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1. Call to Order
Throgmorton: Good evening, everybody! Welcome to your City Hall. It's nice to see all of you
on what I guess has been a pretty decent day. I want to note that, um,
Councilwoman, uh, Salih will not be able to be with us again tonight. She is still
in Sudan, uh, which is a very dangerous place at the moment. She and her
children are trying to get on a flight to return to the United States and had not yet
been able to schedule a flight. So .... but she's planning to do that and Kellie has
been in communication with Maz about that. So, we certainly hope she and they
can come back safely.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of June 18, 2019.
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2. Proclamations
2.a. Juneteenth National Freedom Day
Throgmorton: We have one proclamation to read tonight and I think there's no one here to
receive it, but I want to read it. Oh, you're going to! Okay, great! So I'll .... let me
read it first and then you can come up and accept it. Okay? (reads proclamation)
(applause) (unable to hear, away from mic) Please state your name. Oh, you're
not going to say .... okay!
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3. Special Presentations
3.a. RUN CRANDIC presentation
Throgmorton: And this one happens to concern RUN CRANDIC. Come on up, Josh!
Schamberger: Thank you, Mayor. (mumbled) Mayor, Council, appreciate an opportunity to
have a few minutes here just to thank all of you again like we do every year, well
the second year in a row now for all the help the City of Iowa City provides for
RUN CRANDIC. This new corridor marathon, the first ever marathon in the
corridor, uh, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids. Uh, once again we had a terrific turnout.
We had people come in from 31 states and two countries to run the marathon this
year and, uh, we ended with some nice checks for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa City
Community School Districts, uh, as well as some .... some money for Prairie and
Clear Creek Amana, and so, uh, this could not be possible, you know, it goes
without saying, without the public safety agencies of the entire corridor. Uh, we
put on a lot of events, as you know, and it's certainly, uh, the most challenging to
work with eight or nine different police departments, and secondary roads teams
and streets teams. There's really only one way you can get from one city to the
other, and that's Highway 965, and so, uh, it takes a lot of coordination. So, um,
we appreciate Geoff and his entire team and Ashley and their leadership and
support throughout all of this. It's really become a great event and this year we
had it easy. We just had to get 'em out of Johnson County. Next year they'll....
they'll finish back down here. So, uh, as you know I get more than my fair share
of credit for some of these events. The person who really is responsible for
making this possible is many .... well is many other things is Monica Nieves, our
Vice President of Special Events, and so I'd like to turn it over to her to just
present you with a little token of, uh, our appreciation to the City of Iowa City.
Nieves: Hello! Thank you for allowing us to be here. On behalf of Think Iowa City, the
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, Cordal Running, the University of Iowa
Community Credit Union, and the RUN CRANDIC executive committee, I would
like to thank the Iowa City City Council for their continued support of the RUN
CRANDIC marathon. Thanks to your efforts the RUN CRANDIC marathon had
over 300 runners from over 30 states, uh, run across the Park Road bridge on a
Sunday morning in April. I'd especially like to thank Lindsey Kent, Jeff Sears,
and Juli Johnson from the Parks and Ree Department. Additionally I want to say
another thank you to Derek Frank and Officer Ashten Hayes from the Iowa City
Police Department, who ensured the safety of our runners, volunteers, and
spectators along the course in Iowa City. Ashten not only attended all of our
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
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public safety meetings and coordinated the Department's efforts, she also was our
lead cyclist with the lead female runner that day. RUN CRANDIC would not
have been a success of the support of the City of Iowa City, and it is my pleasure
to present the City and the Iowa City Police Department with finisher redal.....
medals from 2019.
Throgmorton: Wow!
Mims: Thank you very much! (applause)
Throgmorton: Wow! Very sweet! Are there any police officers in the room? (several talking in
background) (laughter) Police Department! (several talking in background) Oh
what fun! Y'all do great work, Josh. Keep it up! Thank you, Monica.
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4 - 9 Beginning of Consent Calendar Consider adoption of the Consent Calendar
as presented or amended
9.h. Community Police Review Board: Proposed amendment to Ordinance &
By -Laws
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to adopt the consent calendar as presented or amended,
minus Item 9.h., which we will treat, uh, separately.
Cole: So moved.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by .... Teague. Uh, this is, uh, a voice vote? Yeah, all in
favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carries. Okay, moving to Item 9.h. Item 9.h.,
uh, is (clears throat) actually a piece of correspondence concerning Community
Police Review Board's recommendation that we amend, uh, their .... the ordinance,
uh.... uh, for the Community Police Review Board and its bylaws. Could I have a
motion to approve, to accept, that particular piece of correspondence?
Cole: So moved.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by Thomas. Discussion? Orville, did you want to
address us on this? Orville, maybe for the benefit of the audience you could
elaborate just a little bit about, uh, what's being recommended by the board.
Townsend: Okay. Yeah, Orville Townsend, uh, Whiting Avenue. Um, the board is
recommending that the ordinance be, uh, establish a change that would appoint a
liaison from the City Council to the Community Police Review Board. Uh,
history behind that is, uh, when I first got on the board, uh, and... and the Police
Review Board, we review any complaint that a citizen has concerning their feelin'
that they were treated unfairly by the Police Department. Uh, as you know, the
Police Department, the cars and the officers have video tapes. So any complaint,
you know, all members of the board as well as the Police Chief, you know,
reviews those tapes to see exactly what happened. Uh, when I first got on the
board, um, I was concerned about, you know, a couple situations. Uh, we had a
couple older members on the board whose, uh, feelings and mentality was that,
uh, we have to look out for our boys in blue. And that feeling, you know, I think
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in some situations they made rulings that were in favor of the officer, but maybe it
should have been otherwise. Situation like this, uh... the citizen's rights are bein'
violated and they're not bein' given the due justice that they should receive. I
found myself in an awkward situation. My choices were I could come before you,
the City Council, and I could complain, but I didn't think it was appropriate or
productive to wash our dirty laundry in public. If I were to do that, the next day
every paper in the state would have it and it would just be a mess. So I chose not
to do that. I'm the kind of person if there's a problem I feel that we need to work
in the system to fix it. So this is my attempt to do that at this time. I bring it to
you. Uh, the .... I shared my concerns with the board, and as a result of that we are
makin' this recommendation to you to appoint a liaison to the ... the Police Review
Board. Now I can hold my own, but in those meetings, when I was, you know,
tryin' to express my concerns, the vote was against me, but not .... not everybody,
you know, we've got a lot of citizens that they .... they get on committees because
they wanna do a good job and they basically wanna make a difference. But they
don't need a hassle. They may not feel comfortable comin' before you, and in
some cases they may not feel comfortable, you know, workin' with the members
on the, uh, board. So what they would do is they would just kinda bury their head
in the sand and we have a problem that, you know, is ongoin'. Also I think it's
important that we acknowledge a reality. You as a Council, you appoint members
to the boards. You appointed me to the Police Citizen Review Board. And I
guess my feelin' is that if there's a problem, you cannot correct it if you do not
know it exists. So our recommendation is that, you know .... a liaison will be
appointed to the Police Community Review Board. If there's an individual who
basically doesn't feel comfortable comin' before you or in some cases even
discussin' it further in the, uh, board meetings, then we have a liaison. Now, we
know you guys don't wanna start appointin' liaisons because you open Pandora's
box. But I think this is an exception. You appoint this board, and if there .... and
this is not just your average board. We're talkin' about citizens' rights bein'
violated. I think that should put this in a category that has more significance. So,
you know, we are submitting this, uh, to you and I would appeal to you to, uh,
give it really heavy consideration and pass this.
Throgmorton: Great! Thank you, Orville. Appreciate you comin'! So the question to us really
is pretty simple. It ... we're not gonna vote up or down on this proposed ordinance.
The question is, do we want to have ... uh, put on a formal meeting agenda the
proposed ordinance, which we would then open to public conversation, have our
own discussion, and vote about whether we want to approve it or amend it. So,
that's the question before us. So, and I need to know whether a majority of us
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wants to ... uh, have such a ord... draft ordinance presented to us at a forthcoming
formal meeting. So .... what do you folks think?
Teague: I would say yes.
Cole: I'm supportive of it. Yes.
Thomas: I would say yes as well.
Throgmorton: I would too, as an act of respect to the board. I .... I think there may be particular
aspects of the proposed ordinance that we would want to deliberate upon more
thoroughly ..... uh, and I can't predict how that would go ..... but I think as an act of
respect we should do that. Yeah, okay so, could I have a motion.... well, we
don't .... we don't really need to have a motion to direct the staff to put it on a
future meeting. Okay, but we want you to do that (laughs) Okay, so.....could I
have a motion to accept the .... the.....do we? (both talking)
Mims: ....motion to accept it (both talking)
Throgmorton: Okay, right. Thank you. So, uh, all in favor of accepting this correspondence
please say aye. Opposed. Motion carries.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of June 18, 2019.
10. Community Comment (items not on the agenda)
Throgmorton: So this is the moment, as you all know, when anyone who would like to address
us on any topic that's not on the formal meeting agenda should feel free to come
up and speak. I'd like to ask you to first state your name, and then take not more
than three minutes to state whatever is on your mind, and.....who's first? Good
evening, Massimo!
M. Biggers: Good evening. Uh, my name is Massimo Piciotto Biggers. And, um .... (noises in
background) I went on a climate strike for three months, missing classes in order
to ask you to ask City leaders to act on our climate emergency. Three months
later I'm still waiting for a response. That makes me think you don't believe there
is a climate emergency. That you have not noticed historic flooding, historic fires,
historic melting of the permafrost, and all the daily headlines and studies. But
there is a climate emergency, and cities and countries across the world are acting
to meet IPCC levels. The good news is that our School Board is finally doing
something to move forward. I'm here again tonight because I met with the Mayor
and City Manager, and was told all the reasons we're not doing very much for
climate action in Iowa City. I was told our biggest source of emissions are
buildings which release 50...60% of our carbon footprint could not be regulated.
We actually looked into it and found out that this is not true, that Iowa City can
pass much better energy efficiency rules. To be honest, I feel like you misled me,
that you lied to me, that you dismissed... that you dismissed us. But this is my
future, not yours. When I'm your age, scientists.... scientists will tell us we will
be facing an ecolo ... ecological disasters in a planet that will not be livable, if we
continue at this pace. Unless we act. And act quickly. And act with a real plan,
not.....not a half-baked plan. So it's in your hands, at least for Iowa City. You can
continue to dismiss us or lie to us, or you can apologize and pass a climate
emergency resolution and a new plan that actually cuts our CO2 emissions in a
real way. This is the real question — what is the cost of an action? Energy
efficiency is cal .... is called the low -hanging fruit. You could start by hiring more
inspectors. You could provide incentives to re... retro .... to retrofit old buildings.
Then you could pass better regulations for new buildings. Like in New York City,
which plans to cut CO2 emissions by 40% through energy efficiency. The C40
group, which is a coalition of cities for climate action, has agreed to net zero
standards for all buildings by 2030. Greta Thunberg has a great slogan: No more
excuses! I hope I never hear any more excuses from you again. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Massimo. Anyone else?
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D. Biggers: Hi (clears throat) my name is Diego Piciotto Biggers, uh, and I also participated in
the student climate strikes this spring. Um, and last week it was exciting to hear
that the School Board, uh, declared its intention to pass a climate resolution and,
uh, get clean energy in the schools. With City staff and Council, I've mainly
heard excuses on why Iowa City's doing so little for climate action. But the time
for excuses is over and we can't afford to keep delaying. According to a study
highlighted in every major newspaper last week, nearly one billion people will be
displaced as refugees by the time I'm your age. And the world will be facing
major conflicts over food, water, and the ecological collapse. That's my future, so
you can imagine why we are here, begging you to act, because I live in Iowa City
and we must act locally. If Iowa City can't lead the nation in climate action, then
it's probably hopeless. The city called Tiffin, where my friends live, have solar
power as a way to show the community its government leaders believe in clean
energy. Four years ago Moxie Solar agreed to put a zero down plan to put solar
on Iowa City's hall, but you refused. Uh, climate emergency resolution is
important because it would force you to actually do something, uh, and to be in
line with the IPCC report. Iowa City, uh, and according to the IPCC report, Iowa
City needs to double its goal immediately, just like Dubuque did. For example,
hundreds of cities have declared their intent to have 100% renewable energy
within the next decade or so, and these cities don't rely on Mid American for
wind. Uh, I'm gonna list a bunch of cities that have become leaders on clean
energy and climate action, and I'd like you to ask yourselves: if these cities can
do it, why can't we? Madison, Wisconsin; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; St. Paul; St.
Louis; Abita Springs; uh, Amherst; Athens; Augusta; and there's 150 more. Um,
they're all cities just like Iowa City, but they're not finding excuses. Pass the
climate action .... pass a climate emergency and put Iowa City in the forefront of
climate action. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Diego.
Marker: My name is Braden Marker and I am a supporter of the climate strike. I first
would like to read to you a quote from Greta Thunberg, the Swedish student who
has inspired climate strikes around the world. She said, 'We have to understand
the emergency of the situation. Our leadership has failed us. Young people must
hold older generations accountable for the mess they have created.' Going off of
what she said, we are here to hold you accountable. Can we honestly say we're
doing everything in our power to make Iowa City a national leader in climate
action? Every day we read terrifying new studies and news reports on our climate
breakdown and yet our governing officials seem to think we can continue
business as usual, but business as usual is over. In these past weeks alone we
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have seen historic floods in Iowa, historic deadly heat waves in India, and historic
fires in the west. On top of that, we've seen studies that one million species are
going extent. What will it take for us to make climate action a priority for all of
our planning, not just an agenda item we can discuss when it's convenient. I'm
here to ask you to pass a climate emergency resolution and update your climate
plan. As you know, the UN Council of Scientists, the ICPP, has called on all cities
and states and countries to cut CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 and reach zero
emissions by 2050, in order for me to live on an inhabitable planet. That sounds
like an emergency because, well, it is! In the news just today, we learned that the
permafrost in Alaska has melted 70 years earlier than scientists expected. That is
an entire life time! Last night Canada announced a climate emergency plan,
following other countries. Cities across the country are acting with a sense of
urgency. New York City just passed laws requiring all buildings to reduce CO2
emissions by 40%. They're strict energy efficiency rules. Over 150 cities, as
mentioned by my peers, have publicly declared their commitment to use only
100% renewable energy within a decade. College towns like Ithaca, New York,
are launching green new deal initiatives, uh, for green jobs in retrofitting
buildings and local green businesses. Atlanta just set aside seven acres for local
food cultivation. Some cities are planting millions of trees. Whether it be
planting trees (mumbled) them using completely renewable energy or anything in
between, there are so many amazing things Iowa City could be doing, but all this
begins with you. You publicly declaring there's a climate emergency and you
committing to my generation that you will do everything in your power to update
your climate plan, not just continue business as usual. I recognize that some of
the things I say may come off very forward. My intent is not to play the blame
game, but to express the critical levels of our situation. Thank you very much.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Braden.
Forbes: Hi, my name is Garrett and I'm a senior at City High and I've been part of the
numerous climate strikes this spring.
Throgmorton: Pardon me, Garrett, what's your last name?
