THIS MEETING OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
[Call to Order]
[00:00:09]
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, FIRE CHIEF GREG SMITH.TODAY, OUR CITY CLERK AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY, AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR MAKING TIME FOR US ATTENDING AND BEING AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER THE MEETING FROM OUR CITIZENS HERE, A REMINDER TO PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES, ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MAY BE DISRUPTIVE TO OUR MEETING TODAY, AND NOTE THAT ALL OF OUR AGENDAS, OUR MINUTES AND VIDEOS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE AND WE STREAM LIVE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
WE WILL BEGIN, AS WE ALWAYS DO AT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION.
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN JIM COYLE WILL DO THAT FOR US, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I LOVE IT. GOD, WHAT AN HONOR.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME NOW, AND I PRAY A BLESSING ON ALL OF OUR COUNCIL.
IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF OUR LORD, AND LET'S ALL SAY TOGETHER.
OF ALLEGIANCE] WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TODAY.
[Proclamations/Presentations]
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH.I SEE MANY OF YOUR TEAM HERE AND SOME SEASONAL WORKERS HERE AS WELL.
EXCELLENT. YOU'VE HAD A BUSY SUMMER.
LOTS OF LOTS TO DO WITH PARKS AND REC.
OUR PROCLAMATION TODAY READS WHEREAS THE PARKS AND RECREATION ARE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING CEDAR RAPIDS, AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH, WELLNESS AND THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS , AND WHEREAS, SPENDING TIME IN NATURE THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION POSITIVELY IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH, COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AND ALLEVIATES CONDITIONS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ATTENTION DEFICIT ORDERS AND ALZHEIMER'S.
WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES OFFER DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, POPULAR SPORTS, HIKING, SWIMMING AND OTHER PURSUITS THAT FOSTER ACTIVE LIFESTYLES, AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION SERVE AS CRUCIAL PROVIDERS OF HEALTHY MEALS, NUTRITION SERVICES AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES, AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, YOUTH SPORTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, AND WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY BY INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES, EXPANDING THE TAX BASE, ATTRACTING TOURISM AND BUSINESS, AND REDUCING CRIME RATES AND WHEREAS, OUR PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS PRESERVE THE ECOLOGICAL BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SPACES FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND ENGAGE IN OUTDOOR RECREATION, AND WHEREAS, THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DESIGNATED JULY AND PARKS AND RECREATION AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH.
TIFFANY O'DONNELL, MAYOR OF CEDAR RAPIDS, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE JULY 2023 AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE ALL THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS DERIVED FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS YEAR, JULY OF 2023, IS WHERE THE THEME IS FOR JULY PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH IS WHERE COMMUNITY GROWS, AND I BELIEVE THAT PARKS AND RECREATION IS AN INTEGRAL PART HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS FROM OUR PARKS, OUR FORESTRY, OUR POOLS AND OUR GOLF COURSES.
SO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH.
ALL RIGHT. IT IS NOW TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[00:05:03]
ORDERLY MEETING.FIRST, PLEASE REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT'S RED, WE'LL INVITE YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT ONCE AGAIN, AND THIRD, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AT HAND THAT ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, LOUD, THREATENING OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED, AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY HEARING SO THERE SHOULD BE NO APPLAUSE, CHEERING OR BOOING OR OTHER NOISE OR CONDUCT FROM THE AUDIENCE TODAY, AND FOR THAT, WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY? YOUR HONOR, FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NUMBER ONE, THERE WAS ONE LETTER OF OBJECTION FILED.
FOR PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER SEVEN.
THANK YOU. DID YOU SAY EIGHT LETTERS OF SUPPORT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
[1. A public hearing will be held to consider an Option Agreement with Cedar Rapids Development Group, LLC for the purchase and redevelopment of City-owned property between F Avenue and I Avenue NW and 1st Street and 5th Street NW for a proposed casino (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #TIF-0080-2023]
BETWEEN F AVENUE AND I AVENUE NORTHWEST AT FIRST STREET AND FIFTH STREET NORTHWEST FOR A PROPOSED CASINO PROJECT.THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL SCOTT MATHER CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AS STATED, THIS IS REGARDING CEDAR RAPIDS DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC OPTION AGREEMENT.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND. THE CITY CEDAR RAPIDS DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC AND LINN COUNTY GAMING ASSOCIATION EXECUTED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHICH PROVIDES EXCLUSIVE SUPPORT OF A CASINO BY CREG.
THE CURRENT MOU EXTENDS THROUGH OCTOBER OF 2029.
ON JUNE 27TH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE PRELIMINARY TERMS OF AN OPTION AGREEMENT AND TERM SHEET.
HERE'S A MAP OF THE PROPERTIES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE OPTION AGREEMENT.
