis Stitt, the agency's president and CEO. She brought him a copy of a 1974 annual report that she had stumbled upon while going through the archives. As Stitt looked over the decades -old document, one thing stuck out at him. "The system map from 1974 looked very much like the system map for 2014," Stitt says. "Forty years later, the routes looked pretty much the same. The question it naturally raised was: Does this system still work? The answer was no." Since the 1970s, Columbus has grown by nearly 60 percent, to a population of 860,000. It is now the 14th largest city in the country. Its geographic area has grown by a third as well, and the suburbs have sprawled in every direction. Jobs have followed people away from downtown, and the nature of the jobs has also changed. With the growth of the service economy, more residents work on nights and weekends instead of 9 to 5. That meant that the traditional hub -and -spoke arrangement of the city's bus routes didn't make sense anymore. If people needed to get across town, or go from one suburb to another, they didn't want to have to go through downtown to do it, especially if that meant transferring from one infrequent bus route to another. The Columbus transit agency spent four years and $9.4 million studying its bus network, gathering public feedback and designing alternative routes. All of that work came to a head this May, when COTA switched to a completely new system. It doubled the number of bus lines with frequent service (every 15 minutes or less), deploying many of them along major roads far from downtown. The new routes added or increased service to the airport, shopping malls, a casino and many other job centers. By COTA's estimate, the number of jobs within a quarter mile (a five-minute walk) of a frequent bus line jumped from 155,000 to 265,000. The number of people who lived within a quarter mile of those lines increased from 116,000 to 219,000. Plus, the agency beefed up service on Saturdays and Sundays. And Columbus did all of it without an increase in funding. The problems that beset the Columbus bus system before its relaunch are all too common among this country's transit agencies. In most places, as in Columbus, they go unaddressed for decades. But just in the last few years, transit agencies in more than half a dozen major cities have totally revamped their bus routes to focus on frequent, reliable service to job centers and dense neighborhoods. As in Columbus, transit advocates hope the recent redesigns in Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Omaha, Neb.; Portland, Ore.; and, most of all, Houston, will lead to major changes in how cities think of and offer bus service. But the same advocates acknowledge that there is nothing easy about making these changes, even if the need for them seems obvious. The biggest reason for the sudden attention to bus networks is that bus ridership is dropping across the country, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of total transit trips. As recently as 1990, buses accounted for nearly two-thirds of all transit trips in the country. But in 2014, for the first time, bus rides made up less than half of all transit trips, according to the American Public Transportation Association. Part of that is because more people are taking subways, light rail and commuter rail. http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=442142033 9/21/2017 Page 2 of 5 But a good many bus riders have left the transit system altogether. "Bus network redesigns are a reaction to that decline," says Kirk Hovenkotter, the national network coordinator at TransitCenter, a New York foundation that recently hosted a conference on bus system overhauls. Even leaders from cities that have not committed to major changes are enthusiastic about the idea, he says. "Network redesigns are the hottest trend in transit right now." Redesigns can help reduce inefficiency in bus systems, but that doesn't always translate into higher ridership numbers. External factors such as gas prices and the state of the economy can affect ridership. Plus, a well-designed bus network can lead to fewer trips because riders have to transfer less to get to their destinations. People exit a Los Angeles bus. But declining ridership isn't the only reason transit agencies are reconfiguring their bus routes. Demographic shifts in urban areas are also forcing them to reexamine their services. Jarrett Walker, a transit consultant who has helped several cities with their bus network redesigns, says many cities are developing dense neighborhoods that cannot function if they don't have a good transit system. Single -occupancy vehicles -- even taxis or UberX compacts -- simply take up too much room on the streets. And residents in those areas want better transit options. "There is justifiably pressure on transit to work more effectively and meet the expectations of those residents," Walker says. Inefficiencies in bus systems have also gotten easier to measure, as real-time bus arrival data and online trip planning tools make gaps in a system painfully obvious. While riders a few years ago might have waited at a stop in hopes that the bus would come soon, now they know for sure when it's coming, and they don't want to wait long. They can tell from a map how far out of their way they have to go in order to get to their destination. "You're seeing the problems you couldn't see before," Walker says. "That makes it easier to diagnose and to build political consensus to solve those problems." That political will is important, because political pressure is a big reason bus routes follow meandering paths and are hard to change. Interest groups urge politicians to add new stops, often in places that wouldn't warrant them based on ridership. The added stops make the routes longer, and the longer routes mean the bus doesn't come as often. "The cumulative effect of elected officials doing that over 20 to 30 years is a network that looks like spaghetti, where frequencies aren't very high," Walker says. When transit planners try to make a network more efficient, they inevitably have to cut service to low -performing areas, and riders there will complain to the transit agency. Without political cover, Walker says, transit planners often just try to do their job without getting yelled at, which means no major changes happen. One Sunday morning in August 2015, Houston woke up with a brand-new bus system. It was a big deal, not just for Houstonians who rode the bus, but for the transit community nationwide. Houston wasn't the first to successfully complete a network overhaul: Portland, Ore., Jacksonville and a few other places had gone before. But Houston's "reimagining" of its system was an especially ambitious project in America's fourth -biggest city. Officials in other cities seemed to figure that if Houston could reconfigure a system with 1,200 buses and 10,000 stops, they could figure