Forbes: Forbes. Sorry. Uh, we all know that there's a climate emergency. It's enough to
read the headlines and latest studies. According to the IPCC, we need to cut CO2
emissions by 45% immediately. When the UN tells you that one million species
are on track for extinction, signaling an ecological collapse, it's probably time to
take notice. And when historic flooding wipes out parts of the midwest and
causes billions of dollars in damages, it's probably time to act. We all also know
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that cities are not just sitting back, but declaring climate emergency plans to
transition to green economies. This is our opportunity with a climate emergency
declaration. Iowa City can finally begin the process of engaging the community
to act. It's about sponsoring forums and events and activities to educate our town
and bring the city together with our School District and the University and the
County. It's about social equity and making sure that people who can least afford
to lose with climate change, with higher utility rates, higher food prices, more
diseases, and hotter days are protected. Many cities are combining energy
efficiency and renewable energy and local food with low-income housing
development. A climate emergency resolution is about launching a tree -planting
campaign, like Adelaide, Australia, which planted three million trees. An Iowa
City farmer planted 40,000 trees just a few years ago. This is a great step to
recapture carbon lost in our soil. A climate emergency resolution is about moving
us towards 100% renewable energy, like hundreds of other cities. A climate
change resolution is about committing to electric buses and a climate emergency
resolution is about bringing our community together. Please pla... pass a climate
energy resolution and update our climate plan to meet the crisis of our times.
Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Garrett. Good evening.
Whelan: Hi! My name is Yardly Whelan. Um, I'm also a senior at City High who has been
doing climate strikes, and recently I have had a meeting with Mr. Throgmorton,
um, along with the City Managers, uh, where we talked over and attempted to
improve this proposed climate energy plan, uh, but to be frank we were not quite
satisfied with the results, especially when it came to building code rules, uh,
which Mo has just touched on. So for clarification, uh, we found that we can
improve our, urn .... our building codes, we just simply cannot deregulate them.
Urn .... let's see.....uh, it may seem like a minuscule thing, but, uh, with the issues
we are facing we simply cannot cut any corners when it comes to climate action.
We must take action (mumbled) seriousness and urgency. Uh, since our country
is not looking at implementing a climate action plan and declaring an emergency,
unfortunately it becomes our burden to bear. We cannot excuse ourselves from
the problem, simply because it is costly and difficult, because the consequences
are much greater. So we would hope that we could improve this (mumbled) plan
and increase funding towards retrofitting our buildings to decrease our carbon
emissions. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you! Good evening, Carla.
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Piciotto: Good evening, my name is Carla Piciotto. I'm the mother, uh, of climate strikers
and, um, active supporter, um, of their, um, climate action, um, act .... action. And,
um, I'm a Iowa City, uh.... um, oh my god. I live in Iowa City. Um, so, uh, I
would like just to add a few, um .... uh, details about the meeting that we had with
the, uh, Mayor and the City Manager and the Assistant City Manager just two
weeks ago, following, um, a march that the high schoolers and middle schoolers,
uh.... uh, participated in, um, just at the end of May, uh, for climate action, and I
was one of the two adults in the, uh, in the meeting. There were four, uh,
children, and urn .... um.....after we, uh, you know, talked about our demands, uh,
the Mayor and the City Manager, uh, proceeded to explain to us, uh, why 54% of
carbon emissions, um, in Iowa City, um, were .... were not really, uh.... um.....we
couldn't, they couldn't cut, and this seems to be some kind of a mantra of the, um,
both the Mayor and the City Manager and Assistant City Manager, related to the
fact this ... Iowa City, uh, because of, um, State, uh, limitations in terms of
regulating carbon emissions, um, basically, um, basically this was the biggest
ob.... obstacle for them. Uh, for some reason their explanation wasn't convincing
and .... and, um.....so we, um.....investigated, but also mainly we relying on the
Press -Citizen, uh, article, um, that, um, inquired about, uh, the actual State,
uh.... uh, regulations and limitations on, you know, um, a city, uh, Iowa City, uh,
possibility in terns of regulating carbon emissions. So according to the Iowa Fire
Marshal, Dan Wood, who oversees the State Building Code Bureau, cities can
adopt anything they want, as long as it is more strict. As a rule the State Building
Code Bureau has enforced these codes as a starting point. Keep in mind that
codes are considered, this is a quotation, considered the starting point. If you're
going to give a building a grade just for meeting code, that building has got a D -
because it just got the minimum, said David Rockhorn, an architect and State
Energy Efficiency Code expert. If you make your building better, you go up in
the grading scale. So basically his, uh.... um, his statements, um, totally debunk
what we've been told over and over and over. Um, we've been silenced by, um,
the City Manager, um, the Assistant City Manager, and the Mayor's, um,
statements about this impossibility to change, uh, this, um, State requirements. It
is quite puzzling. Uh, it is actually inconceivable to us that the City spent an
apparent $80,000 on an out-of-town consultant for the climate plan and did not
even address the biggest source of CO2 emissions in the city. So, we're really
wondering, um, either you have been misled and misinformed by the City staff,
um, or the City staff has been misinformed, or the City staff simply prefers a
restricted building in an age of climate breakdown. We're just very puzzled. I
just, uh, recall distinctly that, um, you know, Pauline, Jim, John, and Rockne ran
on, um, a campaign, uh, for City, um.....uh, Councilors, um, as a climate action
candidates, and I remember distinctly that the big point was that you wanted to
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break down the revolving door system, related to, um, how developers basically
have been running the City. I totally remember this. We need to stop that, and
what's really, urn..... urn...... um, also outrageous is that actually you .... you been
supporting pretty much a very similar system that you said you were going to, um,
to dismantle. Urn .... so, urn ..... also as a mother, I'm very troubled because I
understand the misinformation, the misrepresentation among, uh, adults, um, but
actually to misinform and misrepresent, urn .... uh, your policies, um.....in front of
children, that actually have taken three months of their school time, energy, um, to
really, uh, come to you and, uh.... I would say in an innocent way and trusting
you, because in the end children cannot do anything else (mumbled) trusting
adults, um, and people in power. It's really outrageous.
Throgmorton: Pardon me, Carla, I ask people to limit themselves to three minutes (both talking)
Bigger: Okay!
Throgmorton:.... we've let you speak for five.
Bigger: Okay, thank you very much.
Throgmorton: Thank you.
Bigger: Um, so thank you for listening.
Throgmorton: Anyone else? Hi, Brandon!
Ross: Hi, I'm Brandon Ross. I think that the, uh, move from five minutes to three
minutes, it's kind of a precipitous, uh, leap, uh, into the abyss. It's had to speak
with the eloquence and concision and pithiness that City Councilors can speak
with. So I am requesting first and foremost of all that you put back public speak
from three minutes to five minutes, instead of having commercials, and I would
also like to reinforce that the climate change action is very important. I think we
should have a committee on this, and I'm willing to give back my, uh, remaining
two minutes to the previous speaker, or any of the speakers, uh, who have been
there before. Since I only have three minutes I will give those to them, if it's okay
with you.
Piciotto: (unable to hear clearly, away from mic) ....finish. Um .... so the last question is
will you finally step up to the task at hand and follow through with a climate
emergency declaration, commit our city to updating its now clearly outdated
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climate plan to meet the IPCC levels, will you finally hire and empower a
competent new staff person to carry out the crucial plan for our city. I'm not very
shy, uh, at this point and I really feel like our City Manager has not been honest,
and has not been up to the task, and Mayor, I actually don't wanna believe that
you have mis... you know, you've given false or inaccurate information on
purpose. I feel like you've been misled and misinformed. You trust ... the experts.
Uh, I really want to believe that, but at this point, um, again, uh, I'm not shy to say
that I see a lot of, uh, incompetence or lack of transparencies in the City Manager,
um, managing. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you. Anyone else want to address us? Good evening, Adil!
Adams: Good evening. Adil Adams, uh, Iowa City. Uh, last month (difficult to
understand) regarding, uh, outpatient or dialysis patient, about housing, and I
never receive.... received any feedback from the City Council. I don't know they
deny my application or (mumbled) ignoring that. Uh, the issue for me is very
important. I do dialysis for five years and still I wanna, before I speak, to make
sure they gonna give me feedback for my letter (mumbled) City Council. Uh, I
don't know if they gonna send me letter or (unable to understand) now.
Throgmorton: Uh.... Geoff, my recollection is that we've had staff communications with Adil. Is
that correct?
Fruin: Yeah, but I think he's taking issue with the staff position on his application.
Throgmorton: Yeah.
Fruin: So we can inform you of what that situation is if you'd like. (mumbled) prepared
to do that now, but .... (both talking)
Throgmorton: You say you are or are not (both talking
Fruin: to you.
Throgmorton: You are prepared, is that what you said?
Fruin: Not .... not prepared tonight, but um, but I can provide you that information.
Throgmorton: Uh without objection I think we should at least hear what, uh, Adil's complaint is
and whether we think staffs doing something wrong.
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Fruin: Okay!
Throgmorton: Yeah. So we can't address it tonight, but uh, I've just instructed the ... we have just
instructed the City Manager to provide us with information so we can judge
whether or not we believe we should do something.
Adams: Okay. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Yeah. Good evening, Mike.
Carberry: Good evening, City Council. Mike Carberry, Iowa City. And I've spent, uh, the
last 20 years working on climate change solutions with a four-year detour as a
Johnson County Supervisor, and uh, on .... on that regards, I'd like to thank you for
agreeing to, uh, fund a mobility coordinator position for another year. That was a
project that, uh, very near and dear to my heart. Um.....back to ... on climate
change solutions, um, and I'd like to thank the climate strike, uh, students here for
taking leadership. It's the youth that will lead us on this issue, on guns, and
everything else. It's their future, and we're burning it down. When you have a
climate emergency, somebody needs to call 9-1-1. Maybe it's the City Council
here that needs to do it. Um, in 2006, I was chair of the Iowa City Sierra Club,
and Tom Carsner and I gave an award to the City, uh, the Cool Cities Award to...
the City signed on to the Kyoto Protocols, from 1999 (laughs) uh, for climate, uh,
and carbon reduction. And the City took some steps at that time, hired Brenda
Nations, uh.... uh, as sustainability coordinator. I'm not sure if I got her title right,
and we've done some carbon footprinting and now you've got a climate plan. But
uh, it seems to me, and to many others, that, urn .... maybe that's inadequate, and a
little bit too conservative this plan. Uh, you know, we all .... we've had two 500 -
year floods — 93 and 08. We've had record, uh, precipitation here in Iowa, and the
nation, in the last, uh, year. We've had flooding in the fall, two out of the last
three years, and I know that specifically (laughs) as a County Supervisor I was
getting daily updates from Emergency Management. We need to do somethin', we
need to do somethin' now. Uh, recent reports say the clock is ticking. And that
time is running out. We have to be at 100% renewable energy by 2050, and we
need to take bold and decisive action to get there. This city is often referred to as
'the People's Republic of Iowa City,' or Johnson County, and we're looked to
around the country and around the state as leaders. But on climate action, we've
really not been a leader. We've been in the middle of the pack. And I'm asking
you, as are all these climate strikers, to take bold and decisive action and to call 9-
1-1 cause we've got a climate emergency. Thank you.
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Throgmorton: Thank you, Mike. Anyone else?
Kashia: Mr. Mayor and Council, my name's Miriam Kashia and I live in North Liberty
and I'm a member of 100 Grannies for a Livable Future. Wow! Grannies have
been standing with and behind these kids for a number of weeks now. We know
what they're doing and we know why they're doing it and we believe that they are
100% on track. I did a little simple math. These kids are, I don't know,
something around 13, 14 years old. The ICPP tells us in 12 years, unless we have
shifted course totally and gone the other direction, the game is over. They'd be
25. Think about it. So, um, this got referenced a few times by others. I don't
have a lot to add to what's already been said, but it's a list of the cities in the
United States that already have 100% plans or already on track with those, have
already achieved those, and states and, um, other things. I'm gonna leave this
with you, and I'm gonna send you each a digital copy of it. This came from the
Sierra Club yesterday. Iowa City isn't on this list, and it should be. So, I look up
here and I see seven goals. The sixth goal says 'promote environmental
sustainability' I'm going to respectfully suggest we move that to number one, we
pass a climate emergency resolution to match our climate existential, urgent...
whatever it is, it's a crisis, folks! And we need to act on it, and you are our leaders
in this. I'm asking you to be bold, aggressive, and comprehensive. Let's do the
job!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Miriam. Could I have a motion to accept correspondence please?
Cole: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by Mims. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carries. Thank you! Good evening, Sheila!
Zeithamel: So hello there! My name is Sheila Zeithamel and I wanted to state that this is one
of. ... or the only in my opinion, the biggest crisis that's facing everyone on this
planet. I think that for all of us, the most important thing that each one of us can
do is to address this increasing carbon emissions, because our planet is warming
and the only way to stop this warming is to reduce emissions. So we met, Jim,
with you and we met with Geoff and we met with Ashley, uh, a group of us did,
and.....and we talked about declaring a climate emergency. My stance hasn't
changed on that. I still request, demand, that the City declare a climate
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emergency and that you develop a community campaign, led by City officials.
Number two, that the City Council update your climate action plan to IPCC
levels, and number three, that you hire and empower a climate action coordinator
to carry out this plan. I .... I also want to add that I think that this County, uh, the
City Council, the Iowa City Community School District, and also the Johnson
County Supervisors, if the three .... these three entities are not acting together in
unison as a team, as a partnership, uh, to solve this problem that we have in
Johnson County, I would certainly encourage you folks, somebody to reach out
and start engaging so that the three of you, these entities, can work together,
because it'll be a lot easier if we do team work, and you're not in this alone. I
mean we will all help you in whatever you need to do, but you have to take
action. You have to take bold action. Leadership requires bold actions, bold
decision, bold decision making, and that task is upon you. This is the time. It's
up to you to take that bold action.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Sheila. Anyone else?
Eastham: Good evening, Council, my name is Charlie Eastham. I live in Iowa City. Uh, I
don't wanna detract from what's been, uh, talked about by many people (clears
throat) very inspirationally by students, uh, of. ... in regard to climate, uh, action
that's needed, and I'm sure there will be much support among the community for
the things that you've been asked to do, if you will undertake them. I just wanted
to go back to the, uh.... uh (clears throat) police traffic stop, uh, study that you
received during your work session. Uh, just to review very briefly, that study
looked at, uh, traffic stops, uh, over the last year, the actual study's done by
Professor Barnum, and done over the last 10 years, and they, uh, his findings are
that the police force and the, uh, leadership of Chief Matherly and, uh, City
Manager Geoff Fruin have .... have, is gradually reducing the disparities in traffic
stops, uh.... uh, in this community. I ... am curious though if we could extend the,
uh, data analysis a little bit further, to see if those reductions in individual officer
disparities shown by the index, uh, data that the, uh, Professor Barnum included
in his, uh, presentation, if those (clears throat) the idea is to get those index
numbers down to one, if in fact if those index numbers go to .... gou.... do go down
to one, which means that no police officers are, uh, showing disparities in their
individual traffic stop decisions, um (clears throat) if that would mean that the, uh,
ratio of African American, Latinics..... residents in the community who do
experience traffic stops is similar to their ration of their .... of the entire population
in the community. So that, um, I notice that in I think 2016, there roughly 1,500
or so African American black residents who, uh, were stopped to, uh, as part of
a ... or had a traffic stop, uh, which is about three times the ratio (clears throat) that
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1,500 to the total number of traffic stops was about three times the ratio of, uh
(clears throat) black and Latinics, urn .... uh, residents to the entire, uh,
community. So if that, if those ratios, if that ratio goes down to one, then that
means there are many, many, fewer, uh, African Americans, Latinics residents
being stopped, which to me would be a .... a great thing for the entire community.
So I wondered if the analysis of that data could be extended to see if, uh (clears
throat) the, uh, numbers o£...black and African American, Latinics residents are
being stopped now, if they're not stopped because the individual officer ratios go
down to one, if that would mean that the ratio of the entire population of, um,
African American and blacks, or and Latinics residents would also go down
proportional to what their numbers in the community are. It's an easy calculation
to make, I think, and 1 think it would be very helpful, if we're .... as we're looking
how to improve the lives of everyone in the community.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Charlie! Anyone else? Hi, Tom!
