HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-12-03 CorrespondenceItem Number: 7.a.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Abbe F yfe: S treet L ights on Rider S t. [S taff Response I ncluded]
Item Number: 7.b.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Bjorn Swenson: Non-accessible stop - A D A Violation [S taff Response I ncluded]
Item Number: 7.c.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Russell Haught: Olde Towne Village
Item Number: 7.d.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
J ohnson County Affordable Housing Coalition: Petition - I owa Manufactured Housing Residents/
Bill of Rights
Item Number: 7.e.
December 3, 2019
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Carol deP rosse: S enators P ress Amazon for Answers for Ring's Sloppy S ecurity P ractices
-7, e
Kellie Fruehling
From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2019 7:54 AM
To: Jody Matherly; Council; Geoff Fruin
Subject: Amazon's Ring Planned Neighborhood "Watch Lists" Built on Facial Recognition
I am asking that the Council read up on this matter and schedule time to discuss if as a community we wish to
participate in this. I hope you will conclude we do not.
https: //protect -us. mimecast.com/s/GCGCCXDPOBfoYrju6tdfq?domain=theintercept.com
This email is from an external source.
Late Handouts Distributed
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(Date)
Item Number: 7.f.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
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Ben Sonnega: J oin Mayors for S olar E nergy
Item Number: 7.g.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
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Donald Baxter: I ssues
Item Number: 7.h.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
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Missie F orbes: Non-profit funding
Item Number: 7.i.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
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Ann Drop: Houses to Homes
Item Number: 7.j.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Maya Dasmalchi - B ow hunting in I owa City
J oe Henderson - Sharpshooting Park Closings
Gina Martin - Deer Management [Staff Response I ncluded]
Davide Vigliotti - Deer Management P rogram
Item Number: 7.k.
December 3, 2019
AT TAC HM E NT S :
Description
Competitive Quotation Memo
Kellie Fruehling T at'a T4anrinntc T)ictrihntar1
From: Jim Throgmorton
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 11:13 AM ✓ _ _
To: Council
Cc: Kellie Fruehling; Geoff Fruin (Date)
Subject: FW: Sidewalk Snow Removal Policy and Other Code Enforcement Issues
Attachments: 1 19120210043000925jpg; Petition Signatures.pdf; Letter to City Council - Sidewalk
Snow Removal.pdf
Kellie,
Please place this email (and attachments) in our Late Handout for tomorrow night's meeting. I'll also be
forwarding to you a follow-up email from Paul Wittau, which should also be placed in the Late Handout.
Thank you.
Mayor Jim Throgmorton
Iowa City City Council, At -Large
From: Paul Wittau [paulwittau@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 9:04 AM
To: Jim Throgmorton; John Thomas; Bruce Teague; Pauline Taylor; Mazahir Salih; Susan Mims; Rockne Cole
Subject: Sidewalk Snow Removal Policy and Other Code Enforcement Issues
[cid: 119120210043000725@us-mta-i6i.us.mimecast.lan]
Council Members,
I am writing this email to you to deliver a letter and some signatures from the people in my neighborhood. The
letter explains the issue in detail and I delivered a paper copy to the Clerk's office last Wednesday, however I
was told that it would be too late for it to be included on this week's meeting agenda. This email will hopefully
allow the issue to be discussed and addressed at this week's meeting. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend,
but I look forward to hearing back from you.
The letter is specific to the sidewalk snow removal ordinance, but in speaking with the residents of my
neighborhood, I have learned that other minor ordinances are also being enforced at a rate that seems to be
higher than in other neighborhoods and with no discretion.
Again, I and my neighborhood look forward to a response.
Thank you,
Paul Wittau
November 17, 2019
Paul Wittau
2238 Bancroft Drive
Iowa City, IA 52240
Iowa City Council Members
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240 C7,
Dear Council Members, cl:
I am writing to you today to request that the City reviews and reevaluates the way its sidewaCsnow
removal ordinance is enforced.
On November 11th, it snowed. When I returned home from work on November 12th, I had received a
Notice of Violation for Snow and Ice Removal. I thought this was odd since it was the day after it
snowed, and I thought it was still within 24 hours, give or take. There was also only a small amount of
snow covering a few of the sidewalk panels in front of my house. I removed the snow and salted the
sidewalk as soon as I saw the notice and was finished in under two minutes, further making me think
that this was excessive.
I wanted to know if anyone else had received a violation, so I asked a neighbor across the street and
they had received one too. Then, I went to the City's website and found the ICgovXpress tool. Here I saw
that for the entire city there were 84 reported violations for snow removal and 73 were in my
neighborhood (see attached photos).