out how to do it in their cities too. The impetus for Houston Metro's route overhaul came from its board, and from one new member in particular. Christof Spieler came to the board in 2010 after earning a name for himself in Houston as http://www.goveming.com/templates/gov_print article?id=442142033 9/21/2017 Page 3 of 5 a transit blogger. He is an engineer by trade, with a focus on urban planning, and was a regular rider of Metro's local No. 9 route. That latter fact set him apart from his fellow board members, who he says weren't regular bus riders before they joined the board. His message to the others was that frequent service -- not just having a big coverage area -- was the key to a good bus network. It was clear that Houston Metro had to do something to address ridership. Between 1999 and 2012, the number of riders dropped by 20 percent, even after Metro extended its service hours and even while the city's population and economy were booming. And unlike other cities, Houston didn't see its bus ridership bounce back after the Great Recession. Metro also had to revisit its network because it was in the process of completing three new light rail lines. Metro needed to adjust its bus schedules to better connect to the light rail and to eliminate duplicative service. And, of course, Metro's antiquated bus routes faced the same issues as the ones in Columbus. In Houston's case, some of the the routes could be traced back to the early 1900s, when they were streetcar routes between downtown and outlying neighborhoods. Over the years, tinkering had made those short, straight routes long and twisty. Many of the areas they served were no longer big population centers. And downtown was no longer the dominant job magnet. Instead, much of the workforce commuted to universities and hospitals south of downtown in the city's medical center, while big shopping areas sprouted up around the Galleria mall and office towers emerged in once - sleepy suburban territory. Houston had become a city with a complex and "multinodal" employment base. Metro, in other words, faced big problems that needed big fixes. "The [problems] couldn't be solved by adding another bus to this line or extending this route here," says Kurt Luhrsen, the agency's vice president of service planning. "It was systematic. The system was not serving those folks well anymore." Once Metro decided it needed to overhaul its bus network, the agency's leaders combined their own data analyses with suggestions from the public. They wanted Houstonians to realize that this was not an arcane, bureaucratic process, but a chance to make big changes to improve people's lives. So Metro urged residents to reimagine the bus network. The agency also described its existing operations in blunt terms, recalled Spieler, speaking at a 2015 transit conference. "We started this [process] by saying, 'We have a really crappy bus system,' which is a real odd thing for an agency to do. In fact, we had considerable internal fights over that idea.... I said, we're not going to fix the system if we don't own up to the fact that our current system isn't working. Why in the world would we go to the public and say, 'We have a great system. We'd like to blow it up and start all over?"' A man pays his fare on an Atlanta bus There is a tension in designing any bus system between maximizing ridership and maximizing coverage. The easiest way to bump up the number of riders would be to run more routes frequently through dense areas. But then the outlying areas would get little or no service, residents of poorer neighborhoods would have trouble getting to work and older people would be stranded without a connection to out-of-the-way senior centers. Before the redesign, Metro split its resources evenly between ridership and coverage. Based on the feedback it received, the board decided that the agency was spending too much to operate largely empty buses. So it shifted resources: 80 percent went to building ridership, while 20 percent went to maintaining coverage. http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=442142033 9/21/2017 Page 4 of 5 Originally, the plan was supposed to be cost -neutral. Metro thought it could achieve that goal by using its existing resources more effectively. But residents who stood to lose service under the agency's initial proposal came to board meetings and public hearings to protest the changes. Politicians took up their causes. It took a year for the agency to iron out all of the wrinkles. Most of the changes the agency made to its initial plan were to lower -service routes. The high-volume lines remained largely the same. One way the board smoothed the passage was by adding $12 million to the annual operating budget for buses, which was about a 4 percent increase. The switch came after months of publicity, as well as training for Metro staff. The transition itself had no major problems, although the agency did have to make adjustments after the rollout. Still, the easy transition made the process look simpler than it was. "We just barely pulled it off," Spieler says, "with the right staff, the best consultants, a gutsy board and a policy geek mayor with lots of spine." (Mayor Annise Parker's term expired in 2016.) Metro, though, will fall short of its goal of increasing overall transit ridership by 20 percent in the new system's first two years. Ridership did climb by 6.8 percent in the first year, but most of that came from increased light rail boardings. Bus trips increased by 1.2 percent in that initial year, much of that from weekend service. Weekday trips decreased. Things got worse the second year, when lower gas prices led to a more sluggish economy in energy -dependent Houston. Although final data was not available by press time, Luhrsen, the Metro vice president, says ridership for the second year will likely be flat. [This story was reported and written prior to when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August.] But he points out that other Texas cities are seeing decreases of 5 to 6 percent because of the drop in gas prices and the oil -related downturn in the local economy. "If we would have done nothing, we would have been down 5 to 6 percent, too," he says. "But [after two years] we're up 7 percent." Houston's size makes it the obvious template for other cities that want to launch a bus network redesign. But the growing number of transit agencies that are going through with similar plans will offer slightly different models to follow. While Houston and Columbus tried to keep their expenses relatively flat, Indianapolis is embarking on an expensive redesign, aiming for fast, frequent service even as it expands its network by about 70 percent. Indianapolis will fund the expansion through a new 0.25 percent income tax voters approved in 2016, which is expected to bring in an additional $54 million a year for IndyGo, the city's bus service. A major component