Carsner: Hello! My name is Tom Carsner, and as a graduate of City High, I'm glad to
stand in solidarity with the climate strikers who have spoken and others, uh, who
have stood with them tonight. Um, I do believe that the, uh, City's plan needs to
be updated to, uh.... accelerate the, uh, CO2, uh, emissions reduction schedule
(clears throat) excuse me, to match the IPCC levels. Um .... I stood at this podium
in 2006, as Mike, uh, Carberry talked about, uh, with .... for the Sierra Club and
the Cool Cities program. Looking back at that time, 13 years ago, it may have
seemed kind of simplistic and, uh, and simple the things we were proposing, such
as LED lights in .... in the traffic, uh, sys.... traffic light system. Um, now things
are more severe and .... while progress has been made in City activities, such as
the LED lights, we're really talking about.... activities that need to be, uh, ramped
up significantly to meet these types of, uh, of pro .... of problems. And my thought
in 2006, and my thought today, is that Iowa City should, uh, be an example, and
we got off to, uh, somewhat of a start back then, and uh, did some things, but I do
think, frankly (clears throat) that the City, uh, has lost its shine in being an
example. Uh, I think first we got sidetracked into bureaucracy. Um, the, uh,
original climate plan did create a 2008 baseline of greenhouse gas emissions, but
not a whole lot more that's really tangible. We can do more, and then a second
point, elections changed the City Council, and the momentum for action changed.
That's why I was extremely hopeful in 2015, and if I can address this to the four
Councilors that were elected in 2015, I had high hopes that things would change
significantly. I haven't given up. I'm just here to encourage you to do more,
because the times, uh, demand more. And it's something that's important, and we
need to show, uh, that Iowa City can be an example, a leader, in, uh, clean energy
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and in reducing our carbon footprint, as a City, and when the City leads, residents
will also follow. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Tom. Anyone else? Hi, Liz, how are you?
Maas: Hi, how are you? My name is Liz Maas. I live in Iowa City. Um, I'm also
parent of a climate striker. And I teach environmental science at Kirkwood
Community College. Um, as some of you know, I know many of you. Uh, I love
these seven goals. I think these are great to aspire to, but there isn't a single one
that climate doesn't impact. So some of you earlier pointed out number six should
be put back to number one, but really one through seven, you can't have a healthy
economy; you can't have vibrant, walkable places where people wanna live if you
have lots of immigrants that are coming here that are stressed out, like why one of
our Councilors isn't here tonight, right? I work with a lot of people from northern
Africa and from Sudan, and I'm expecting that there's only going to be more of
those people. Uh, I think our community's done a great job of trying to support,
um, what their needs are, but I think we're gonna be feeling the crush of that more
certainly. Um, healthy neighborhoods, um, air pollution, water quality — always a
big .... big one for me as you know; solid financial foundation. Again, I know a lot
of this, I'm on the Committee for Climate Action. I was part of the group that
wrote the plan, and the plan is what the plan is. I think the plan could be more
aggressive. Um, there are some things that are happening that I don't think we do
a lot of talking about, to tell people that this is what's going on maybe behind the
scenes, things that we're thinking about or planning. Urn .... the enhanced
community engagement and intergovernmental relations, that's the part that I
think is missing a little bit. Um .... it's sort of like buying a new car, right? The
minute you buy the car, the minute you drive it off the lot, it's suddenly worth less
money. Uh, government takes time. There's always the financial burden, the
financial concerns that are associated with that too. Um, but the strength to stand
up and say'this is where we have to stand, these are the minimums that we have
to meet,' I think that that's what we need to do. We need to have a climate
emergency and we need to say that this is who we are and be Iowa City. Thank
you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Liz. Good evening, Jeff.
Biggers: Jeff Biggers. Um, so it's in your hands now, July 2nd you're gonna have a work
session. And we've done the best we can do (clears throat) for many years. It's a
lot of amazing people here tonight. It took a lot for the kids to do this. They
didn't really wanna come tonight. They felt betrayed. They felt misled. Lied to.
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And we .... we told'em they have to have hope! Three years ago Massimo asked
me, is there any hope? And I .... I can't be a dilettante. I said hope resists. That's
what it's about. We go and we roll up our sleeves and we do the hard work. And
we trusted you.....we put you into office to do the right thing. These kids are
facing a climate emergency. That's a fact. If anybody disagrees with that, they
should get out of here right now. If you're not up to the task, you should really
step down. But now is the time for leadership! And we need it from you!
To....to make Iowa City what it really should be, which is the leader in the state
and the region and the nation. We need your help, Bruce, to be the leader on this.
And, Pauline, this is a public healthcare disaster, and you know that. And, John,
you, I mean you, your experience is invaluable.... of what we can do to capture
soil, and the carbon we've lost in our soil and .... there's so many things we can do
to be a leader, and we're asking you to step up on July 2nd. We're not going to be
here. These kids, I don't want them to come back any more. They've done this
extraordinary job for three months! They have moved the School Board, that is
now passing a climate resolution and moving forward with incredible policies,
and the School Board is 100% onboard. They've been educated by these kids.
And, John, you came to Southeast Junior High and you saw this incredible thing,
90 students presented their view of what Iowa City could look like as a
regenerative city and it was extraordinary! These kids believe in this! Because
it's their future! It's not something that can be agenda item if we might get to it, if
we have time. We really are counting on you, on July 2nd.....to make us proud,
and to step up, and put this city first. So thank you so much.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Jeff. Anyone else? Thanks all of you for speaking. Uh, we're not in a
position to engage in give-and-take, but I want to mention two points. One is to
reemphasize the point that we are going to have a work session discussion
focusing on this particular question about whether we wanna alter our climate
action plan in any particular way. We're gonna do that on July the 2nd. The
second thing I wanna mention is that we have reached out to attorneys in State
government for clarification about whether we can adopt energy codes that are
more stringent than what the State Energy Code currently is, and we'll find out
from them whether that's the case. It certainly is not what we understood to be the
situation, but we're gonna find out and we've asked the State Attorney's Office....
or the State's attorneys in the relevant State office to let us know what .... the legal
fact is. Okay. We can move on to our next item, which is Item 11, Planning and
Zoning Matters.
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11. Planning and Zoning Matters.
ll.a. Rezoning at the Northwest Corner of Benton Street and Orchard Street
— Ordinance conditionally rezoning approximately 1.75 acres of land located
at the northwest corner of Benton Street and Orchard Street from Medium
Density Single -Family Residential (RS -8) to Riverfront Crossings — Orchard
(RFC -0). (REZ18-00019)
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'm gonna open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) And ask Danielle to say hello
Hi, Danielle!
Sitzman: Hello, Mayor, Council, Danielle Sitzman, Neighborhood and Development
Services. Uh, first application before you tonight is for a rezoning on, uh, Benton
Street, at Orchard Street. The applicant in this case is M&W Properties. They're
requesting a rezoning of approximately 1.75 acres, located in the dashed white
area, uh, showing on the screen. Each property located within the subject area is
owned by the applicant. Um, the applicant is looking to rezone the subject
property to assemble it, uh, for development. The intended development is for
two multi -family buildings, containing a combination, uh, 125 units. Um, each
building would have, uh, maximum .... a height of three stories, which is set by the
sub -district to which they are requesting the rezoning. This is the Orchard sub-
district. If you'll recall it was added to the Downtown and Riverfront Crossings
master plan in 2016. Uh, a portion of this, uh, district has seen a redevelopment
already by this applicant, uh, the northern portion, and the darker orange there, uh,
the portion that's under request tonight is the lighter orange, along the southern
boundary. Um, the comp plan's intention is to provide a transition in this Orchard
Court sub -district between more intense uses in the west Riverfront District, and
the current single-family uses to the west. The applicant did conduct a good
neighbor meeting as part of the master plan amendment and did not repeat that
process with this application. Um, it has been evaluated toward the standards for
a rezoning, which does include a .... a, consideration of whether it's in compliance
with the comprehensive plan. Um since this is the, uh, sub -district, the master
plan district for, um, Riverfront Crossings, that was a relevant district to which we
looked to, uh, staff to do their analysis. Um, there are, uh, several components of
the Orchard Street, uh, the Orchard sub -district, like I explained, the transition
between a single-family neighborhood and higher intensity, as well as some other
factors. Staff did review those with the Planning Commission. As .... included in
the, uh, adoption of the Riverfront Crossings district was the implementation
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(mumbled) form based code. That contains a regulating plan which is shown on
this slide to the right. Um, there are some features of the regulating plan specific
to the site, including a circled pedes ... uh, purple thing, oval. I'll show you a
pedestrian street that has been incorporated into the applicant's concept design for
the site. Urn.... basically the concept at this point shows the two buildings I
mentioned, um, one oriented north -south and one, uh, more toward .... on the east -
west alignment, uh, further north on the site. Staff did review also compatibility
with the existing neighborhood. Again, looking towards the master plan for
insight into what that meant. In this pacif...specific instance, um, this site will be
required to comply with the form based code standards, which were developed
with the intention to ensure compatibility. Uh, we did also request a traffic study
be conducted, uh, looking at the impact. of this, uh, development on the
surrounding neighborhood traffic patterns. Um, at this time staffs not requesting
a .... additional signalization of this intersection. Um, the, uh, traffic study did
reveal, um, minor additional traffic 30 to 40 trips, uh, being added to the peak
periods of traffic flow. Um, that does result in a level of surface.... service, uh, D
through the 20-40, uh, peak periods. That's generally acceptable in urban
conditions. Uh, it's staffs hesitation to recommend any kind of signalization
based on the fact that the intersection with Riverside Drive and Benton Street is
very nearby this intersection. It was basically a much closer, uh, combination of
traffic signals anywhere else in the city. Instead, uh, staff looked at alternate ways
to address traffic, um, that would include the next application on your agenda,
which is a vacation of some right-of-way, uh, along the northern boundary of this
property. The City vacating some right-of-way to make room for the development
to incorporate a driveway along that alignment and then the eventual, um,
connection of the driveway to a north -south, um, let me see if I can .... this north -
south, um, driveway, private driveway. So basically instead of signalizing this
intersection here to address traffic, they're providing an alternate route, uh,
through the site, because.... with the vacation and with this additional easement,
and um, driveway. Uh, that's intended also to facilitate further development of the
Orchard District, uh, to the north. There's also.... there's potential for additional
redevelopment in this neighborhood and that would allow for traffic to, um, have
multiple routes to reach the main, uh, street. Did also review transportation for
pedestrians and bicycles. Uh, Benton Street is identified in the Iowa City bicycle
master plan as a functional bi.... as part of the, um, on -street bike network. There
will be sidewalks installed with any development that occurs here, uh, including
both Orchard Street and Benton Street. Um, as far as next step goes, we're at the
step highlighted in green on the screen, the rezoning. Um, after the rezoning, it's
been recommended to you by the Planning and Zoning Commission, after tonight,
um, or after the rezoning is resolved, the next steps would basically be
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administrative steps, including a site plan review step and a design review for
form based code compliance. So based on staffs analysis, the proposed rezoning
is consistent with the comprehensive plan or the sub -district pan ... plan, which is
the master plan; combat... compatible or complementary of the existing
neighborhood, and would not overburden public facilities. Staff did recommend
approval of the application to the Planning and Zoning Commission with eight
conditions. Um, at their May 16th meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission
did, uh, uphold staffs recommendation and is forwarding, uh, the application for
your consideration, with eight .... the eight conditions recommended by staff to be
included in a conditional zoning agreement. My understanding is the conditional
zoning agreement has been signed by the applicant. The conditions, um, included
kind of a standard condition requiring compliance with our affordable housing
requirements. Um, the inclusion of that vacation case (mumbled) contingent
(mumbled) allow for that alternate path for traffic, should it be needed, but the
developer dedicate 15 -feet of right-of-way along the north side of Benton Street
frontage to the City to facilitate, um, sidewalk installation and to, um, standardize
the alignment of sidewalks along Benton Street; construction of a six-foot
sidewalk in that frontage; construction of a sidewalk along Orchard Street; the
provision of a 30 -foot wide easement, access easement, running north -south,
um .... uh, along that driveway area highlighted; construction of a pedestrian street
as shown in the regulating plan; and dedication of a public access easement over
that span of the street. And that concludes my staff report!
Throgmorton: Great! Thanks, Danielle. Any questions for Danielle? I'm not hearing any.
Thank you. Would anyone else like to address this topic?
Ross: In light of what has been spoken about today earlier regarding this, uh,
development, uh, a lot of the language of development is very abstracted, uh, for
the citizens. We heard a lot of conversation earlier about environmental, uh,
considerations. Uh, what environmental considerations are .... are being included
in this particular, uh, development? Uh, has this gone through an environmental,
uh, committee to decide whether or not this is actually environmentally sound.
Uh, I think why not start right now? Uh, since, uh, we have been alerted to this. I
would also, uh, point out, uh, that there is affordable housing, uh, etched in here,
at least in that .... that phrase has been etched in there. What is affordable housing
in this area? Who will be affor...uh, able to afford this? Um.....you know a lot of
affordable housing is talked about, but often times we don't really see concrete
results. Urn ..... you know, what, uh, maybe this can be answered. How many
units, how many units are affordable, and what does affordable mean? How much
are they gonna be charging? Uh, in this city in the past 35 years, I believe that,
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you know, the trend has been to develop for the top 10% or 20%, and the bottom
80%, which is the majority — the working classes — end up with nothing, and uh,
you know, Chauncey Swan is one example of that, and it's in .... inclose. So I
would like to make those two major points. One is the environmental integrity
and the other is about affordability, and on our seven -point map, uh, of things
we'd like to do, I'd like to say one and four are redundant, and over number four
where it says 'financial,' and has the money bags, I think the City should include
in its seven points, which is also environmentally integral, equality should be one
of the seven — equality. So environmental .... and affordable. What is affordable?
Perhaps this can be answered, uh, by the previous speaker, with all due respect.
Thank you.
Throgmorton: Could be. Danielle, do you or perhaps Tracy have an answer to the question
about affordability within this particular project? I assume it has to comply with
the Riverfront Crossings District, uh, code.
Hightshoe: It has to comply with the affordable housing requirement in the code. So 10% of
the units have to be affordable to people below 60% of median income, and their
rents can't exceed the fair market rent, the same limit that's available for CDBG
and Home basically. It's the Home Fair Market Rents.
Throgmorton: Be very briefl
Ross: So basically what are these places going to be costing is what Iowa Citians who
are watching this, reading this, want to know. What are they going to be costing,
and without percentages, what percentage of Iowa Citians will be able to afford to
live in this development (both talking)
Throgmorton: Okay, Brandon, I think we got it. Thank you. Anyone else want to address this
topic? Okay, seeing no one else, uh, I need to ask the Council whether you are
inclined to vote in accordance with the Planning and Zoning Commission's, uh,
with its recommendation that we approve the rezoning. Are you inclined to vote
in accordance? (several responding) Yeah, okay, so I'm gonna close the public
hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a motion for first consideration please?
2. Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration)
Mims: So moved.
Cole: Second.
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Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by .... Cole. Discussion?
Mims: I would.... regarding the affordable housing piece, and .... and Brandon's question,
um, I think one of the things .... and I find myself having to go back and look at
documents, because if you don't have these numbers in front of yourself, I can't
keep track of'em, and I don't know if I've talked with you, Bruce, or whatever. I
think it would be helpful if it's not too much of an effort on staffs part, whenever
we're talking about affordable housing, cause I know these numbers also change,
to put in a.....a quick chart, if you can insert it, that shows the .... the average
median income numbers and what does that actually mean in terms of the rent that
people would pay if they're at 80% or 60% or 40%. Is that something that is
reasonably doable?
Frain: We can do that, as long as we understand the disclaimer that you're approving a
rezoning. We don't know that the building's going to be built riwa... right away. It
could be that the building follows in a couple of years, and as you mentioned
(both talking)
Mims: ....those numbers change (both talking)
Frain: .....numbers adjust every year. So (several talking) You just have to .... you just
have to use the current numbers and understand that those will change before the
building's built and gets its occupancy permit.