On November 13th I called the Housing Inspection Services department to ask for an explanation of why
only our neighborhood seemed to be responsible for snow removal. I left one voicemail and then called
again several hours later after not receiving a call back. I was sent to two more voicemailboxes before
being transferred to Stan Laverman. He explained that the City transit drivers reported the snow and
that the enforcement was normal. He said that in the coming days they would enforce the policy in
other neighborhoods. For the past five years, prior to living here, I lived on Dodge Street between
Burlington and Bowery. While there, and throughout the area around downtown in general, houses
would have snow on their sidewalks all winter long that would eventually thicken and freeze several
inches deep. It was hazardous to walk on and heavily traveled by pedestrians. I asked Stan about the
lack of enforcement there and was told that the City had a contractor who didn't do the work they were
hired to do. He said he would review the photos that were taken of my block, but that per the ordinance
there will be no warning next time and that the city would hire someone to remove the snow.
For the City to fail at removing the snow on heavily traveled sidewalks for an entire winter in
neighborhoods with numerous expensive homes and properties owned by landlords, only to come and
issue violations the next day after it snowed in a working class neighborhood, is a clear case of bias.
When the City went to other neighborhoods to check on the sidewalks it was several days after it
snowed, leaving those residents plenty of time to remove the snow. I also noticed that in the new
development just south of my neighborhood, no violations were issued, despite seeing snow on
sidewalks as late as November 14th
This looks to be a long winter and there will no doubt be plenty more snow on the way. Since my
neighborhood has received the only warning we will receive this winter, we are now on the hook for
whatever price the City's snow removal contractor will charge in addition to a $100 "administrative fee".
I know that the contractor will charge more than what is required and I cannot afford that charge and
the fine, and other residents in my neighborhood feel the same way.
I understand the intention of the ordinance and support it, but the way it was enforced on November
12' does not fit with improving the neighborhood. It places a financial burden upon the residents that it
seeks to help.
I have gathered signatures of other residents of this neighborhood who feel the same way. We are
looking forward to a response from the City.
Thank you,
Paul Wittau
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Petition to the Iowa City City Council to review the sidewalk snow removal policy enforcement. November 17, 2019
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Petition to the Iowa City City Council to review the sidewalk snow removal policy enforcement. November 17, 2019
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Petition to the Iowa City City Council to review the sWevalk snow removal policy enforcement. November 17, 2019
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Kellie Fruehling
From: Jim Throgmorton
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 11:13 AM
To: Council
Cc: Kellie Fruehling; Geoff Fruin
Subject: FW: Sidewalk Snow Removal Policy and Other Code Enforcement Issues
Attachments: 119120210064200304jpg; Snow Removal Reports.PNG; Snow Removal Reports 2.PNG
Late Handouts Distributed
Here is the second email, Kellie.
Mayor Jim Throgmorton
Iowa City City Council, At -Large
(Date)
From: Paul Wittau [paulwittau@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 9:o6 AM
To: Jim Throgmorton; John Thomas; Bruce Teague; Pauline Taylor; Mazahir Salih; Susan Mims; Rockne Cole
Subject: Re: Sidewalk Snow Removal Policy and Other Code Enforcement Issues
[cid:119120210 064200104@us-mta-4.us. mimecast.lan]
I also wanted to include the screenshots from the ICgovXpress tool.
Paul
From: Paul Wittau <paulwittau@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 9:04 AM
To: jim-throgmorton@iowa-city.org <jim-throgmorton@iowa-city.org>; john-thomas@iowa-city.org <john-
thomas@iowa-city.org>; bruce-teague@iowa-city.org <bruce-teague@iowa-city.org>; pauline-taylor@iowa-
city.org <pauline-taylor@iowa-city.org>; mazahir-salih@iowa-city.org <mazahir-salih@iowa-city.org>; susan-
mims@iowa-city.org <susan-mims@iowa-city.org>; rockne-cole@iowa-city.org <rockne-cole@iowa-city.org>
Subject: Sidewalk Snow Removal Policy and Other Code Enforcement Issues
Council Members,
I am writing this email to you to deliver a letter and some signatures from the people in my neighborhood. The
letter explains the issue in detail and I delivered a paper copy to the Clerk's office last Wednesday, however I
was told that it would be too late for it to be included on this week's meeting agenda. This email will hopefully
allow the issue to be discussed and addressed at this week's meeting. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend,
but I look forward to hearing back from you.
The letter is specific to the sidewalk snow removal ordinance, but in speaking with the residents of my
neighborhood, I have learned that other minor ordinances are also being enforced at a rate that seems to be
higher than in other neighborhoods and with no discretion.
Again, I and my neighborhood look forward to a response.
Thank you,
Paul Wittau
11CgovXpress sothvare has a new look. 1 -or customers with a login and password. add a new
request by signing into the system, then click the menu icon at the right hand sie of the blue bar
for options.
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