of the new design will be adding three bus rapid transit lines that are designed to "basically be light rail on tires," says Bryan Luellen, an IndyGo spokesman. (The Indiana Legislature prohibited Indianapolis from using the money on actual light rail, but transit experts say the city isn't dense enough for rail anyway.) The new tax money will also help upgrade existing buses and bus stops, increase service on nights and weekends, and reduce customer waiting times on a more simplified grid network. The transit system serving the Albany, N.Y., region stands out because it has increased bus ridership by 25 percent since 2009, while most other agencies have struggled with declining ridership. The Capital District Transportation Authority covers four counties, but it concentrates its efforts on fast, frequent service in its four major cities: Albany, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady and Troy. The emphasis on frequency, says authority CEO Carm Basile, is a "game changer," because when buses come every eight to 15 minutes, the service "starts to feel a lot more like a rail system. The No. 1 thing people want from you when they get on your bus is to get off your bus. They want the bus to come really frequently, and they want to get to their destination really quick, just like a rail system." But another key to Albany's success has been its decision to reach out to local colleges and businesses to enroll in its "universal access" arrangements. In those deals, the institutions pay a discounted rate up front so their students or employees can ride without paying a fare. More than a http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=442142033 9/21/2017 Page 5 of 5 dozen colleges and a dozen local businesses participate in the program, and their riders make up nearly a quarter of the passengers the agency handles and a quarter of the fare revenues it collects. The program makes route planning easier, Basile says, because it's easy for the agency to predict where students or workers will want to travel. Plus, he adds, it helps keep ridership up. "Wholesaling service has taken the spikes out of the ridership," he says, that are caused by external factors like the price of fuel. "We've been isolated from that. The people we are talking about are going to use the service regardless, because they can and it's free to them." The number of transit agencies contemplating a bus system redesign continues to grow. This summer, Philadelphia officials announced they would soon undertake one, in part to respond to what they see as competition from private ride -sharing services. Anchorage, Alaska; Austin; Dallas; Richmond, Va.; and even Los Angeles and Staten Island in New York City are working on overhauls as well. Jon Orcutt, the director of communications and advocacy for the TransitCenter, says many of those cities may need an infusion of new money, along with a new system design, to make a truly effective bus system. But some, like Los Angeles, which has the country's second-largest bus system after New York, will mainly need to show that they can spend existing tax money more effectively. L.A. voters approved major transportation funding measures in 2008 and 2016, which have resulted in a rapidly growing light rail system. At the same time, though, bus ridership has fallen sharply, decreasing by 20 percent in just the last three years. Redrawing bus routes and overhauling schedules forces transit agencies to take a hard look at whether they're doing everything they can to serve their riders, Orcutt says. "It's a reflexive thing in the transit industry. If ridership goes down, the explanation tends to be that it's some sort of exogenous force: Gas is cheap, Uber came to town, whatever. But they don't look at whether their service is attractive to people. They don't look at what they can do, regardless of external forces," he says. "But now you're seeing the best of the transit industry looking at doing what they do better and trying to use the resources they have better." Houston's new system increases high -frequency bus routes (shown in red), which brings more than 1 million Houstonians into within a half -mile of a route that runs every 10-15 minutes. (Metro.com) This article was printed from: http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation- i nfrastructu re/gov-big-city-bus-systems.htm I http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=442142033 9/21/2017 �•-_,--,r.® CITY OF IOWA CITY -�P5 Z-- a x�� MEMORANDUM Date: September 20, 2017 To: City Council From: Simon Andrew, Assistant to the City Manager Re: FY2019 Preliminary Budget Discussion follow-up Introduction: At the September 5, 2017 City Council work session, Council refined preliminary budget direction to staff. Council reviewed the budget priorities discussed at the previous meeting, determining which items have majority Council support and providing greater detail on several items. Below is a summary of the direction provided to staff heading into the development of the FY2019 budget, organized in the same order as the September 5 discussion. Please contact the City Manager's Office with any clarifications on the items below or if there are priorities not represented. Budget Priorities: Several of Council's budget priorities relate to the implementation of existing plans or plans under development. The direction to staff is: include sufficient funds to begin or continue implementing the Affordable Housing Action Plan, Parks Master Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, and for finishing Form Based Code work in the South District and Northside Neighborhood. • The proposed budget document will identify investments in these initiatives and a recommended prioritization of projects, acknowledging that some master plan recommendations will compete for the same resources. If completing a project recommended in a master plan is prioritized over an existing project, the project delayed or removed from the budget will be noted. Supporting economic development opportunities for persons of color and women, perhaps as forgivable loans • Staff understands continuing the microloan and business education initiatives are a Council priority to include in the proposed budget. September 20, 2017 Page 2 Address transit routes to ensure better and equal access, appropriate timing, and safe shelters • Staff will evaluate options to compile data analytics and public outreach strategies for transit route assessment and include the necessary resources in the proposed budget. Begin the process for creating a form based code for the downtown • Given the estimated schedule of the South District and Northside Neighborhood Form Based Code projects, resources to complete a downtown form based code will not be included in the FY2019 budget, per Council's direction. Council may continue the discussion during strategic planning sessions. Establish a