Mims: Yeah, and I .... I appreciate that comment, Geoff, because I do think that's really
important that people understand that those numbers are continually changing, but
I think that's a common concern in the community, and like I say, I can't keep
those numbers straight. If somebody were to ask me, if somebody's at 60% of
area median income, what does that mean they're gonna pay for one of our
affordable housing units in Riverfront Crossings for say a one -bedroom or two-
bedroom apartment, I wouldn't even begin to be able to answer that question. So
to have that stuff a little more frequently in our packets in terms of being with
anything that relates to that, I think would get it out in front of the public more
and would certainly help us I think kind of keep those numbers a little more top of
mind.
Throgmorton: Yeah, I agree (both talking)
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Fruin: Easy to do and we'll get those numbers for your second consider.... assuming this
passes, uh, for your second reading.
Mims: Thank you.
Throgmorton: Uh, any other Council discussion?
Teague: I do have to say, um, because I'm.....I'm rehabbin' a building right now with....
With a little construction and so when we're talkin' about new construction, um,
personally I woulda found it very helpful for someone to just come in and do an
environmental review and just say, hey, these are .... have you considered this?
Um, because I'm, even though we're gonna be talkin' about climate change, I'm
still educatin' myself on what all that means, and so I, you know, one.....one thing
I will say is that it may not be such a bad idea to at some point when we're talkin'
about climate change, maybe just .... some of this stuff is gonna come up, about,
uh, potentially do we have, um, a review for projects within our community, as
well as when things are bein' retrofitted, um, just communicatin' with, uh,
individuals within our community, how they can make things a little more, um,
climate -friendly. Um, and as far as affordability, um, do we know how long this
will be affordable for the units? Is it a 20 -year....
Cole: Ten.
Teague: Ten (both talking)
Fruin: It's a 10 -year.... requirement.
Teague: Okay, um, in the future I think I'm just gonna be ... really zonin' in on that a little
bit, um, because I feel that, um, in .... in 10 years, these individuals have to move,
if. ... if they can no longer afford regular rent, whoever live in this building, let's
say they've been there for 10 years. Let's say it's a ... it's a, um, a child that, um, is
with their parents and five -years -old. Uh, when they become 15 -years -old,
they're gonna have to move out of this ... buildin' if they cannot afford the regular
rent, and dependin' on what they can afford, that lifestyle will be very different.
All their friends, you know, from where they've been, it's gonna look very
different. Um, we have, um, Iowa City has... every neighborhood is different. I
live on the west side. I think it's different from the north side, and so I .... I think
that we really do have to look at how we're doin' these affordabilities, um, in these
projects that only last 10 years. The embarrassment that this 15 -year-old will
have to have when they have to move out, urn .... because this is what they've been
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used to. So nevertheless I will support this, but in the future I'm gonna be zonin'
in a little bit more on this affordability periods.
Throgmorton: At some point in past Council discussions we have, uh, indicated that we would,
we are interested in the possibility of extending that 10 -year period to 20 years. I
don't know that we decided to do that, but we've had that conversation. I believe
it's something we need to consider. Further discussion?
Taylor: Traveling Benton Street quite often, cause I also live on the west side, my concern
centers around the traffic volumes and, uh, it was mentioned that they were found
to be acceptable, but .... Benton Street, and especially that stretch off ..off of
Riverside Drive is very, very busy and there's oftentimes people are confused,
they're in the wrong lane and they don't wanna turn off, uh, they wanted to go
straight on Benton Street and so then they're trying to jockeying over to .... to the
right lane, and I just really have concerns about that .... that busy corridor there,
and adding, uh, that much more. Right now currently it's just a .... it's some
duplexes and some single-family homes, and to multiply that by 135 units, I .... I
just really have concerns about that, and also echoing back on ... on the, uh, our
environmentalist friends, I've been harping on that for a long time about new....
new buildings, trying to be more energy efficient and .... and requesting permeable
pavement, but I've been told it's more expensive, but I think, uh, they do need to
seriously consider that. I know we can't put that in a condition, but we could
certainly encourage it, but I am concerned about the traffic volume, for that large
a building.
Thomas: I'll comment on it. I'm going to be supporting the project, but I .... I do wanna
make a few comments, uh, about it. (clears throat) One is, uh, you know with
respect to the affordability aspect, um, Miller Orchard as a neighborhood is one of
the more, it's kind of an interesting enclave of affordable housing. You know, and
it's surrounded by very large, uh, multi -family developments. So it's .... it's kind of
almost like this small island of affordability near the downtown, and um, I'm a
little bit concerned, uh, with the, uh, you know, the threat of. ... of redevelopment
in this area, which could result in displacement of some of that affordable
housing. Um, so that's one concern. Um, and it's .... it's reflected in part by the
fact that this ... this project, uh, you know, if you look at .... uh, what it, what's...
what's taking place on ... on this 1.75 acres, it currently, you know, there currently,
uh, what is it, 12....12 units I believe, uh, on this 1.75 acres. It will .... it will go
from 12 to 125. That's a ten -fold increase in density. Uh, you know we've kind of
lost .... track of density questions, uh, because of our move to a form based code.
Uh, but .... it's essentially over 70 units per acre that is being built on this property.
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That's higher than any of our multi -family residential zones, uh, you know, in
our .... typical zoning, uh, ordinance, not .... setting aside the form based code. So
I'm concerned with ... what introducing these levels of density could conceivably
do in terms of future development. You know, we're talking about this project as
being a transition between Riverfront Crossings and the Riverfront District, the
west Riverfront District, with the single-family zoning to the west, I .... I would
probably say it's really leaning more towards the Riverfront .... um, west
Riverfrom District than it is to the single-family. You know, if..if we're talking
about this as a transition, I would ... I would wanna view it as a bridge, that it's
something that one can understand in terms of the .... the transition in either
direction, and I really feel that it's .... it's leaning, uh, much more toward the, um...
the form based code to the east than it is to the existing single-family to the west.
Uh.... I've always felt that, you know, the Miller Orchard area is a really
interesting place for that missing middle concept of smaller development, um, and
what we're seeing, because it's allowed in the Miller Orchard zone is multi -family
to a .... a fairly high intensity, given the existing use. So these are .... these are my
concerns, looking forward. Uh, I don't wanna lose the character of that Miller
Orchard neighborhood. I think it's a really special place and, um, so I'm gonna be
looking very carefully at....at how future development is considered, uh, beyond
this particular project.
Throgmorton: Anyone else? I .... I warm address some of the points that Brandon Ross raised,
havin' to do with the environmental effects basically of this particular structure, or
proposed rezoning, under the assumption that they will actually build these
structures that we've seen renderings of. Uh, some of the features I think of are,
first, it's located within walking distance of downtown. That's a big asset for,
from an environmental point of view. Secondly, it's located on a bus line. That
too is a big asset from an environmental point of view. Thirdly, it must meet the
current inter -state energy code for new buildings, which is .... it's my
understanding that's... that's what we have to do. Of course (mumbled) we need to
clarify. Uh, but it has to meet that energy code, which is pretty stringent, but
ideally we would push it quite a bit farther, and lastly, one of our work session
items reads as follows: Discuss amending the code to require staff and rezoning
applicants of large-scale development to consider the effects of the proposed
projects on future carbon emissions and absorption capacity, and to take actions
that will help achieve the City's carbon emission reduction goals. So we can't
apply that particular language to this project because we don't have any legal basis
for doing such a thing. And I don't know if this is a large enough scale of a
development to be, for that kind of language to be applicable even if we do move
in that direction. But I .... I think we need to be moving in that direction, and to be
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considering the .... this is consistent with what you said earlier, Bruce, to be
considering the effects of proposed large-scale projects on future carbon
emissions and absorption capacity, and so on. So I think there are good
environmental features associated with this proposed rezoning and .... likewise
there are affordable housing elements contained within it. It's not ideal, but it's
somethin' I'm gonna support. Any other comments? Hearing none, uh... roll call
please. Motion carries 6-0.
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ll.b. Vacation and Conveyance of right-of-way north of Benton St. off of
Orchard Court — Resolution vacating and conveying approximately 4,482
square feet of right-of-way north of Benton Street west of Orchard Court to
M&W Properties, subject to a utility easement. (VAC19-01)
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Danielle.
Sitzman: Thank you, Mayor. This is the vacation that I referenced in the earlier
presentation accompanying this application and conditioned upon it, the rezoning.
Um, this exhibit shows the location of the area to be vacated. Um, the right-of-
way is about 20 -feet wide on the east end off of Orchard Court and narrows to 10 -
feet wide to its western terminus. Um, the area requested for vacation is, uh,
4,482 -square feet. As I said, the applicant intends to convert the right-of-way to
part of their development, uh, intending to pave the area for a private drive for
future .... the future multi -family development. Um, the applicant owns the
majority of the property to the south of the subject property. Um, an analysis of a
vacation requires six factors to be considered. Staff did walk through these, uh,
factors in formulating their recommendation, uh, including the, um, access to, uh,
the impact of vehicles and pedestrian circulation if the right-of-way, uh, were to
be vacated. Currently the right-of-way does not support, um, vehicle or
pedestrian traffic. It's overgrown and, um, not utilized as a street. Um, the
impacts to emergency and utility vehicles were assessed. Essentially the
replacement, uh, driveway, uh, would improve emergency vehicle access over
what is currently provided. Um, the ac ... the impact to, um, adjacent private
properties, staffs not aware of any properties currently using that right-of-way as
their primary access or any significant access due to its condition. Um, as far as
the desirability of the right-of-way for access deeds, um, as I said, uh, adjoining
property owners do not use it, or do not appear to use it, and City staff has no
plans for the improvement of that right-of-way for future road or alley. Um, the
location of utilities and other facilities was investigated. There is one private
utility, um, in that area. Um, unless the utility company decides to abandon that
use, the City would need to retain, um, a utility easement over it to, uh, allow
them to remain there. And then any other relevant factors pertaining to this. Um,
the applicant has offered to purchase the area to be vacated, which, uh, would be a
consideration for the City Council later. So in summary the subject right-of-way's
not currently being used, not intended to be used by the City, and it provides an
improved, uh, public, uh.... uh, safety feature, once it would be conveyed to the
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applicant for part of redevelopment. Um, there are no additional next steps after
the consideration other than the conveyance. Um, so based on staffs analysis,
they did recommend approval of this application, as did the Planning Commission
at their May 16th meeting. That concludes my staff report!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Danielle. Any questions for Danielle? Would anybody else like to
address this topic? Seeing no one, I'm gonna ask Council Members whether they
are inclined to vote in accordance with the Planning and Zoning Commission
recommendation that we approve the rezoning. Or the, uh, the vacation and
conveyance I should say. Thank you. Okay. So I'm gonna close the public
hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a motion please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Mims: So moved.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Thomas. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call
please. Motion caries 6-0.
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ll.c. Rezoning at the Southwest Corner of E. 1st Street and S. Gilbert Street
— Ordinance conditionally rezoning 0.20 acres of land located at the
southwest corner of E. 1st St. and S. Gilbert St. from Intensive Commercial
(CI -1) to Riverfront Crossings South Gilbert (RFC -SG) (REZ194)
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Say hi to Danielle again.
Sitzman: Good evening again, Mayor! This is a second rezoning and an additional
Riverfront Crossings zoning. This one is the, um, South Gilbert Street sub-
district. The applicant is Randy Miller in this case, requesting a rezoning to
Riverfront Crossings South, uh, Gilbert District, for a small portion of land
adjacent to his other, uh, approved development called The Crossings. The white
hatched square is a smaller property that was recently acquired by the applicant.
Um, this shows the area in blue that is already being ... been rezoned to Riverfront
Crossings South Gilbert Street District and is, uh, the site of The Crossings
development, um, showing the location of the subject property in relationship to
that. Um, this is a .... the plat exhibit as well showing the previously approved
plat, uh, and the parcel, or the property that's proposed for rezoning at this time, in
relation to that. Um, this would be combined into the third phase of The
Crossings development, um, the Riverfront Crossings rezoning would allow for,
uh, mixed use of the property, um, and .... would allow for a ..... development under
the requirements of the south.... South Gilbert Street District. Um, a little bit of
background on the South Gilbert District itself. It allows for a mix of commercial
and residential uses, as I said. Um, the code does require retail along store
frontages along South Gilbert Street. Um, also that the buildings be located close
to and oriented towards South Gilbert Street. There are improvements to the
streetscape that would come along with redevelopment of this property, and uh,
the property to the south, which is already seeing some of that, uh, happen. Um,
as we did again look at consistency with the comprehensive plan with this
application as it is a rezoning. Again we looked to the Downtown and Riverfront
Crossings master plan for comprehensive plan direction, um, and also to, um, the
form based code again, since that's the implementation of this project. Um, the
form based code, the property would be subject to the requirements of the form
based code if it were to develop. It is shown, um, it was shown, uh, for inclusion
and redevelopment ... redevelopment in that master plan. Again we looked at
compatibility with the existing neighborhood. Um, it's again a small par ...part
being included in the larger redevelopment, uh, which is already occurring. Um,
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the area is generally transitioning from a light industrial to, uh, general
commercial and housing. Um, there are some.... developments already out of the
ground and some that are, if you drive by, obviously under construction now. Did
evaluate traffic and pedestrian circulation. Um, we have been requiring
dedication of additional right-of-way along South Gilbert Street as part of
redevelopment plans, um, in this corridor, and this parcel would be subject to that
as well, and that would facilitate improvements to the streetscape, including
improved sidewalks. Um, next steps, this fits into, uh, as I said, following the
master plan and the form based code. This would be the rezoning to, uh, actually
rezone the land to a Riverfront Crossings designation. Um, there is a plat that's
following this application that's making its way to you through the Planning and
Zoning Commission. After that would be completed, uh, then again site plan
review and design review by staff, and eventual building permits. So based on
staffs analysis, the proposed rezoning is consistent with the comprehensive plan,
compatible or complementary with the existing neighborhood, would not
overburden public facilities. Therefore staff did recommend approval, and the
Planning Commission did as well at its May 16th meeting, to you. Um, also
requiring a conditional zoning agreement for the two conditions that you see here,
having to do with affordable housing and the dedication of right-of-way along
South Gilbert Street. Again my understanding is they have signed that
conditional, uh, zoning agreement! So that concludes staff report!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Danielle. Any questions? Wow, you're gettin' off scot-free tonight!
Okay, so I need to ask you again whether you are inclined to vote in accordance
with the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation to approve this
rezoning. I'm seein' heads nodding yes. So I'm gonna close the public hearing,
less anybody else wants to speak! I don't know if I asked that. Okay, I'm gonna
close the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a motion for first
consideration please?
2. Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration)
Teague: So moved.
Thomas: So moved.
Throgmorton: Moved by Teague, seconded by Thomas. Discussion?
Cole: I think it's really awesome to see this district continue to develop. Um, as she
mentioned this was a light industrial district, which has its uses but it didn't really
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make sense in that location. Um, it's just wonderful to see this whole Riverfront
Crossings District redevelop in ... in this way, so I'm .... I'm glad to support this
project.
Thomas: Yeah, this .... this particular, um, rezoning will contribute to the construction of
a .... a much improved South Gilbert Street too, so I think that's important to get
these pieces assembled before we can move forward with that.
Throgmorton: Anyone else?
Cole: Maybe just a quick comment on the right-of-way. One of the long-term planning
pieces we're doing with the right-of-way, at some point in the distant future is to
look at potentially a protected bike lane. Nothing in particular, but um, that'd be
in the very distant future, so that's something exciting to think about.
Throgmorton: Yeah. If there's one thing about, uh, this particular, um, well my .... my attention's
drawn to one particular feature of this proposed rezoning, and I'm going to
support the rezoning, so not opposed to that. Uh, but I noticed that this particular
Riverfront Crossings zone permits, uh, buildings up to six stories in height. That's
the basic height limit, with a possible bonus up to a maximum of eight stories.