THE OPTION AGREEMENT TERMS. THE OPTION AGREEMENT PROVIDES SITE CONTROL AND CONDITIONS OF POTENTIAL PATH FOR PURCHASE OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY UNDER THE FOLLOWING TERMS. THERE IS AN OPTION FEE OF 165,000.
IF THE IOWA RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION IS ACTIVELY CONSIDERING AN APPLICATION FOR THE CASINO.
IN THAT CASE, THE DEVELOPER WOULD PAY AN ADDITIONAL 55,000 TO EXTEND THE OPTION.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE DEVELOPER'S ABILITY TO EXERCISE THE OPTION INCLUDE RECEIPT OF A GAMING LICENSE, EXECUTION OF A FINAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, INCORPORATING THE TERMS OF THE TERM SHEET CONTRACTUAL RIGHT TO PURCHASE ANY PRIVATE PROPERTY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND TO EXECUTE A MINIMUM ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT.
THE PROPERTY IS TO BE SOLD AT FAIR MARKET VALUE AS DETERMINED BY AN APPRAISAL IS TO INCLUDE INCORPORATION OF FLOOD MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE PROJECT TO SATISFY DEED RESTRICTIONS.
THE DEVELOPER HAS RECEIVED A GAMING LICENSE.
THEY HAVE CONDUCTED NO LESS THAN TWO PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS, AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE DESIGN OF THE MINIMUM OR THE MINIMUM IMPROVEMENTS, FUNDING COST SHARE AGREEMENT FOR ANY INCREASED COSTS FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM, IF THERE ARE ANY, AND THE FUNDING COST SHARE AGREEMENT FOR ANY OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECT. THE SITE CONSIDERATIONS THE DEVELOPER IS TO PAY COST ASSOCIATED WITH VACATING AND DISPOSING OF ANY RIGHT OF WAY AND RELOCATING ANY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE UTILITIES.
THE MINIMUM IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENT OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE 125,000 SQUARE FOOT GAMING FACILITY.
IT DOES INCLUDE 1500 PARKING SPACES AND IS A $150 MILLION INVESTMENT WITH A $50 MILLION MINIMUM ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE MONTHLY COMMUNITY BETTERMENT PAYMENTS TO THE CITY, COMMENCING ONE YEAR AFTER THE OPENING AND CONTINUING IN PERPETUITY WHILE IT OPERATES AS A CASINO.
[00:10:01]
COMMUNITY BENEFIT PAYMENTS ARE IN ADDITION TO THE TAXES THE CITY WILL ALREADY RECEIVE, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 0.5% OF THE ADJUSTED GROSS REVENUE.TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE OPTION AND TERM SHEET.
JULY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2025 WOULD BE THE OPTION PERIOD, WHICH COULD BE EXTENDED FROM DECEMBER OF 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2026 IF NECESSARY, AND WITH THAT, I HAND IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SCOTT.
THIS IS THE TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THIS? IF SO, WE'LL INVITE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THE MICROPHONE, AND I'LL ASK YOU EACH TO STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. THANKS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
DURING MY MORE THAN 20 YEARS WITH PENINSULA, IT'S BEEN INSPIRING TO SEE HOW OUR FACILITIES HELP BOOST COMMUNITIES THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOURISM DOLLARS AND OUR OWN CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND LIKE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE WITH ALL OF OUR DEVELOPMENTS HERE IN IOWA, WE'LL DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
OUR GOAL IS FOR CEDAR CROSSING TO BE THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT CENTER IN THE STATE.
IT'LL BE UNLIKE ANYTHING IOWA'S EVER SEEN IN GAMING.
WE ALSO WANT TO CREATE A POSITIVE RIPPLE EFFECT FOR OTHER BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS GENERATE HUNDREDS OF JOBS FOR LOCAL TRADE PROFESSIONALS. IT WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITIES BE MORE VIBRANT PLACES TO LIVE, TO WORK AND TO VISIT.
MAKING RESIDENTS EVEN MORE PROUD OF THEIR EASTERN IOWA ROOTS AND THE PLACE THEY CALL HOME.
MR. PRATT, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE STEP BEHIND THERE.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
CEDAR CROSSINGS WILL NOT ONLY BRING FIRST CLASS GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT TO CEDAR RAPIDS.
THE COMMITMENT OF 8%, WHICH IS THE LARGEST COMMITMENT OF ANY CASINO OPERATOR IN THE STATE OF IOWA OF ITS NET REVENUE TO OUR NONPROFITS IS CRITICAL TO THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND IN SOME CASES SURVIVE IN THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
I SERVE ON SEVERAL NONPROFIT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WHERE I HEAR FIRSTHAND OF THE CHALLENGES THAT FACE RAISING FUNDS IN THIS INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE MARKET FOR DONORS. THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO DO MORE WITH LESS AND THE DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES IS ONLY GROWING EXPONENTIALLY.
THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE A GAME CHANGER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS JOHN [INAUDIBLE].
ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I COME TO YOU NOT AS A GAMBLER BECAUSE I DON'T GAMBLE AT ALL.