creative space downtown; Artifactory • Council and staff will be strategic in looking for opportunities to establish a creative space with partners and/or private projects, but not include a specific dollar amount in the FY2019 budget. Make street tree plantings a priority, including better prioritizing the existing budget • Staff will continue to budget tree plantings at the current level, exploring ways to use the tree planting budget more effectively and continuing to plan for plantings along street corridors each year. The soon-to-be completed tree inventory will be used to inform project recommendations and assess the equity of investments. The concept of a tree advisory commission will also be explored. Fund community gardens, edible landscapes, and low cost growing opportunities for the community • Expanded community garden opportunities are being evaluated, with a focus on Creekside Park. Additional opportunities are also being explored in the Peninsula Neighborhood. The evaluation of recommended sites for community gardens and edible landscapes includes an assessment of potential partnerships with neighborhoods and organizations, recognizing the heightened maintenance responsibilities. Partnerships with immigrant communities will also be explored. September 20, 2017 Page 3 Ensuring equity across the City in park facilities, complete neighborhood concept • Council will revisit the complete neighborhood concept during strategic plan discussions. The prioritization of Parks Master Plan projects in the proposed budget will incorporate the goals of providing greater equity and accessibility. Reimagine the UniverCity program to use funding more effectively • Staff will provide a report on the UniverCity program in order for Council to evaluate whether there are options to better utilize the budgeted funds. The report will include a discussion of the intended purpose of the program and an assessment of how effective the program has been in accomplishing these goals. Council may reassess whether the goals of the program have changed and have a discussion on how best to retool the program, if warranted. Respond to the potential loss of state property tax reform 'backfill' payments, Continue the City's strong financial position and continue build fund reserves; Continue the reduction in the City's property tax levy • The proposed budget will anticipate the potential loss of state backfill payments, continue to build strong fund reserves, and will aim to reduce the City's property tax levy. Work with the Metro Coalition to better tell the story of Iowa City to others in the state, specifically rural areas, small communities, and legislators that represent them • Staff will work to effectively communicate with state legislators from other jurisdictions. The City's new lobbyist will be a key component of these efforts. Establish a participatory budgeting framework • Staff will present potential models for enhanced public participation in the budget process, drawing on information from the National League of Cities, the Government Finance Officers Association, and best practices gleaned from other cities' processes. Provide capital funds for the City's proportional share of a County behavioral access center • Staff will include funds for the City's estimated proportional share of a county behavioral access center in the proposed budget. September 20, 2017 Page 4 Address gaps in mental health services, noting the decline of state funding • The request that funds for this topic be included in the proposed budget was withdrawn. Further discussion and more information is needed to evaluate how the City can support other agencies on mental health services. Diversify City staff, using recent ICPD over -hires as an example • Staff will continue to pursue processes that diversify City staff. The infrequent nature of the situation that allowed for over -hires in ICPD was noted. Develop return on investment metrics for Strategic Plan initiatives • Staff will explore ways to report outcome measures on Strategic Plan initiatives, potentially incorporating into a broader community indicators report. Staff will work to incorporate these priorities into the proposed budget. Please reach out to the City Manager's Office with any questions. The proposed budget is finalized in December, with City Council budget presentations and deliberation in January and February. FTrm- 7-7 IP6 Kellie Fruehling From: Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition <jcaffordablehousing=gmaiLcom@mail172.sea22.mcdlv.net> on behalf of Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition <jcaffordablehousing@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 4:47 PM To: Council; Council Subject: Affordable Housing Coalition Annual Meeting --PLEASE JOIN US Calling All Supporters of Affordable Housing (that's YOU!) RSVP for our 2017 Annual Meeting! Friday, September 29; 12:00-1:30 pin Johnson County Health and Human Services 1 Join us to celebrate our progress this year and to chart our course for the year to come. We'll also be debuting our brand-new video project --interviews and information from residents, professionals, and community members about the positive, lasting impact of affordable housing. Don't miss the excitement! Light snacks will be provided. RSVPs are appreciated but not required at https://icaffordablehousing.eventbrite.com. Please note: There will be no community meeting on 9/22. Please join us for the annual meeting on September 29 instead! REMINDER: Join or renew your membership by September 29! When you become an official member of the Affordable Housing Coalition, you open doors to stability and opportunity for Johnson County families. Who should become a dues -paying member? ANYONE who cares about the health, economic security, and well-being of our community and its residents. We are a coalition of community members who value and advocate for affordable housing for all. Click the button below to join or renew. Individual memberships are just $50/year. A sliding scale is also available to make membership accessible to all. Thank you for investing in the Johnson County Affordable Housing FA ® o Copyright © 2017 Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up at an event, or meeting. Our mailing address is: Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition 308 E. Burlington St. PMB 121 Iowa City, IA 52240 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. mi� S Iowa City Police Department and University of Iowa DP Bar Check Report - August, 2017 The purpose of the Bar Check Report is to track the performance of Iowa City liquor license establishments in monitoring their patrons for violations of Iowa City's ordinances on Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age (PAULA) and Persons Under the Legal Age in Licensed or Permitted Establishments (Under 21). Bar checks are defined by resolution as an officer -initiated check of a liquor establishment for PAULA or other alcohol related violations. This includes checks done as part of directed checks of designated liquor establishments, and checks initiated by officers as part of their routine duties. It does not include officer responses to calls for service. The bar check ratios are calculated by dividing the number of citations issued to the patrons at that establishment during the relevant period of time by the number of bar checks performed during the same period of time. The resulting PAULA ratio holds special significance to those establishments with exception certificates, entertainment venue status, or split venues, in that they risk losing their special status if at any time their PAULA ratio exceeds .25 for the trailing 12 months. Note, while the resolution requires that bar checks and citations of the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) be included in these statistics, the DPS ceased performing bar checks and issuing these citations to patrons in May of 2014. Previous 12 Months Top 10 Under 21 Citations PAULA Citations Union Bar 106 124 1.1698113 Cactus Mexican Grill (245 s. Gilb 10 11 1.1000000 Vine Tavern, [The] 11 12 1.0909091 Union Bar 106 75 0.7075472 Summit. [The] 67 45 0.6716418 Summit. [The] 67 38 0.5671642 Eden Lounge 48 25 0.5208333 Fieldhouse 64 25 0.3906250 Fieldhouse 64 20 0.3125000 ISports Column 68 24 0.3529412 Sports Column 68 20 0.2941176 Vine Tavern, [The] 11 3 0.2727273 Pints 24 7 0.2916667 Airliner 34 9 0.2647059 Martini's 39 11 0.2820513 Eden Lounge 48 7 0.1458333 DC's 56 12 0.2142857 Bo -James 14 2 0.1428571 Bo -James 14 3 0.2142857 DC's 56 6 0.1071429 ISports Column - 11 1 0.0909091 Current Month Top 10 Under 21 Citations PAULA Citations lin�i lies, Na me visit: t 10 R1in W r,.,: nor. nn- VLit< Ctat'11nL 8,tio Vine Tavern, [The] 6 11 1.8333333 Summit. [The] 10 9 0.9000000 Fieldhouse 11 8 0.7272727 Fieldhouse 11 9 0.8181818 DC's 8 4 0.5000000 Cactus Mexican Grill (245 s. Gilb 4 3 0.7500000 Eden Lounge 8 4 0.5000000 Bo -lames 4 2 0.5000000 Summit. [The] 10 4 0.4000000 Union Bar 18 8 0.4444444 Union Bar 18 7 0.3888889 Vine Tavern, [The] 6 2 0.3333333 Martini's 13 4 0.3076923 Airliner 7 2 0.2857143 Sports Column 11 1 0.0909091 Bardot Iowa 4 1 0.2500000 Eden Lounge 8 1 0.1250000 ISports Column - 11 1 0.0909091 - exception to 21 ordinance Page 1 of 5 Iowa City Police Department and University of Iowa DPS Bar Check Report - August, 2017 Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age (PAULA) Under 21 Charges Numbers are reflective of Iowa City Police activity and University of Iowa Police Activity Business Name Monthly Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Prev 12 Month Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Under2l PAULA Ratio Ratio (Prev 12 Mo) (Prev 12 Mo) 2 Dogs Pub 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Airliner 7 0 2 34 5 9 0.1470588 0.2647059 American Legion 0 0 0 Bardot Iowa 4 0 1 12 1 1 0.0833333 0.0833333 Baroncini— 0 0 0 Basta 0 0 0 Big Grove Brewery 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 Blackstone— 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Blue Moose— 1 0 0 24 2 1 0.0833333 0.0416667 Bluebird Diner 0 0 0 Bo -James 4 0 2 14 3 2 0.2142857 0.1428571 Bread Garden Market & Bakery 0 0 0 Brothers Bar & Grill, [It's] 16 0 1 96 3 4 0.03125 0.0416667 Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar— 0 0 0 Cactus 2 Mexican Grill (314 E Burlington) 2 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 Cactus Mexican Grill (245 s. Gilbert) 4 0 3 10 0 11 0 1.1 Caliente Night Club 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Carl & Ernie's Pub & Grill 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Carlos O'Kelly's— 0 0 0 Chipotle Mexican Grill 0 0 0 Clarion Highlander Hotel 0 0 0 Clinton St Social Club 0 0 0 Club Car, [The] 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Coach's Corner 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Colonial Lanes` 0 0 0 — exception to 21 ordinance Page 2 of 5 Business Name Monthly Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Prev 12 Month Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Under 21 PAULA Ratio Ratio (Prev 12 Mo) (Prev 12 Mo) Dave's Foxhead Tavern 0 0 0 DC's 8 4 0 56 12 6 0.2142857 0.1071429 Deadwood, [The] 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Donnelly's Pub 0 0 0 Dublin Underground, [The] 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Eagle's, [Fraternal Order of] 0 0 0 Eden Lounge 8 4 1 48 25 7 0.5208333 0.1458333 EI Banditos 0 0 0 EI Cactus Mexican Cuisine 0 0 0 EI Dorado Mexican Restaurant 0 0 0 EI Patron 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 EI Ranchero Mexican Restaurant 0 0 0 Elks #590, [BPO] 0 0 0 EnglertTheatre- 0 0 0 Fieldhouse 11 8 9 64 20 25 0.3125 0.390625 FilmScene 0 0 0 First Avenue Club- 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Formosa Asian Cuisine- 0 0 0 Gabes- 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 George's Buffet 0 0 0 Givanni's- 0 0 0 Graze- 0 0 0 Grizzly's South Side Pub 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Hilltop Lounge, [The] 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Howling Dogs Bistro 0 0 0 India Cafe 0 0 0 Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack 0 0 0 Jobsite 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Joe's Place 1 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 Joseph's Steak House" 0 0 0 Los Portales 0 0 0 Martini's 13 4 0 39 11 3 0.2820513 0.0769231 - exception to 21 ordinance Page 3 of 5 Business Name Monthly Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Prev 12 Month Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Under 21 PAULA Ratio Ratio (Prev 12 Mo) (Prey 12 Mo) Masala 0 0 0 Mekong Restaurant- 0 0 0 Micky's- 0 0 0 Mill Restaurant, [The]" 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Moose, [Loyal Order of] 0 0 0 Mosleys 0 0 0 Motley Cow Cafe- 0 0 0 Noodles & Company" 0 0 0 Old Capitol Brew Works 0 0 0 One-Twenty-Six 0 0 0 Orchard Green Restaurant- 0 0 0 Oyama Sushi Japanese Restaurant 0 0 0 Pagliai's Pizza- 0 0 0 Panchero's (Clinton St)- 0 0 0 Panchero's Grill (Riverside Dr)` 0 0 0 Pints 1 0 0 24 7 1 0.2916667 0.0416667 Pit Smokehouse"' 0 0 0 Pizza Arcade 0 0 0 Pizza Hut- 0 0 0 Quinton's Bar & Deli 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Ridge Pub 0 0 0 Riverside Theatre- 0 0 0 Saloon- 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Sam's Pizza 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Sanctuary Restaurant, [The] 0 0 0 Shakespeare's 0 0 0 Sheraton 0 0 0 Short's Burger & Shine- 0 0 0 Short's Burger Eastside 0 0 0 SonnysTap 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 Sports Column 11 1 1 68 20 24 0.2941176 0.3529412 Studio 13 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 `exception to 21 ordinance Page 4 of 5 Business Name Monthly Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Prev 