This is an instance where I think the Riverfront Crossings height bonus .... yeah,
base heights and height bonuses are just simply excessive and I .... I really believe
and I've said this in various meetings in the past, that we need to revisit those
height, those heights and height bonuses. At some point it'll be too late (laughs)
but .... and.....and I'm confident that Randy Miller, uh, the developer is not
intending to build structures as high, so I'm not gonna make a big stink out of it at
this particular point, but just imagine eight story structures there. I .... I think they
would be completely inappropriate for our city. Okay, so any other discussion?
Hearing none .... roll call please. Motion carries 6-0.
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ll.e. Bluegrass Ridge — Preliminary Plat — Resolution approving Preliminary
Plat of Bluegrass Ridge subdivision, a 13.76 -acre, 7 lot residential subdivision
with one outlot located in unincorporated Johnson County, south of
American Legion Road and West of Wapsie Avenue SE (SUB19-06)
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve please?
Teague: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Teague, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Danielle, are you gonna give
us a little background please?
Sitzman: Give ya.... yes, I'll give you the overview of this. This one has a name now — it's
Bluegrass. It may look familiar to you when I show you the location and the
layout. This was the, uh, Claude and Adam Greiner previously had come before
you for rezoning. This is in one of our fringe areas and we considered at..it at that
time. It's, uh, proceeded on to the platting stage with the County and so it's back
before you for that consideration. It's a, as you said, a seven -lot residential
subdivision. Um .... located, um, has been rezoned residential and is located in the
county, um, growth area, uh, I'm sorry, fringe area B outside the growth area.
Um, it's requested for the subdivision to accommodate, uh, seven -lot subdivision I
said — sorry — and has been reviewed according to our fringe area agreement for
such areas. This shows the layout of that, um, subdivision. Um, it will create
three new streets, each of which will conform to the City's rural design standards,
um, and so that it's not seven lots with seven driveways onto the main street. Um,
because it's in the county, water and sewer will be provided privately. They will
be, um, individual lot septic system and, um, they will share a well. And that is
reviewed according to the County's regulations. Um, as far as next steps go, um
....uh, this will then be recommended to the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors for their final determination. Um, based on the policies outlined in
the fringe area agreement, staff did recommend approval of the application as did
the Planning Commission at its June 6th meeting, and I think that concludes my
report!
Cole: So these are one -acre lots, correct?
Sitzman: They range between one to one and a half acres, yes.
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Throgmorton: Any other questions for Danielle? About how far outside of Iowa City city limits
is it, do you know?
Sitzman: It says it's outside of the growth boundary. I'm not sure I can give you the exact,
um, mileage (mumbled) measured that.
Throgmorton: Okay.
Sitzman: It's within the two mile boundary, but outside the....
Fruin: The staff report has 1.76 miles east of the eastern city limits.
Sitzman: There you go!
Throgmorton: Good, thanks! Okay. Uh, anyone else want to address this topic? Hi, there, how
are you?
Landau: Hello. Good.
Throgmorton: Thanks for your patience.
Landau: Thank you. My name is Gina Landau. I represent Claude and Adam Greiner. I
am from MMS Consultants. Um, this is a county subdivision so it does look a
little bit different than you are used to for a city subdivision. We planned ahead
for lots purposefully to be over one acre. Um mainly because if people are
looking for lots in the county, if they would like to build a home in the county,
they are looking for over one acre. It's very hard to market lots less than that in
the county. Um, along with that we have to plan ahead for not only the home,
construction, driveway, we have to plan for a septic system and an alternative see
....septic system. Septic systems usually last about 20 years, somewhere around
in there. So, you know, we all know that we wanna be in our home longer than
that. So we have to have an alternative area for that septic system. So that is....
that's a huge reason as to why the lots are larger, as well as if you're going to
develop, you want to be able to sell your lots. So over one acre to 1.2, 1.25 acre,
those are very marketable right now. Um, we do have, and you can't see farther
south on the plat, we have accounted for storm water management, uh, drainage
calculations are being configured. There will be a very nice pond south. So I
don't know if you could put the (laughs) plat up again. Um, so outlot A to the east
will have a dry detention basin on it. There's not enough water that drains that
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way for us to have anything wet or any water feature or anything, but directly
south, so on the southwest side, there will be a nice water, you know, pond
basically. It's a wet detention basin, pond. So basically Claude Greiner owns the
40 acres south of this. He has given us approval to put the pond and to do storm
water management on that 40 acres. The intention on that 40 acres is still to row
crop it on the areas where we're not putting the pond, of course, but that will
accommodate all of the storm water management that we have for these seven
lots. Uh, sensitive areas study has been completed. Archaeology study has been
completed, per the Johnson County ordinances. Um, so we have followed those
rules as well. Um .... like I said, this is a county subdivision, although there are
over 80 homes in this area right in that area just slight of two miles outside of the
City of Iowa City. So it's a nice little residential area.
Cole: Is it walkable or bikable to any services, such as .... entertainment or anything
(both talking)
Landau: ....1.76 miles so you'd have to do the 1.76 miles just to get to the City of Iowa
City, which is basically (mumbled) where that school is, the new elementary
school is. So we are on the outer part of the fringe. Um .... I would say not really
right now, although American Legion Road, which is where this is, is going to
have a brand new widening, um, bike lane, everything like that in 2022 is what
secondary roads has planned for that. So that might .... that might change. It sure
might, as well as the City, of course, will extend out farther. So it .... that .... that
will definitely change.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Gina.
Landau: Thank you!
Throgmorton: Anyone else? All right, seeing no one, Council discussion?
Cole: Well I'm actually opposed to this project. Um, we've had a long discussion
tonight about, uh, our climate change and our climate action, and part of that is
having, uh, reducing auto dependence, and part of that is .... is reducing trips for
goods and services, and encouraging walkability. Obviously in the rural areas,
this is outside the city limits, it's a little bit different. You're not gonna have the
same density, but this is precisely the sort of low-density, exorbitant development
that facilitates excessive auto dependency, um, so I can't support this project. I
mean even at the preliminary plant stage, uh, that's gonna be my position.
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Throgmorton: Okay. Anyone else?
Mims: I'm gonna support this. I think there's... you know, a lot of areas in the county that
it makes sense for some residential development, um, not everybody wants to live
in a city. Um, you know, the .... the amount of traffic obviously depends upon
people's lifestyles and families or not families and where they work or don't work,
etc. Um .... but I think .... and I would agree that the marketability out in the
county, people who do want to live out there do want some space and do tend to
want, you know, an acre or more of land. Um, so even if it was, you know, seven
houses on two acres, that's, you know, that's not addressing the transportation
issues, but not everybody wants to live in Iowa City or in North Liberty or
whatever, and so I think you already have, you know, a lot of residential out there
and to add this in that same area I think makes perfect sense.
Throgmorton: Ot.... other comments? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 5-1.
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ILL Conditional Use Permit 4059 Izaak Walton League Road SE —A
recommendation to the Johnson County Board of Adjustment regarding a
Conditional Use Permit for 4059 Izaak Walton League Road SE (CU19-01)
Throgmorton: I must say this is the first time I think I've encountered a, uh, a recommendation
concerning Johnson County's Board of Adjustment (laughs) but there you go!
Could I have a motion to approve please?
Cole: So moved.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by Teague. Discussion? Danielle.
Sitzman: So as the Mayor said, this is a very rare application. It is subject to the County's,
uh, process for reviewing these, which does indicate it needs to come to the City
Council, uh, to make a recommendation to the .... to them. It's located in our
fringe area agreement, uh, under Area C, outside of the City's growth boundary is
the location of the current, um.....sand mining and gravel mining, I believe it is,
location, um, and the applicant in this case is S&G Materials and they're
requesting for a conditional use permit, uh, basically a change to their existing
permit that they have with the County. Um, the request, um, they have a history
of establishing this use there under their conditional use permit, dating back to
2000, with some changes over the years. Um, the requested change tonight is to,
um, alter their hours of operation. Um, currently they operate, um, 7:00 A.M. to
5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. They're asking to increase that to 7:00 A.M.
to 7:00 P.M., uh, during March through April, and October through December.
Um, essentially to respond to the need, um, for, um .... additional materials
occasionally for floods and severe weather events. Um, during their operation
they say they use an electric dredge and one large front end -loader on that, on the
site. Um, to date the City does not have any concerns about the current operation.
We've not heard any complaints. There are existing conditions on that conditional
use permit that they already have that will be carried for.... forward, um, so those
will continue to govern their operations as well. Um, because the property's not
within the City's growth area and it's not likely to be annexed into the City, we
don't have any concerns, as I said. In addition to not receiving any complaints
about the operation. Here's an overview of their operation essentially, um, if you
are interested in the layout. It's not open to the public, so um .... should not impact
anyone there. This would be a letter of recommendation going to the Johnson
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County Board of Adjustment. Um, so the staff did base their analysis on that
fringe area agreement and, um, and recommended approval, uh, as did the
Planning Commission, uh, to you tonight! And that concludes my staff report.
Throgmorton: Okie dokie. Anyone else want to address this topic? Thank you, Danielle. Hey,
Liz! You again!
Maas: I am Liz Maas. I'm with Transition Ecology. S&G is my client. I'm their
consultant on this, uh, application. Um, this, uh.....spring my client called me
actually and said what's the weather gonna be like, and I said what do you mean,
and he said well it's flooding in western Iowa. Is it gonna flood here, and I said
well I don't know (laughs) Um, he said because we don't have enough sand, to
make sand bags or HESCO barriers. Um, because the winter was such a horrible,
long lasting winter, uh, again climate issues, right? Here we're back to the same
topic, right? Um .... uh, the .... the sand that had been mined previously had to be
used and distributed for both County and City municipal uses on roads, and so the
extension of the hours is just to provide a little bit of a buffer zone, um, in....in
their ability to be able to actually mine materials so that it's available for the
reasons that we need it, especially those weather-related ones. It's challenging to
mine at the end of the year, when the water is frozen. They have a floating
dredge. If the water's frozen, they can't mine, and then in the spring if the water's
really high, they actually can't mine either because they can't get their equipment
in and around where they need to be able to operate. Um, so this is trying to build
some of that resiliency in and planning ahead for almost more from an emergency
management situation than anything. It would, so the regular hours of operation,
it's not gonna change the amount of truck traffic that's on the road. Um, I know
there's sometimes a concern with that. It would only, um, change just two people,
one guy drivin' a load and one guy tannin' the dredge for a couple of hours, um,
longer each day during these periods of time. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Liz. Anyone else? All right, seeing no one else, Council discussion?
Mims: Sounds reasonable!
Throgmorton: I think I'm hearing a lot of silent dittos (laughs) Not that I've ever heard a silent
ditto before but.... All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carries.
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12. Riverfront Crossings Park, Phase 4 — Resolution approving project manual
and estimate of cost for the construction of the Riverfront Crossings Park,
Phase 4 Project, establishing amount of bid security to accompany each bid,
directing City Clerk to post notice to bidders, and fixing time and place for
receipt of bids.
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Hi, Juli!
Seydell-Johnson: Good evening, uh, more exciting news about Riverfront Crossings. This is
phase four of construction. Um, can't resist showing you the grand opening flyer.
Make sure you tell all your friends and family — July 20th the grand opening.
Um, this phase four of the project happens here within the traffic circle. So for
the grand opening, and now when you're out there, it's a big green open space.
Uh, we have a really, uh, intriguing idea to get it updated, um, and at the same
time relocate the Snelson sculpture from Terrell Mill Park and now my computer
is saying 'hold on, we're updating,' so (laughs) you have pictures in your packet.
It moves the sculpture, the, um, four modular piece structure to the park, elevates
it up on pillars at the, um, north end of the traffic circle. It provides with a wall
that will provide the main signage for the park entrance, and kind of ...and dress
up that front entrance to the park, um, along with a walkway path and some
seating and landscaping, uh, in that traffic circle area. Um, part of this is funded
through, um, the public art in lieu fees provided by the developer at 707 S.
Dubuque Street, and I'm sorry I can't bring up the rest of the pictures (laughs) but
it's really neat! (laughs)
Throgmorton: So do you have a recalcitrant computer up there, huh?
Seydell-Johnson: Yeah I think now it's gonna let me go. Yep, there we go. So there's the photo
of it. Um, work would not start until after the July 20th grand opening. The last
thing we wanna do is have that all torn up, uh, for the grand opening. It will take
place through the fall, construction will, um, that will mean some closing of the
park entrance at points during the construction. So, um .... that's kind of a down
side. We'll get the new park open and then have to close the parking lot for four
or five days at a time, but um, we'll work with the contractor on that. So ... I can
answer any questions.
Mims: Just excited to keep it moving! See more advancements there.
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Thomas: Was .... was it always intended to be elevated like that, or is that.....
Seydell-Johnson: It is. If you, uh, if you do a computer, uh, internet search of Kenneth Snelson's
work, uh, most of his sculptures are elevated. So I don't know the original intent
of this particular piece, but this fits with most of his, the rest of his artwork.
So....
Throgmorton: Okie dokie. Thank you, Juli. Anyone else want to address this topic? Seeing no
one else I'm going to close the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a
motion please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Teague: So moved.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Teague, seconded by Thomas. Discussion?
Thomas: Well it seems like this piece has finally found a final home (laughs)
Throgmorton: So I ... I do wanna mention a few things. Maybe this is really for Geoff what I'm
gonna say now. Uh, several.... well, part of it's for everybody, but several days
ago, uh, when the Iowa Flood Center was having its 10th birthday over at the
hydrological laboratory, I ran into Senator Rob Hogue, and he was one of the
people who spoke, and he asked me whether we had any (laughs) I don't know
why he asked, but whether we had any projects that we would want to point to as
really successful flood recovery projects. Of course I said yes we do, absolutely.
And I mentioned the grand openings we have in mind for Riverfront Crossings
Park and for the Gateway project, and he said, 'Please invite .... make sure I'm
invited for that.' But that makes me think also that if: ... if we haven't already got
this in mind, we should invite Governor Reynolds, maybe, uh, well our local
legislative delegation for sure, and Representative Loebsack's office for sure, but
maybe .... some other key, uh, House and Senate people, in terms of the State
House and Senate, like chairman of. ... chairpersons of committees or whatever,
but definitely Governor Reynolds.
Fruin: Okay!
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Throgmorton: I mean I (laughs) I'm just speakin' for myself here. I don't know if, you know, the
Council's gotta support (mumbled) Okay. Uh, beyond that.....lookin' forward to
further progress and happy to see this. Okay, any further discussion? No, uh, roll
call please. Motion carries 6-0.
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13. Rochester Avenue Sidewalk Infill — Resolution approving project manual and
estimate of cost for the construction of the Rochester Avenue Sidewalk Infill
Project, establishing amount of bid security to accompany each bid, directing
City Clerk to post notice to bidders, and Fixing time and place for receipt of
bids.
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Is anybody from staff gonna address
this? I don't think it's necessary but I was just wondering if somebody was going
to. Ron? Hi, Ron!
Knoche: Good evening, Ron Knoche, Public Works Director. Uh, this will install a four -
foot wide sidewalk on the north side of Rochester, uh, from St. Thomas Court,
um, to our ground storage reservoir. Um, it's a four -foot wide sidewalk. Um, it's
a piece that had come up on our infill program. Uh, we have had a neighborhood
meeting. Uh, there's four properties that are impacted, um, and they were all
onboard with the installation.
Throgmorton: Great!
Knoche: Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thanks! Uh, anyone else want to address this topic? Seeing no one, I'm gonna
close the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a motion to approve the
motion please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Mims: So moved.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Move, uh, what did I say? Motion to approve the motion? Oh well! All right, uh,
moved by Mims, seconded by Thomas. Discussion?
Thomas: Well this is a nice.... important infill project and I'm happy that, uh, the four
residents, uh, supported it. Sometimes it seems ... we don't get that kind of support.
Throgmorton: Indeed!
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Mims: Especially when they have to now start doing snow removal! (several responding
and laughing)
Thomas: ....long frontages (both talking)
Mims: They probably do!
Throgmorton: No further discussion? Roll call please. Motion carries 6-0.
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14. 2019 Asphalt Resurfacing — Resolution approving project manual and
estimate of cost for the construction of the Asphalt Resurfacing 2019 Project,
establishing amount of bid security to accompany each bid, directing City
Clerk to post notice to bidders, and fixing time and place for receipt of bids.
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Not seeing anyone I'm going to close
the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I have a motion to approve the
resolution please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Mims: So moved.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Teague. Discussion?
Mims: Well it's always good to get more of these projects done and I'm looking forward,
and I think we all are, to the study that's gonna give us a better, uh, plan of where
we're gonna do road repairs and asphalt overlays, to .... the biggest complaint I
continue to hear is .... is our streets, is the condition of our streets. And so to .... to
get a plan in place and figure out the financing so that we can really, uh, work on
improving the streets across the city, that's obviously no criticism of our staff. It's
just getting the money and the planning and resources, uh, in place so that we can
do it on a little more frequent and/or expeditious, uh, process. So....
Throgmorton: Any other discussion?
Thomas: Uh, now one of these projects, Jim, you had mentioned I think at our last meeting,
uh, would entail removing parking. Was this, uh, am I ..... am I getting this (both
talking)
Throgmorton: That's right. It was, uh, South Governor Street, uh, one .... two blocks of South
Governor or something like that.
Reichart: Uh, Jason Reichart, Engineering. Yeah, uh, the current plan sheet for the
pavement markings on Dodge show, uh, a buffered bike lane as well, and we have
discussed internally, uh, including the .... the recommendations of the bike master
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plan and a buffered bike lane on Governor as well. Uh, that would be subject to
an upcoming, uh, public meeting that we're gonna have to kind of discuss the
removal of parking and .... and kind of based on how that goes we'll, uh, determine
how we move forward with those improvements.
Throgmorton: Okay. So actions not gonna be taken on that particular street segment (both
talking) after you have the conversation. Then see (both talking)
Reichart: Yeah, exactly, and it had shown..... it's shown in the current Dodge Street plan, uh,
that's included in the plans that are approved tonight, but again subject to, um, to
that public hearing, but those improvements are consistent with the bike master
plan improvements. So....
Thomas: Would ... would you happen to know if. ... when the bike master plan was being
developed if. ... if that was discussed specifically with respect to the loss of
parking?
Frain: (several talking) There's really not room to do both, so that woulda been part of
that discussion, um......
Thomas: And there wasn't any, at that time anyway, any .... any (both talking)
Frain: No, but there wasn't necessarily an effort to go and reach out to residents. So
unless they were engaged because of their interest in the bike plan, they probably
don't know.
Thomas: Okay.
Fruin: Which is why we need to go through the public meeting process.
Thomas: Okay.
Tbrogmorton: Great. Thanks, Jason.
Reichart: Thank you.
Throgmorton: Okay. Any further discussion?
Thomas: Well I'm glad that was cleared up, because I (both talking)
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Throgmorton: ... thanks, I'd, uh, that slipped my mind. Okay, hearing no further discussion, roll
call please. Motion carries 6-0.
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15. Hate Crime — Ordinance amending Title 8, entitled "Police Regulations,"
Chapter 5, entitled "Miscellaneous Offenses" to add Hate Crime as a
criminal offense. (Second Consideration)
Mims: Move second consideration.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Thomas. Discussion?
Teague: I wanna move that the rule requirin' the ordina.....that ordinances must be
considered and voted on for the passage at two Council meetings prior to the
meetin' at which it is to be finally passed.... passed be suspended, that the second
consideration and vote be waived, and that the ordinance be voted on for final
passage at this time.
Throgmorton: Sue, is it okay to do it in that sequence?
Dulek: Right. It .... probably the first motion needs to be (both talking)
Throgmorton: Rescinded?
Dulek: Yes!
Throgmorton: Yeah, and then we'll (both talking) so would that be all right with you (several
talking) Yeah, would you both (several talking) to rescinding.... that first motion?
Mims: Yes!
Throgmorton: Okay, so we have this motion to .... what's the term, um.....
Mims: Condense.
Throgmorton: Condense the (several talking) Okay, and it was moved by Teague, seconded
by.....anybody here?
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Seconded by Mims. All right, discussion? On the motion to condense readings
of...the second and third readings.
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Mims: I don't have any problem with it. I think certainly this has gotten very wide public
support, um, I think it's gotten wide support from, you know, from the Council.
Typically, uh, the issues where we do not, uh.... entertain a motion to condense is
where there is some controversy or, um, a feeling that there hasn't maybe been
enough public information out there. Um, I think certainly with our last meeting,
um, and some of the press coverage, I think people have an opportunity... have had
an opportunity to really learn about this. Um, so I have no problem, um, with our
condensing the second and third readings.
Throgmorton: Any other comment? I can say I received one fairly angry phone call about a
week ago. But that's it. And I've heard from, uh, one of our local reporters that
there's been active discussion. Mark .... no, I can't ask you that. Never mind.
I .... I heard that there was some active discussion but maybe I'm confusing this
topic with some other topic. So let me just, uh, withdraw what I just said. Uh,
anybody else wanna say anything else? Okay, I .... I see no reason not to condense
the readings. Okay, so there's a motion on the floor. Uh, we need a roll call on
this, don't we? Uh, okay, so roll call please. Motion carries 6-0. So now we need
the .... why don't you go ahead and make the (both talking)
Mims: Move final consideration.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Cole. Discussion? It could be .... I know there's
some people who've been waiting. I should give them a chance to express a view
at this point, if they want to.
Morgan: It's horrible when you have to fight with a reverend to speak first (laughter) Good
evening, my name is Jeffrey Morgan and, uh, to .... tonight I'm, uh, privileged to
be speaking on behalf of IC Compassion. Uh, I know some of you are very
familiar with, uh, IC Compassion, but for those of you that aren't, it's a nationally
registered immigration center. We offer many, many community services, like a
Wednesday night community meal, ESL, and citi .... citizenship classes, sewing
classes. Uh, we have a free legal clinic every week, and we have two, uh, food
pantries that operate at least two times a week. So we're definitely a community
outreach organization. And one thing that we recognize, as I'm sure that you all
know, if that Iowa City is a city of diversity and that's what makes us shine as a
community, and as .... one of the previous speakers, Liz, alluded to, uh, we're
seeing a lot more, uh, influx of immigrants, refugees, and people that maybe look
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a little differently than we do, and I think that's great, and .... one of IC
Compassion's goals is to reach out to the community to welcome them,
uh... inside our doors and to make a presence within Iowa City. Uh, we are also
partners with the Church of the Nazarene, who has a multi -cultural, uh,
congregation. We have six different congregations. Uh, we have a community
and open door, which involves people of all colors and ethnicities and economic
backgrounds; and a Hispanic congregation, two African congregations, a Chinese
congregation, uh, to .... to name just a few. But ..... and I heartily invite you. Twice
a year we have, uh, all the congregations together for a meal. I have never ever
tasted such good food, and I welcome you, uh, and invite you to the next time that
happens, because you will not regret it. I .... I believe that. Um .... on the weekend
of March 2nd, uh.... our compassionate ministry center and, uh, church was,
uh.... assaulted, if that's the word, with graffiti, uh, with Nazi symbols and, uh,
slogans that slurred one of our .... our, both of our African congregations and the
people that, uh.....attend our church and our community center. Uh, we were
rocked to our core. Because as we open our doors to the community, anyone can
walk in, but to come in the cover of night and deface our building and to frighten
our people, that's unacceptable. Uh.... we ..... we didn't know what to do. We
were torn. We got to .... got to work and we cleaned up the vandalism, uh, because
of wonderful people who at the interfaith, uh, community; uh, we had a
community vigil, uh, where over 200 people attended and expressed their
solidarity that this kind of hatred in Iowa City can't stand. Uh, this was not a
drunken prank done by teenagers or college students or, uh, people who are just
bored and wanted to do something. This was an intended attack on a culture.
Um, in reading this, uh, ordinance, uh, IC Compassion, uh, feels very strongly
that it should be passed. We appreciate the Council's support with this. Um,
stepping aside in my role as .... as Chairperson of the Board of IC Compassion and
talking as private citizen Jeffrey Morgan, uh, I do .... I am troubled by the
distinction on the third page of the, uh, comments, where it says that, uh, it would
be, for example, sharing investigation, evidence supporting the citation, allow for
the prosecution of a person with the intent to intimidate, annoy, threaten, or alarm
without legitimate purpose, places a hateful note on the door of another because
the person is African American. That's the spirit of the ordinance. I have no
problem with that. The next part is .... I would not, for example, prohibit that the
placement of a'it's okay to be white' sticker, uh, posting pillar downtown or on
leaflets spread through the neighborhood. The latter is protected speech under the
First Amendment. I get it. Free .... free speech is.....is so important to this
country and our community. However, I think you have to look at intent. You
have .... there has been, uh, much public discussion and, uh, in the news about
leaflets that were included in the Little Village, uh, newspaper. It did not say, uh,
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that it was .... it was okay to be white. It said to, uh, love your race, and the
sponsors of that were a neo-Nazi organization. If you want it .... free speech is
fine, but you have to think about intent. What was the intent of this? What is the
intent of. ... of the national alliance? It's to spread fear. It's to spread discomfort,
and make people of. ... of different nationalities, different ethnicities, different
cultures feel uncomfortable in their home community. And so .... even though it
might not be included in this ordinance as written, I would just ask that going
forward and looking at some of these things as they happen to take maybe a closer
look about revising that. Thank you for your time.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Jeffrey. Uh, Jeffrey, please do informally invite us to that, uh, the
next multi -congregational event that you just described. Yeah. Thanks. Anyone
else?
Smith: Uh, Pastor Anthony Smith, uh, New Creations International Church. I'm also the
Chair of Johnson County Interfaith, uh, Coalition. Uh, first of all I wanna
thank .... thank you for comin' and supporting, uh, supporting the ordinance.
Thank you, um, Iowa City, and, uh, Council.... City Council. Thank everyone that
has, uh, that has .... that has supported Iowa City Police Department. Um, it's,
um .... it's ..... it's a must -have. I, uh.... um.....I don't know if I said the last time
that I stood up here that our .... our church also is a, uh, we hold a .... an African,
uh, congregation. We have our .... our, uh, non -denominational congregation, and
at .... and at the time, uh, we had a Hispanic congregation in our .... in our building,
and we had a instance where a, um, a individual who we didn't catch came and
defecated in our .... in our lower level. The same instance that happened at the....
at the, uh, at the mosque. And so we know that there's.... that that hate is.....is....
is out there. And, uh, and uh.... I ...... I believe that this ordinance is putting, uh, is
putting our .... our best foot in the right direction. There's more that we can do.
There's more education that we have to do. There's more things that we .... that we
have to do, but this .... this ordinance is putting .... is putting our.....our best foot
forward. It's our best first step, and .... and I would encourage the Council to
continue to .... to look at and work with us and ... and let's just work together as a
community, as we have in the past, to work on other measures that will .... that
will, uh, discourage, uh, the.... these.....these motivations of hate in our city.
Thank you!
Throgmorton: Thank you so much. Anyone else?
Pries: I'm Mark Pries. Uh, resident of Iowa City. Bruce, I just wanna thank you for
condensing this. And to help us all understand how expeditious we need to be
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about this. I was with Pastor Anthony Smith, how long ago was it when we met
and prayed and just remembered. It was the ground swell of what became
Johnson County Interfaith Coalition. Um, and I really appreciate your ears and
eyes and awareness and quick action. Thanks so much!
Throgmorton: Thanks, Mark. Anyone else? All right, seeing no one, Council discussion? I'm
really excited to be able to support this ordinance. Very pleased to be able to do
it. It .... it's just, uh, it's heartbreaking to see the kinds of actions that....lead us to
be, feel like we need to adopt this kind of ordinance. You'd like to think that there
weren't such people in our city, but there are and there are people outside our city
who come here to kind of. ... jerk us around (laughs) and scare us, make us afraid.
Uh, but we aren't, so I'm really pleased to be able to support this ordinance. Roll
call please. Motion carries 6-0.
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16. Deer Management Plan — Resolution Approving the Long -Term Deer
Management Plan for the Years 2019 to 2024.
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve please?
Teague: So moved.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Teague, seconded by Cole. Is anybody gonna make any kind of
presentation, Geoff? (laughter)
Fruin: We can just (both talking)
Throgmorton: Just very briefl
Fruin: ....a.....a very brief overview. This is, uh, the result of a work session that you
had earlier this year. A quick reminder, we did go to the Natural Resources
Commission twice last year in 2018 for a request to thin the deer population.
Both of those requests were denied. Uh, we are prepping to go back in July for a
third request, and uh, the plan that you have outlined, um, combines one year of
sharp shooting, uh, one season of sharp shooting, probably a couple of different,
um, times within that, uh, season. Uh, followed by four years of non -lethal
management. Uh, the plan was put together from staff with City Attorney's office
and the Police Department, and we had, um, some really extraordinary help from
the Iowa City Deer Friends in compiling, uh, the non -lethal strategies, uh, that
you see contained in the plan. So we'd be happy to try to answer any questions
that you have. We're looking for your approval. After we get your approval, we
will formally submit it to the State and then, uh, again ask for their approval in
July.
Throgmorton: Okie dokie. Uh, would anyone like to address this topic?
Dieterle: I'm Caroline Dieterle. Uh, and I (clears throat) think that the principle objection I
have to this is that in a sense this plan is not managing the population. What it
does is it lets the deer repopulate after the sharp shooting of this coming winter. I
really don't expect the, uh, Commission to approve this, because .... it isn't
management. It's more or less toleration, and I really don't understand, um, why
the staff, the poor staff, was put in the position of having to write this policy or
this plan, um, which is sure to fail. Uh, it's a lot of wasted time and I think that I
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find it .... hard to understand why the people in charge here don't understand that
there's more at, you know, at stake here than whether cars get hit or deer get hit by
cars, and uh, the so-called landscaping. Um, I .... I don't wonder ...I wonder
whether any of you have looked into the biology of prions that are causing the
cervid wasting disease, because if you did, and if you read the, urn .... web site that
1, that was manag... that was mentioned in the op-ed that I helped write for the
Press -Citizen, um, of the Veterinary Association's, you know, take on what deer
can carry in terms of diseases and the vectors that go with it. You would agree
with me that something has to be done, even if you don't care about the under -
story vegetation in the parks, which is another issue. The bare -faced fact is that
the numbers of deer must be reduced! And the only way to do that is to kill some!