12 Month Totals Bar Under2l PAULA Checks Under2l PAULA Ratio Ratio (Prev 12 Mo) (Prev 12 Mo) Summit. [The] 10 4 9 67 45 38 0.6716418 0.5671642 Sushi Popo 0 0 0 Szechuan House 0 0 0 Takanami Restaurant— 0 0 0 TCB 1 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 Thai Flavors 0 0 0 Thai Spice 0 0 0 Times Club @ Prairie Lights 0 0 0 Trumpet Blossom Cafe 0 0 0 Union Bar 18 7 8 106 124 75 1.1698113 0.7075472 VFW Post #3949 0 0 0 Vine Tavern, [The] 6 11 2 11 12 3 1.0909091 0.2727273 Wig & Pen Pizza Pub— 0 0 0 Yacht Club, [Iowa City]— 3 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 Yen Ching 0 0 0 Z'Mariks Noodle House 0 0 0 Monthly Totals Prev 12 Month Totals Under2l PAULA Bar Under2l PAULA Bar Under2l PAULA Ratio Ratio Checks Checks (Prev 12 Mo) (Prev 12 Mo) Totals 137 4339 768 290 210 0.3776042 0.2734375 Off Premise 0 0 32 0 0 119 0 0 Grand Totals 71 1 329 0 -exception to 21 ordinance Page 5 of 5 CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1826 (319)356-5000 (319)356-5009 FAX www.icgov.org September 7, 2017 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council RE: Civil Service Entrance Examination — Community Service Officer Under the authority of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, I do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Community Service Officer. Lyr6 W. Dickerson, Chair N � Carly Hey n� _O r N � 0 IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMI381ON Lyr6 W. Dickerson, Chair r 1 IP9 CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1826 (319)356-5000 (319)356-5009 FAX www.icgov.org September 12, 2017 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council RE: Civil Service Entrance Examination — Maintenance Worker I — Parks Under the authority of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, I do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Mainten4we Worker I - Parks. Collin Lenton o rn IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Lyrar. Dickerson, Chair r 1 IP10 CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1826 (319)356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX W W W.icgov.org September 13, 2017 TO: The Honorable Mayor and the City Council RE: Civil Service Entrance Examination — Maintenance Worker I — Parking Systems Under the authority of the Civil Service Commission of Iowa City, Iowa, I do hereby certify the following named person(s) as eligible for the position of Maintenance Worker I — Parking Systems. Harold Studebaker IOWA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION LyraON. Dickerson, Chair DRAFT I IP11 COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD MINUTES — September 12, 2017 CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chair Orville Townsend called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Monique Green, Mazahir Salih, Don King (electronically) MEMBERS ABSENT: David Selmer STAFF PRESENT: Legal Counsel Pat Ford, Staff Kellie Fruehling/Chris Olney OTHERS PRESENT: Capt. Bill Campbell ICPD CONSENT CALENDAR Motion by Green, seconded by Salih, to adopt the consent calendar as presented or amended. • Minutes of the Meeting on 08/29 Fruehling stated that a correction needed to be made on the voting of the two motions made after executive session on the Aug 29 draft. Ford also indicated he was listed as absent on the May 9, July 11, and August 29 minutes, which was incorrect. Motion carried, 4/0, Selmer absent. NEW BUSINESS Proposed Ordinance Change Discussion — King asked Board members to consider a change to the ordinance regarding discipline. King didn't want the perception of the Board to look like they were rubber stamping the Chief's report. Legal Counsel advised the Board that due to State law they have no authority to discipline an officer or to know if any discipline was given. After further discussion it was agreed that Townsend, Green & Legal Counsel Ford would draft a letter of concern with recommendations to the City Council for the Board's review. CPRB Power Point use for Presentations - Late handout presented by Olney showing CPRB Information which can be used to make public presentations as requested by Salih. Select Nominating Committee — Salih and Townsend volunteered to be on the nominating committee. They will report back to the Board with recommendations for Chair and Vice Chair at the next meeting. OLD BUSINESS None PUBLIC DISCUSSION None BOARD INFORMATION Green has a conflict with the December12th tentative meeting date.Staff will look into availability of conference rooms for a date change. STAFF INFORMATION None CPRB Sept 12, 2017 Page 2 TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE and FUTURE AGENDAS (subiect to change) •October 10, 2017, 5:30 PM, Helling Conference Rm •December 12, 2017, 5:30 PM, Helling Conference Rm *January 9, 2018, 5:30 PM, Helling Conference Rm •February 13, 2018, 5:30 PM, Helling Conference Rm ADJOURNMENT Motion for adjournment by Green, seconded by Salih. Motion Carried, 4/0, Selmer Absent. Meeting adjourned at 6:12 P.M. COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2016-2017 (Meeting Date) KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member TERM 8/17 9/13 10/1 11/7 11/1 12/1 1/10 2/14 3/14 4/12 5/9 7/11 7/31 8/8 8/29 9/12 NAME EXP. 1 5 5 Joseph 7/1/17 X X X X X X X X X X O/ --- --- Treloar E Mazahir 7/1/21 X X O X O X X X O/E X O/ X X X X X Salih E Donald 7/1/19 O/E X O/E O/E O/E O/E O/E O/E X X X X X X X X King Monique 7/1/20 X X X X X X X X X X X X O/E X X X Green Orville 7/1/20 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Townsend David 9/1/21 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- X O/E X X O Selmer KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member Draft Minutes for the Human Rights Commission IP12 Regular Meeting September 19, 2017 Helling Conference Room 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 1. Call to Order Chair Hanrahan called the meeting to order at 5:33 PM. Commission Members Present: Jeff Falk, Adil Adams, Kim Hanrahan, Eliza Willis, Barbara Kutzko, Joe Coulter, Shams Ghoneim, Andrea Cohen. Commission Members Not Present: Tahuanty Pena. Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers. Others Present: Jean Lloyd -Jones, Maria Padron, Jean-Paul Mugemuzi. 2. Recommendations to City Council: None. 3. Funding Request for Community Forums to Make All Children Matter. The request includes sponsorship for three events each that brings violence against children into the light and encourages protection of the right to childhood and livable futures. The programs are being held September 21, October 21, and December 10. Commissioner Coulter moved to fund the request at $200; the motion was seconded by Commission Vice Chair Willis. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5-1. (Hanrahan in the negative and Cohen and Ghoneim abstaining due to conflict of interest). 4. Funding Request for Celebrating the World's Children. The request includes sponsorship of a program being held October 22 that highlights the rich diversity of Johnson County, saluting United Nations agencies that benefit children and families around the world, and to support the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Commissioner Coulter moved to fund the request at $100; the motion was seconded by Willis. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5-2. (Hanrahan, Falk in the negative and Cohen abstaining due to conflict of interest). 5. Funding Request for Refugee and Immigrant Recognition Dinner. The request includes sponsorship of the refugee/immigrant recognition dinner aimed at building awareness and respect between the growing refugee/immigrant populations in the community and elected officials. -The event is scheduled for October 14 and will be held in North Liberty. Commissioner Coulter moved to fund the request at $200; the motion was seconded by Ghoneim. A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-2. (Hanrahan and Falk in the negative). Commission Chair Hanrahan and Commissioner Adams will attend the event on behalf of the Commission. Draft Minutes for the Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting September 19, 2017 Helling Conference Room 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 6. Indigenous Peoples Proclamation to City Council. Commissioner Coulter will reach out to the Native American Council and Student Association at the University of Iowa for representatives to accept the proclamation on behalf of the Commission at the City Council formal meeting date of October 3. Staff will reach out to Commissioner Pena to see if he is also available to accept the proclamation that evening. Staff will check on noting this declaration on the City's calendar for Monday, October 9. 7. Report on Job 1£ Resource Fair. Staff reported that there were 30 employers at the event held on September 12. It is estimated that the fair drew about 200 attendees. 8. Approval of August 16, 2017, Regular Meeting Minutes: Commissioner Ghoneim moved to approve the minutes; the motion was seconded by Vice Chair Willis. A vote was taken and the motion passed 7-0. (Adams not present for the vote). 9. The Social Justice Racial Equity Grant Process and Evaluation Rubric for FY18: Staff will be sending the final draft to the Communications Office to make the updates to the pdf for Commissioners to review at their October meeting. 10. Report on National Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation. Commissioner Kutzko accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Human Rights Commission at the September 5 City Council formal meeting. 11. Rapid Response Team The subcommittee will meet in the near future to discuss next steps. 12. Human Rights Annual Award Breakfast: Commission Chair Hanrahan and Commissioners Pena and Willis will serve on the subcommittee to select award recipients. Commissioner Ghoneim will provide welcoming remarks, Commission Chair Hanrahan will introduce Jean Lloyd -Jones, Commission Vice Chair Willis will present the awards, and Kutzko will close the program. The breakfast will be held on October 25 and former Iowa State Senator and Congress person Jean Lloyd -Jones will serve as the keynote speaker. 13. University of Iowa's Center for Human Rights Advisory Committee: The Center has a three part community forum on Making All Children Matter. The events include Setting the Stage (September 9, 2017), Recording Experiences & Responses (October 21, 2017), and The Right to a Livable Future: Making All Children Matter (December 10, 2017). Staff will resend the information on the programs to the Commission. The Center also recently held, programs on the Role of Transformative Education in Successful Reentry. The purpose of the programs was to show how communities can support access to (higher) education and employment opportunities for Iowa's currently incarcerated men and women. 2 Draft Minutes for the Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting September 19, 2017 Helling Conference Room 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 14. Building and Crossing Bridges Together: The subcommittee has a tentative date of December 10 to hold a program, but will work with staff on next steps and the feasibility of continuing the program. 15. Iowa City Community School District Equity Committee: The District's taskforce, with the specific charge of looking at the LGBTQ culture and environment for students in its schools, will convene four different days and times for the group to meet with students and the community. The taskforce was convened in response to the 2017 Iowa City Community School District Student Experiences of School Climate Report and survey data that revealed a consistent pattern of disparities in student experiences for non -binary gender identified and LGB identified students. More information on the report can be located at http://ppc.uiowa.edu/social-policy/study/Igbtq-student- experiences-iowa-city-com m u n ity-school-district. 16. Announcements from Commissioners: Willis has been working with the League of -Women Voters on voter registration events around Iowa City including at the Broadway Neighborhood Center. Cohen spoke on the United Nations Association Iowa Chapter's launch of Empower Her -Kits set for October 24. The initiative includes an Empower -Her Pad-Palooza Sew -A -Thou and an Empower -Her Donation Drive. Adams recently attended a forum in support of Iowa City council candidate Mazahir Salih. Hanrahan plans on attending the Butterfly Mosque book discussion being held at the Iowa City Public Library on September 23. Ghoneim recently participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the University of Iowa School of Social Work on end of life matters. Ghoneim represented the Islamic faith; other panelist represented Buddhism and Judaism. 17. Announcements from Staff: Next regular meeting date Tuesday, October 17 at 5:30 PM. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:06 PM. Draft Minutes for the Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting September 19, 2017 Helling Conference Room 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Member Attendance Sheet Member Term Exp. 1/17/17 2/21/17 3/14/17 4/25/2017 5/16/17 6/20/17 7/18/17 8/16/17 9/19/17 B. Kutzko 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present Present J. Falk 1/2020 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present T. Pena 1/2020 ----------- ---------- ----------- Present Present Present Present Present Excused J.Coulter 1/2019 Present Present Excused Present Present Present Excused Present Present A. Adams 1/2019 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present E. Willis 1/2019 Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present Present I Present A.Cohen 1/2018 Present Present Present Excused Present Excused Excused Present Present K. Hanrahan 1/2018 Present Present Present Excused Present Present Present Present Present S. Ghoneim 1 1/2018 Present Present Present Present Excused Present Excused Present Present 8 VIP13 MINUTES PRELIMINARY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 — 7:00 PM — FORMAL MEETING EMMA J. HARVAT HALL, CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Carolyn Dyer, Ann Freerks, Mike Hensch, Phoebe Martin, Mark Signs, Jodie Theobald MEMBERS ABSENT: Max Parsons STAFF PRESENT: Sara Hektoen, Bob Miklo OTHERS PRESENT: RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL: By a vote of 6-0 the Commission recommends approval of VAC17-00001 a vacation of the alley right of way in Block 44 of the Original Town Plat, Iowa City, IA excepting the S 10' of the W 120'. By a vote of 6-0 the Commission recommends approval of VAC17-00002, a request to vacate right-of-way adjacent to 2222 Old Highway 218 South. [R -M."1011560 -N Eq Freerks called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA: None. VACATION ITEM (VAC17-00001): Discussion of an application submitted by City of Iowa City for a vacation of the east -west alley right of way in Block 44, Original Town Plat located east of Gilbert Street, south of Iowa Avenue, west of Van Buren Street and north of Washington Street. Miklo noted this alley is next to the City Hall building. The alley was originally platted with the original town plat in 1839. Part was previously vacated to allow the construction of the Civic Center/City Hall expansion. The proposal is to vacate the remainder of the alley so that it may be used in conjunction with the new development in the parking lot. This right-of-way has not been used as an alley since the Civic Center was built, and there are barriers in the way deterring access through this alleyway. Miklo noted the Staff Report reviews all the items the City looks at when reviewing a vacation request and they find that this request meets all the criteria. He added if there are any utilities, they will be relocated or vacated or have an easement established. This alley does not provide access to any adjacent private properties. Staff recommends approval of VAC17-00001 a vacation of the alley right of way in Block 44 of the Original Town Plat, Iowa City, IA excepting the S 10' of the W 120'. Planning and Zoning Commission September 7, 2017 — Formal Meeting Page 2 of 4 Freerks asked about the new parking structure space being used to provide space for City vehicles and public access easements and if in the past the easements were listed as conditions to approval. Hektoen clarified that happens at the conveyance stage and in this case there is a developer's agreement and a sales purchase agreement that list the contingencies and execution of necessary easements. Freerks opened the public discusssion. Seeing no one, she closed the public discussion. Hensch moved to recommend approval of VAC17-00001 a vacation of the alley right of way in Block 44 of the Original Town Plat, Iowa City, IA excepting the S 10' of the W 120'. Theobald seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-0. VACATION ITEM (VAC17-00002): Discussion of an application submitted by City of Iowa City for a vacation of the unimproved right-of-way adjacent to 2222 Old Highway 218 South. Miklo stated this area is the former right-of-way of old Riverside Drive. When McCollister Boulevard was built the alignment of Riverside Drive adjusted to allow for a T intersection and this piece was left over. There is no City need for the rest of area, The University of Iowa owns the adjacent property and the intent of the vacation is to allow the conveyance of the right-of- way to the adjacent property. There are no issues with utilities or public access with this vacation. Staff recommends approval of VAC17-00002, a request to vacate right-of-way adjacent to 2222 Old Highway 218 South. Freerks asked what prompted this vacation request. Miklo explained that it is connected to the previous alley vacation item on the agenda. The State of Iowa owns the original town platted right-of-ways. In order to allow the right-of-way to be sold the City is trading the Old Riverside Drive right-of-way for the alley. Martin asked why the whole area was not being vacated. Miklo explained that the property to the east needs that area of right-of-way for access. Freerks opened the public discussion. Seeing no one, she closed the public discussion. Theobald moved to recommend approval of VAC17-00002, a request to vacate right-of- way adjacent to 2222 Old Highway 218 South. Signs seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-0. Planning and Zoning Commission September 7, 2017— Formal Meeting Page 3 of 4 CONSIDERATION OF MEETING MINUTES: AUGUST 17, 2017 Signs moved to approve the meeting minutes of August 17, 2017 with edits. Hensch seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-0. PLANNING AND ZONING INFORMATION: Report from the National American Planning Association Conference. Will defer this item to a future agenda. Miklo noted that the Commission had asked staff to check on the compliance of the landscaping plan for the new medical office building on North Dodge Street and North Dubuque Road. Staff asked inspectors to look at the site plan that was approved by Staff and what has been planted. He reported that Staff found that the landscaping does comply with the site plan. Theobald noted that some of the trees planted are already dead. She recalled more landscaping be discussed at the Planning and Zoning meeting when this was reviewed. Freerks requested a copy of the plan that the Commission reviewed at the time the property was rezoned. She also asked for an itemized account of how the landscaping complies with the requirements in the zoning ordinance. Freerks added this is an entryway into the City and it needs to be landscaped correctly. Martin noted that while the most visible side of the building along Dodge Street has very few windows and trees, the parking lot side of the building is much more attractive. Miklo said Staff would revisit the plan and report back at a future meeting. ADJOURNMENT: Theobald moved to adjourn. Signs seconded. A vote was taken and motion carried 6-0. PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD 2016-2017 KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Not a Member 1/19 2/2 3/2 3/16 4/6 (W.S.) 4/20 4/20 5/4 5/18 6/1 (W.S) 6/7 6/15 7/6 7/20 8/3 8/17 9/7 DYER, CAROLYN X X X X X X X X O/E X X X X X X X X FREERKS, ANN X X X X O/E X X X X X X X X X X O/E X HENSCH, MIKE X X X X X X X X X X O/E X X X X X X MARTIN, PHOEBE X X X X X O/E O/E X X X X O/E X X X X X PARSONS, MAX X X O/E X X X X X X X X X X X X X O/E SIGNS, MARK X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X THEOBALD, JODIE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X O/E X X KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Not a Member