That's the long and short of it. And until we kill some, we're not going to be
successful in doing anything for the public health threats that are presented by
these deer! And I really urge you to take the time to look at these references and
rethink this issue, and come up with another plan. I have here on my phone
(clears throat) you know, a letter from somebody who lives in Ames, who is
another person who's a biology person, and at Ames they have got, um, both, uh,
shar.... shotgun shooting and, um, bow hunting, and they kill a lot of deer, and
they manage the situation. We have let things get so far out of hand that I think
that we must use sharp shooting, but after that we could have the combination of
shooting and bow .... bow hunting, both, and propose that to the... Commission and
cite the plan for Ames, uh, and ask why they can't give us the same plan that
Ames is (mumbled) is able to take. I don't think that anybody has really looked
(mumbled) from anybody, any kind of statistics, about how many, you know,
cities in Iowa are .... managing their deer populations by hunting and in what way,
to find out how many are really satisfied with bow hunting. I think someone just
saying so, you know, isn't the same thing as having the statistics of actually.... the
numbers. We don't have the numbers for the number of deer there are in Iowa
either, nor do we know, you know, how many bow hunters are licensed, or how
much money they make from the licenses. But I'm here to tell you that if nothing
is done about the cervid wasting disease, there soon will be no hunting licenses
because we'll simply be out there trying to kill as many as possible, to prevent this
disease going any farther. So I urge you to redo this and come up with a realistic
plan to reduce the numbers, and I know there are people in town who don't want
to kill anything, but this just not is a realistic attitude in this situation. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Caroline. Anyone else want to address this? (laughter, please talking
in background)
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Irish: Erin Irish, Iowa City. You might recall that I spoke the last time we discussed
this, and I wanted to start by taking a little bit of a perspective. Since I served on
the committee that did consider this last year, um, and when we were.... after the
first, uh, application was denied, and.....and we were charged with coming,
having, uh, input. So I think we were a little bit blindsided by the change in the
makeup of the NRC, the group that grants permits because in the past sharp
shooting was fine, and so we operated with the assumption that sharp shooting, if
we choose to manage deer population, would be something that would work, and
so the public hearing that we had was built around that assumption. We had Tony
DeNicola, this expert who did the sharp shooting before, come in and give a very
detailed, um, presentation where he talked about various means, saying that
sterilization, technology's not quite there, sharp shooting in his view was far more
humane than bow hunting, but I think that there might have been a little bit of a
conflict of interest. Now he claimed that he was making enough money, he didn't
need our business, he would be fine if we chose not to hire him, but I still felt like
the .... the conversation was directed toward sharp shooting or not controlling, and
there was not a formal count of the kinds of comments that we got from the
public, but I think that the committee, when we met again afterwards, uh, pretty
much agreed that it was 3-1 in favor of controlling the deer, and you know, the,
really the only way that .... that was presented was through sharp shooting, and
then so that was what the application was. But if we had had, um, a maybe a
more balance presentation, where we had bow hunting and actual data to say how
effective it would be, then I think that the ... we would have been able to tease out a
little bit of the attitude of, um, sharp shooting versus bow hunting versus leave the
poor animals alone would have been, we would have gotten a clear (mumbled)
um .... uh, assessment, because I feel like there's .... we have these two choices. We
either don't kill any animals or we are forced to abide by the new set of rules that
we have with that current, um, committee. Now the .... the, I wanna point out that
that committee's, uh, membership changes every year or two years. There's new
people appointed to that. So it could be that right now bow hunting is something
that they, like that's the only way that we're going to be allowed to kill a deer, but
in future years, and they want a long-term management plan, in future years they
might have a different view where sharp shooting would be something that would
be permitted, but ... um, I don't know if you had a chance to look at the numbers
that I figured out a couple days ago. Two things, if we take ... if we are successful
by having a couple rounds of sharpshooting and this winter, and get, actually get
numbers down to 10 per square mile, which is a pretty.... pretty substantial goal,
um, and then not do anything, and I .... so I just, you know, back of an old
envelope I calculated. So if you have five .... if you have 10 deer, five of 'em are
does, they're already pregnant, so they.... because they're reproductively
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competent at year one. So .... so right away, so we will have five fawns in the
spring and assuming conservatively two of them are females and so now we have
seven females per square mile, and so you can go through that and by year five,
we have 69 deer per square mile. So we're back to the same overpopulation we
have right now. So I .... I understand that there was the sentiment that we need to
come up with a non -lethal, um, strategy, but I'm completely with Caroline in
saying why waste everyone's time? Let's be sensible about this and come up with
a plan that we know from previous conversations with the current commission
that.... committee, that ... that, of. ... (mumbled) doing something that they would,
um, that they would approve, and the second calculation I did was thinking
about.... because one of the measures was we put up fences, or you give us advice
on how we could put up our own fences, and I have a little lot in town. It's on 90
X 100, and even if I just did the parameter, plus I went around the outside of my
driveway, so my car could get to the garage and back, that's 420 ... uh, feet of
fencing and the internet tells me a cheap fence, um, average $25 a foot, that's
$10,000 for a cheap, pine fence that I would have to paint every year, and
that's .... so, you know, my block alone would.....would cover the cost of sharp
shooting for a year. So sharp shooting sounded expensive until I started
calculating how much that cost is transferred to each of the citizens who want to
protect their gardens. So, I'll stop here.
Throgmorton: Uh, Erin, I .... excuse me, I'd like to ask you a question.
Irish: I forgot to write my name!
Throgmorton: What I hear you saying is .... pitch the proposed deer plan, toss it out the window.
Irish: Uh huh.
Throgmorton: All right. Do you see any way it could be altered to, uh.....help ensure that the
deer population does not suddenly grow back to the (both talking)
Irish: One idea I had was to, um, work with the DNR to have .... to increase the amount
of hunting in the perimeter of Iowa City, like give out .... the City could buy some
deer tags, so that a deer hunter who wants to take more than one animal, what
might be encouraged to hunt around here and that at least could just draw some of
the animals from the perimeter, you know, decrease that population, there would
probably be some exodus into now that cleared space, but ... I .... I have no problem
with an urban bow hunt either.
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Throgmorton: Okay. Thank you. Hi there!
Svymkowiak: Hi. I'm .... my name is Gene Svymkowiak, um, a couple things, uh, just to the
City Manager. Um, why were we denied on the previous plans that we
submitted? To the State?
Fruin: A general adversion to sharp shooting from the Natural Resources Commission.
Svymkowiak: So ... they .... they.....and what was their, did they give you a plan? Cause I'm
confused why this group, um, has a say in how we manage our deer here, yet they
don't give us a plan. So do you understand how that works, and is there anybody
on the Council from our vicinity, from this neck of the woods?
Dulek: Hi, I was at both the meetings. The seven members, um, you can find their names
and addresses on the .... on their web site. I .... I ..... (both talking) that I think is in
the Cedar Rapids, the corridor for example, area. Um, that I recall but I don't
wanna quote that for sure. But .... under State law, um, it's the Commission that,
uh, has to give authority to .... to shoot the deer, or to .... to bow hunt. And so if the
City wants to engage in sharp shooting, we must get their permission, and, uh, as
Geoff indicated, they would not agree to that without a bow hunt. Uh, that's...
Svymkowiak: So the bow hunt was the sticking point.
Dulek: Yeah, that seemed to be the bow .... that seemed to be the sticking point. Yes.
Svymkowiak: Did they give you any numbers on other towns for.....so for my understanding,
um, Coralville has a bow hunt.
Dulek: Yes!
Svymkowiak: And I talked to John Lundell and he said they've never had any complaints or
problems. I also contacted some .... one of the members of the council. They're
very difficult to get ahold of. They don't answer your emails. Um, but the one
person I did get to talk to, uh, said ... I asked are there complaints, um, in Ames and
Des Moines and all the areas that I think .... how many were there (turning away
from mic) There's 102 of these things going on with bow hunting in the state.
They have .... he said they had no complaints. Did any of you guys verify that or
talk to any of the surrounding areas that have bow hunts?
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Dulek: Captain Campbell spoke (speaking away from mic, several talking in background)
I .... Captain Cam.... Captain Campbell spoke with people in Cedar Rapids and
Coralville, and the, uh, indication he received from both those cities that there
were not, uh (both talking)
Svymkowiak: Okay. All right, so just getting back to .... to a.....a couple things. Um, I'm a
veterinarian and what, uh, Caroline was talking about, um, the science is sort of
out on .... on chronic wasting, but the one thing they do know is that when you
have a high density of deer, um, it's spread from the urine. The prions are .... are
....are spread in the urine, and it is a possibility that that could develop in the
herd. Um, whether it jumps to humans or not, who knows. So that's just
something that's possible, but by us having a high density here, we're contributing
to the problem that the whole state will have, and I .... and I guess the DNR could,
you know, address that. But I think we do need to keep the population down, not
have it go down to 10 per square mile and then jump up over four years and
whack it back down. I think we gotta knock the level down and then do
something to maintain it. I don't know the numbers on bow hunting, how that
maintains it. And I'd like to see those before we put the proposal and find out
why we have to abide by these Council rules. I mean it's just (mumbled) like Erin
said, they're gonna change every few years. Um, the other thing with other
diseases are transmitted, um, if you put a fence around your yard, like Erin wants
to do. I don't want it (laughs) urn .... you can stop the deer, but you do not stop the
rodents from entering your property and allowing the lyme ticks to come into
your yard and infect your pets and people. We have both lyme and something
called anaplasmosis in this area. It's very prevalent out at Kent Park. Um, serious
illness in some people. Dogs, I'd say, uh, maybe 25% of dogs that get infected
will show disease. Humans it's a little bit higher, but some people respond very,
very poorly (both talking)
Throgmorton: Excuse me, we .... we need to have a limit on the amount of time individuals (both
talking)
Svymkowiak: Okay! But I'm just....okay, so the point is that this is not (both talking)
Throgmorton: Be very precise, please.
Svymkowiak: It's not just a predation on a .... on our flora, um, but it's also a public health
problem and you know in addition to car accidents and that sort of thing, you
know, cause I can't find how many deer were killed in car accidents in Iowa City.
How do you find that out?
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Throgmorton: We have data about that. Thank you. No, no thanks, Caroline (talking away from
mic; unable to hear clearly) Is there anybody else who wanted to address this
topic? All right, apparently nobody else wants to address the topic. Um....
Council discussion? I'll tell ya, uh, some things I'm thinking. When I read the
plan I was surprised to see that there was .... there were no apparent.... indications
about how the deer population would be kept at the level.... uh.....resulting from
the initial sharp shooting. There's gotta be something. So I'm just saying, we, you
know, I just read the thing, uh, you know, yesterday I guess, so .... I was surprised
to see that. And I'm pretty skeptical the NRC would approve that. Uh, so I think
we need to have something in the plan that would, some .... some trigger like, you
know, we do a .... we do the initial sharp shooting, we do the head count, uh, the
next year, we can .... try these, uh, non -lethal .... uh, steps, but a head count, and if
it goes above a .... a certain trigger head count, we've .... we have to do something,
and we have to show the NRC that we are going to do something. That's my first
sort of gut response, right?
Thomas: (both talking) to agree, I mean the .... the fact that....you know, the current
proposal really has no (mumbled) of controlling the deer population after year
one.... seems to be a non-starter. Uh, so .... you know, Erin's concept, um, was an
interesting one and Caroline mentioning the, uh, the work that has been done in
Ames suggests that some .... effort to try to, uh, incorporate possibly a hybrid of
sharp shooting and bow hunting, um, after we get the population down through
sharp shooting seemed like a reasonable proposal to me. Um, it does seem,
we .... we can't move forward with anything until we get the Commission's
approval. So .... and it sounds very much like that approval will not be given
without some five-year plan which controls the population and that bow hunting
is going to have to be part of that solution. So .... it seems to me we need to revise
the plan to allow for, uh.... the possibility of bow hunting and I .... I like the idea of
a combination of bow hunting and sharp shooting, um, in the .... in the subsequent
years after year one ..... with some, you know, if we're looking at the numbers each
year, you'll have some idea of what may need to be done to control the population.
Cole: Well I think all of us were really reluctant to authorize any form of bow hunting,
especially within city limits, um, however, it seemed like NRC made it very clear
that that was going to be a condition, precedent to authorizing, uh, the, uh, ability
to do the sharp shoot, and so very reluctantly during our last work session, that
was the position I took is that I did not wanna do that, but I felt we needed to do
that, how to control the long-term population. Um, we've, um, talked about the
numbers in terms of the nuisance potential. We've also talked about the safety
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component. Fortunately we haven't had any, at least I'm aware of, fatalities or
physical personal injuries, in the city, so we've lucked out, but as you point out in
other contexts with street safety, we don't wanna wait for the first to happen, and
certainly outside the city, that is a major issue. Caroline brings up the question of
communicable diseases. Fortunately for now there is no transmission that I'm
aware of from deer to humans, but it's certainly a greater likelihood. So certainly
I love wildlife, um, but as a lot of people have pointed out, that the, you know,
predator -prey is part of.....you know, a billion years of evolution and we don't
have that at this point. So unfortunately, um, we have to be the predator,
unfortunately, and I don't like using that metaphor, but that's just a reality. Um,
but that said, this is the plan before us and, um, would it be possible to amend it
prior to (both talking)
Throgmorton:.... July meeting is on the 11th. So that's after our next meeting.
Cole: So.....
Dulek: But the packet deadline is before your meeting. It's, um, it's next Tuesday, or next
Thursday. I can't remember. So to get on the July 11 agenda, you have to have
something approved, uh, by either next Tuesday or next Thursday.
Cole: When's their next meeting? (both talking)
Dulek: It's the second Thursday of the month. So August 10th, 12th, whatever (both
talking)
Cole: ....we're rejected again, we'd be able to do a modification. So I think my position
is is a lot of the Deer Friends have done some really good non -lethal approaches
as well. Let's present it as is. If it's rejected, I think unfortunately we will have to
look at the bow hunting (both talking)
Throgmorton: I think that's pretty obvious. If they reject this, they will say you're not going to
get anywhere unless you do bow hunting.
Cole: Yeah, so let's just move forward with this is my point.
Mims: I.....(sighs) Boy this is really hard for me. I'm gonna do a 180 on the bow hunt.
I have not been supportive of bow hunting at all, and I don't like the idea of the
bow hunting, but we deL... I totally agree we have to do something about the deer
herd, for many different reasons. I mean people have talked about public health.
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We've talked about car accidents. We've talked about the understory. We've
talked about the health of the deer herd itself. Um, I think it's just unquestionable
when you look at the numbers that we have, and the density that we have. We
have to do something, and I .... it seems to me that the NRC unfortunately has
made it very clear that without a bow hunt component, they won't, uh, they won't
approve the sharp shoot. Um, so .... and you know Erin made clear, you know ,the
members of that Commission change every year and so, you know, there would
also be the possibility of trying to go back and trying to amend it later on to
replace the bow hunting with more sharp shooting. I'm really concerned about the
fact that, um, we do sharp shooting for one year and I think the odds of getting us
down to the density that we want is probably pretty slim. Um, and from the bit
that I've read, my understanding is that the bow hunting isn't really gonna do a
whole lot in terms of actual population reduction. So I would support, uh, at this
point that we amend the plan to include, um, bow hunting in years two through
five.
Throgmorton: So we'll have to process that here in a second. I wanna ask a question though.
Um .... uh, there've been, there's been mention of Ames and Coralville, in
particular, about what they are doing with regard to bow hunting. Can we obtain
that information? If we haven't done it already, can we obtain that information?
(mumbled)
Dulek: That was in the packet last time we were here in April. That's when Bill
Campbell had communicated with Coralville and, um, Cedar Rapids, and I know
that information was in that memo, uh, I don't believe Bill has reached out to....
to Ames but .... we can certainly gather that information, but .... and I don't have
that memo unfortunately in front of me.
Fruin: I'm reviewing the Ames deer management web site now. There's no mention of
sharp shooting, and I don't believe that anybody else was sharp shooting. Um,
maybe have done shotgun hunts in the .... in the past, but they're not advertising
that like they are their bow hunts, but shot gun would be like a shot gun season
hunting. It would not (both talking)
Dulek: ...yes, it's not professional. That's a distinction. Yes.
Fruin: And that .... that is an option. I don't k now that too many people will, too many
cities would do shot gun, um, season hunting, um, but uh.... that's something we
can look at. So the information's public. You can go on the NRC web site and
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look at all the deer management zones in the .... in the state, and .... and look at the
areas that .... that have been approved.
Throgmorton: Yeah, I .... I don't particularly wanna go up there with a plan that I know's gonna
be rejected. So I ... I, right now I'm agreein' with Susan and with Rockne's initial
inclination, I think, that we need to build some amount of bow hunting into this,
and I think it'd be wise to learn from Ames and learn from Coralville and try to fit
it into our context the best that we can. So .... that .... that's where I am right at the
moment. I don't know what y'all are thinkin'.
Taylor: I agree with that too and, uh, I initially.... of course I'm an animal lover too and
....and was against any sort of method, uh, but then the sharp shooting, when
I ... the numbers, especially when I saw a deer on the edge of, uh, Benton Street,
right near .... a block away from where the new (can't hear) going to be. It's like I
realized that there.... there's no part of this city, any neighborhood, that's immune
to them. They're everywhere, and so the population does need to .... to be
diminished, uh, and I wasn't a fan of bow hunting, because we'd heard from a lot
of people it's ineffective and not very efficient and, yeah, these deer horror stories
of the deers running around with arrows, broken arrows in their bodies, but uh, it
obviously has helped and it would be good to hear, uh, like the effectiveness in
the Coralville area, uh.... but when it comes to population reduction, I think .... my
personal opinion is that, the Commission is going to .... to laugh at the wording in
some of this, because like under the non -lethal management it says the City plans
to manage its deer population through non -lethal men .... means, but uh, the first
two things — deer -proof fencing as Miss Irish mentioned and landscaping and
gardening. That's putting the onus on .... on the members of the community to do
things. Uh.... so it's not really what the City is doing. Of course putting the
signage up and reducing speed limits, etc., uh, preventing the accidents, but
that's.... that's not managing the population. It's not (several talking) not thinning
them out. So I .... I think we do need to, uh, put a little more teeth into it.
Throgmorton: Yeah, so ... could you amend your proposed amendment to (several talking) Sorry!
My bad! (both talking)
Teague: Sorry about that! Um.....so when we spoke about this in April I thought that part
of the reason why three other Councilors were going to Des Moines was to talk to
the NRC. Um, with .... along with staff to just say, hey, you know, we wanna kill
the deer. Really get down the population, and so .... (laughs) um, one way to do
that is through sharp shooting, um, and doin' bow hunting. As we've had
presentations about the success rate is not good and we have deer tannin' around
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the city, or you know, um, that are injured, um, and so .... I am proposin' that we
....as I understood it, we were gonna wait until after the July meeting, cause I
understood from Simon, I believe, um, that we can submit.... we're not nearing
deer season, um, or maybe it was Bill Campbell, I don't know who, uh, we're
not .... we have time. So the first step was to go and talk in July, and then from
there .... we'll come back as Councilors and give kind of our feel as to where they
might be. Um, if there's any wiggle room. So that was kinda my understandin'.
The other understandin' that I had was whatever plan we submitted, um, we may
wanna submit.... let's say what's currently proposed, um, and then we come next
year and find out that it wasn't very successful and then we plead to the NRC that
these are our results, um, we were not that successful. Will you grant another
year, and just have those communications almost on an annual basis, where we
are resubmitting our request for sharp shooting.
Throgmorton: Yeah but they're said they want a five-year plan.
Teague: We would give them a five-year plan. We ..... well my understandin' was we
would give them a five-year plan, uh, somethin' that is gonna get approved. Now
I'm personally a .... I'm not okay with bow hunting personally, um, but what's been
proposed by the City staff, you know, that we can come back in a year to do.
Potentially this will get approved, um, as .... what the City staff has in the plan
right now.
Mims: I don't know. It sounds .... the way I interpreted what staff came back from the
NRC meeting was if there wasn't bow hunting in it, they wouldn't approve sharp
shooting. Was that.... pretty....
Frain: That .... that is our read. And that's.... that's what we communicated last .... in your
last work session when we took this up. So that's still our belief, but the
communication or the direction we got from you at the last work session was let's
try sharp shooting, one more non -lethal strategy, and .... and we purposely targeted
July so that if it was rejected we could come back and still possibly get a sharp
shoot (mumbled)
Throgmorton: I thought I understand that (mumbled) NRC, I think the Chair of the NRC said,
well you know, we could .... we would be okay with some sharp shooting to start
off with, but we need .... we need to make sure the herd is kept low and that's
gonna mean bow hunting. That's what I thought..... was comin' our way. So, uh,
yeah, so I think we need basically to amend this plan to incorporate bow hunting
into it, uh, and to use these non -lethal methods to the extent that we can so that
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they actually are part and parcel of a five-year plan that begins with those two
periods of culling the deer herd (both talking)
Cole: ...indicate that they would be categorically opposed to five years of sharp
shooting? I mean cause (both talking)
Dulek: That's what we asked twice, and that's what they said no to twice.
Mims: I think the odds of getting this plan approved are pretty low. Because there's
nothing except sharp shooting in it.
Thomas: Well it doesn't make sense either, really.
Mims: Well, I agree. I agree. Uh, four years of non -lethal methods, we're gonna be right
back to the levels that we're at now, you know, or higher. Um, I'm ... I'm
concerned, uh.... I'm concerned about the whole section, um, I think as Pauline
said calling it non -lethal deer management. There's.... there is.....there is no deer
management. It is trying to adapt to the deer and protect properties, etc., but it is
not doing anything to actually control the level of the herd, um, with what's in
here, and (both talking) yeah, and so .... while these are all good things, I'm not,
you know, they're fine to do it, but they don't control the herd. Um, so I guess
what I would be interested in doing is amending the deer management plan, um,
we have a title, sub -title of sharp shooting in the winter of 2019 to 2020. 1 would
propose that we have the second sub -title be, uh, bow hunting, um, in years two
through five. So you could list out each of the winters, if you want to to make it
very specific, um .... and then .... and I don't ..... I know I'm being a little bit general
in my wording right now. I just wanna get the point across. I don't know if within
this, and, Sue, probably you can help us with this if we need to .... or Jody, if we
need to put any more detail in this proposal at this point in time, other than we
would do the bow hunting in those seasons. And then I would retitle what would
now be the third....sub-title, um, and I would not call it non -lethal deer
management activities. I would, um.....(laughs) coping mechanisms (laughs) I
don't mean to be....it....it's, they're not deer management. I totally agree with
Pauline, uh.....and I would entertain a different title for that. Uh, if we're going to
keep it in here as part of the plan.
Throgmorton: Non -lethal deer related activities (laughs) I mean....
Mims: Yeah.
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Throgmorton: And with regard to the second point, can .... can you read your title again please, I
mean very quickly.
Mims: I didn't write anything down so I can't read it. I'll try and .... the second title I
would say bow hunting in years (both talking) years two through five, or if. ... the
Attorney's Office feels it's more appropriate, being um .... similar to the first title,
say bow hunting in the winters of. ... uh, 20-21, 21-22, 22-23, etc.
Throgmorton: What I was gonna suggest is basically bow hunting in those winter .... the winters
of those years, as necessary, to keep the deer population at the .... um, the desired
density.
Mims: I would be fine (both talking)
Throgmorton: That would ... leave it open that maybe we would not have to do, uh, bow hunting
in any particular season, or any particular year.
Mims: I would be fine with that.
Teague: I would suggest (laughs) it was my understandin' again that in April we would go
to the July meeting without a plan submitted, have conversation, Councilors come
back and have discussion.
Throgmorton: I understood we were gonna take a plan with us.
Teague: Okay, and that's fine. I didn't understand that.
Throgmorton: Does that sound like something staff can .... put together in a timely fashion?
Okay, you wanna..... I think Susan stated what she wants and (both talking) so
would you just make a motion to amend the plan in the matter you just expressed
(laughs)
Mims: Yeah. I move that we amend the deer management plan, um, per our immediately
prior discussions, uh, basically adding, um, a second sub -title that will address
bow hunting in the years two through five, if necessary, to maintain the desired,
uh, population and that we would retitle, um, the third sub -title to be something
like non -lethal deer, um, what did you say, Jim?
Throgmorton: Uh.... (several talking) non -lethal deer related activities.
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Mims: Yeah, deer related activities. I'm flexible on that, but not deer management,
because it is not deer management.
Throgmorton: Okay, so there's a motion on the floor. Second?
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Seconded by Cole. Discussion?
Mims: Let me be first to say — I don't like the idea of bow hunting, and like I said I'm
flippin' 180 but I just ... I think we have to get something approved by the NRC.
Thomas: It doesn't matter what you or I or anyone else here likes or dislikes. We need the
Commission's approval.
Mims: I agree.
Teague: I guess I'm not.....talk to the Commission and so that's what I wanna do first. So I
appreciate, you know, um, the desire to, you know, definitely, uh, use the tools
which they have (laughs) you know given us, which is bow huntW. That's
unfortunate. So I'm not gonna vote in favor.
Throgmorton: Fair enough! Any further discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion
carries 5-1, or .... yeah that's right, 5-1. So now we need a motion on the amended
resolution? No, we're okay. Good deal! All right, uh, could I have a motion to
accept correspondence please?
Cole: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by Mims. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carries.
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19. City Council Information
Throgmorton: So could we please start with Bruce and move to the right.
Teague: Okay! Um, so....there was one thing that I wanted to mention. Um, so this is
Pride Month, and um, last week was Pride in Iowa City and so that was, um, lots
of events that, uh, people were able to attend. This was the largest Pride parade
ever in ... in, uh, Pride in Iowa City has been goin' on for 49 years. So next year's
the big 50th year. Um, I was able to go to, um, Film Scene (laughs) because they
had Stonewall, um, but when I got there all the tickets were already.... they were
free, but it was all booked up. So that's good for Film Scene. It was not good for
me to ... to miss it, but um, so ... other than that, um, this... this, uh, Saturday, as the
Mayor mentioned, is gonna be Juneteenth and that's gonna be takin' place at
Mercer Park, so I do encourage people to come out. That's all!
Cole: I don't have anything.
Thomas: I'll just mention, uh, on the 26th, um, Downtown District will have the State of the
Downtown in the alley space behind Discerning Eye at 5:00 P.M.
Throgmorton: Susan?
Mims: Um, attended a meeting last night at Mercer Park, a community meeting, and I
warma thank, uh, Captain Brotherton and I can't remember the officer's name that
was there. I know it was Adam but I didn't get his last name (laughs)
Fruin: Schmerbach.
Mims: yeah, um, and Geoff was there and there was a number of other City staff
members, from Parks and Rec, you know, Ron Knoche was there. Uh, this was
related to recent shootings, um, around Mercer Park and other shootings in the
area. I just wanna commend staff for putting this together very quickly to listen
to, um, and hear the concerns of the residents about safety, um, in their
neighborhood, um, at a .... at a destination park in our city, uh, where we have
ballparks and lots of kids, um, I ... I know that in some cases they didn't necessarily
get the answers they wanted and part of that is because it's an active investigation,
but I think the police were, um, very ...good at explaining to them why they
couldn't give them certain answers and share certain information at this point. I
think it was also, uh, very much an educational opportunity, uh, to explain to
people a bit about how the process goes in terms of, uh, the investigation that
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needs to be done and the steps. It also was an opportunity to build some
relationships and encourage people to, um, reach out to the Police Department, to
reach out to Parks and Rec or others that, uh, might be able to answer questions
for them or give them information, and um, places where they could get, um,
mental help care if they needed it, uh, for people who maybe experienced trauma
that were there. So again, uh, it was .... it was a very good meeting. I think, I
mean I think it ended up going almost two hours by the time we got out of there,
and just really want to, um, thank Geoff and the rest of the staff for putting
something together on ... on very short notice for people on .... and we may be
doing some more things like that, but it was .... it was definitely needed. Um, kind
of change of direction, the other thing is, uh, Downtown Block Party I believe is
this Saturday. So encourage everybody between Juneteenth, uh, and Block Party,
there'll be plenty of things going on. So, uh, hopefully get out and enjoy some
good summer weather!
Taylor: I also did, uh, enjoy the Pride Fest events on Saturday it was, uh, after the rain
cleared, it didn't seem to dampen people's spirits, uh, there were almost as many
people lining the streets for the parade as there is for the homecoming parade,
which was really exciting to see. Uh, very colorful and fun, as always. Um,
there, uh, was one, uh, a group of folks on the corner of, I believe it was
Washington and Dubuque, uh, that, uh, had signs and were, uh, quietly urging
people to repent, uh, and there was (laughter) yeah, I walked right up to 'em and
repented, but um .... and then a .... the other group of people that were questioning
them, uh, but I was pleased to see, and I thanked them for being there. Four or
five of our officers were standing around and, uh, keeping a watchful eye on the
group, and as I chatted with them they said, you know, it seemed to be just a
shouting match between.... between the groups and that seemed to be what it was,
and uh, after about an hour and a half or so both groups dispersed and so that was
good to see. But uh, again it didn't seem to dampen anybody's spirits. The
party .... the party went on. Uh, so that was fun to see. Um .... coming up Monday,
I ... uh, had in my calendar a welcome to the Mandela Fellows, which is ... they're
always a great group, uh, to .... to meet and greet and they're always so happy to be
here and uh, wanting to learn things about our community, and that's 5:00 at the
Hilton Garden Inn. I believe there's another event the next evening, uh, also, uh,
Tuesday. Um .... oh, also on Tuesday, uh, at 8:00 in the evening, uh, is, uh, meet
the new Nighttime Mayor at Joe's Place. I thought that might be interesting. I
don't know, I think his name is Joe Riley. I don't know if any of you have had a
chance to meet him, uh, but I think I might try to get a chance to .... to meet with
him there and see how things are going. That's all!
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Throgmorton: One of the great things about the Pride Parade at that intersection of Washington
and Dubuque, where the protesters were, was that when various....uh....people
involved in the parade walked by,uh, they often broke into a chant along with the
audience, L-O-V-E, L-O-V-E, I mean it was a really effective way of...of being
with people who profoundly disagree with the people who were in the parade and
so on. So I really admired that a lot. So I'll mention a few things. Had the
pleasure of attending the University of Iowa's Flood Center's 10th Anniversary
celebration on the 6th of June. Uh, several people spoke and I'll tell ya, the Flood
Center is a great operation. It's known worldwide, and....uh, they have done
tremendous work, as I indicate, for other parts of the world,but also for the state
of Iowa in literally advancing the state of knowledge about how to forecast flood
events,how to forecast the...the extent of flooding, how to....give advance notice
of, uh, imminent flooding and that kind of thing. So Witek Krajewski especially
and Larry Weber, who used to head the Flood Center, really deserve a huge
amount of praise for that. I didn't hear anybody mention the Longfellow Porch
Party. Did I miss that? Somebody might have mentioned it. It's such a great
event. Uh, lotta happiness, lotta terrific music. Bruce, you are such a singer, you
should have been there! I was really disappointed. Uh, there was one,basically a
rock band of some kind on, uh, Clark Street I think that had about six people
on...in the band, and they were really good,but also a high school jazz band on,
uh, on Sheridan. It was so much fun to hear them, and Jean Littlejohn and her
Folk Machine people were sittin' out on, uh, I don't know, I can't remember which
street it was,but sittin' at a corner, and people kinda strolled by and do their
summer kind of thing and hang around for a while and sing things like,uh, you
know, 'shine on, shine on silver moon,' or whatever. It was really fun to heat I
also attended the World Refugee Dinner. Did I say that right? World Refugee Day
Dinner, and program, at Liberty High on the 15th. It was pretty fun, even though
I had to arrive late and depart early. On the 20th,uh, ICAD is sponsoring
meetings about opportunity zones in Coralville and in Iowa City. Uh, I encourage
you to attend, especially the one in Iowa City. I think I'll go to the one about
Coralville too, out of curiosity. And, let me think, you mentioned the Mandela
Fellows. It's been a great treat to be able to meet with them each time they've
come. I don't know that you mentioned the second one explicitly. They're gonna
be here, from 2:45 to 4:00 on the 27th. And just meeting with the Mayor and
some staff and I don't know who else,but it'll just be this conversation. That's
always fun to do.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of June 18, 2019.