I WENT TO LORAS COLLEGE AND IT WAS IN THE MID 80S.
IF YOU REMEMBER THE SLOGAN BACK THEN, IT WAS LAST ONE OUT, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.
BECAUSE OF JOHN DEERE AND THE [INAUDIBLE] CLOSING DOWN, ITS SEVERELY HANDICAPPED THE COMMUNITY, AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT PART OF THE REASON THE CITY WAS REJUVENATED WAS BECAUSE OF THE DOG TRACK AND THE RIVERBOAT CASINOS.
IF ANYBODY WAS HERE ON SATURDAY NIGHT, I CAME DOWN TO GET PIZZA AT NEED PIZZA AND I HAD TO PARK TWO BLOCKS AWAY, AND OF COURSE, I STARTED TO GET ANGRY ABOUT IT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT OUTSIDE AND I STARTED HEARING ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING.
I REALIZED A CONCERT WAS GOING ON AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT BUZZ IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
RIGHT? AND I REALIZED THAT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THIS PROJECT CAN BRING TO US.
[00:15:06]
WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'VE GENEROUSLY DONATED TO OUR NEW FACILITY, WE WANT TO GO FROM SERVING 300 KIDS A DAY TO 600 KIDS A DAY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT MUCH WAS THE INCREASE, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PART TIME STAFF WE HAVE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE THAT HAS CAUSED US TO LOOK AT ANOTHER 40%.NOW, FOLKS, I BELIEVE IN PAYING PEOPLE A LIVABLE WAGE.
SO I'M ALL FOR THAT 100%, BUT FOR US TO MEET THOSE NEEDS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT.
SO WHEN ROCKWELL COLLINS AND TRANS AMERICA MOVED THEIR HEADQUARTERS OUT OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IT HAS A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON THE DOLLARS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND WHEN YOU HEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE IF THIS GETS GOING THROUGH, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COMMIT 8%, THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE TO THE NONPROFITS IN THIS COMMUNITY. ANOTHER 5 TO $7 MILLION.
AS A NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD NEWS.
THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS TO HEAR FROM US.
SO I SUPPORT THIS FOR FOR THE COUPLE OF REASONS THAT I EXPLAINED.
FIRST, I THINK IT'S JUST GREAT FOR THIS AREA AND I THINK IT WOULD DRAW MORE PEOPLE DOWN TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH NEWBO AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN DOWNTOWN, IT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION, BUT ALSO AS A NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND KNOWING THAT THE HILL WE HAVE TO CLIMB IS COMING, IT REALLY WOULD BE A HUGE LIFT IN OUR AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
THANK YOU. I'M BERNIE HAYES, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND TO THE REST OF OUR CITIZENS.
WHO NEEDS A CASINO WHEN YOU CAN HAVE A HOLODECK? IN 1966, UNBEKNOWNST TO GENERATIONS OF SUCCEEDING BABY BOOMERS, SOME INCREDIBLE OCCURRENCES TOOK PLACE.
EVEN THOUGH THE PROGNOSTICATORS SAY THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
AN ARTIFICIAL HEART WAS IMPLANTED IN [INAUDIBLE], BRINGING THE WISH OF THE TIN MAN AND THE WIZARD OF OZ MUCH CLOSER TO REALITY, AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE REDHEAD FROM DESILU STUDIOS TOOK A GAMBLE ON A NEW SPACE WESTERN SHOW WHOSE RUN OFFSHOOTS AND VARIATIONS HAVE POISED IT TO BREACH THE FAR SIDE OF THE GALAXY, IF NOT THE UNIVERSE.
THE IDEA BEHIND A HOLODECK IS TO TAKE A SPACE, A ROOM AND CREATE ANY SETTING OR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE USE OF COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGES, HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGES AND OBJECTS IN THE CASE OF STAR TREK.
IT'S 2022, AND ALTHOUGH WE CAN CREATE HOLOGRAPHIC SCENES AND IMAGES, WE CAN'T QUITE GET THEM TO SMACK US OR PUNCH US BACK DIRECTLY, BUT THERE ARE MEANS TO SIMULATE IT, AND THIS IS WHERE THIS CHALLENGE TAKES OFF.
AS AN ALUM OF THE RADIO FACTORY NOW COLLINS AEROSPACE OR WHOEVER OWNS THEM RIGHT NOW, I'M A BLESSED ASSOCIATE OF INVENTORS AND THE RECIPIENT OF INNOVATIONS THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO COMMUNICATE FROM THE MOON AND BACK SAFELY, LAND PLANES IN ZERO ZERO CONDITIONS AND NAVIGATE TO ANY SPOT ON THE PLANET BY GPS SATELLITES.
EVERYBODY LOVES A CHALLENGE AND A GOOD STORY.
SO I SAY, LET'S GET STARTED TO BUILD A HOLODECK.
IT'S ONE THING TO BE AGAINST SOMETHING.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE SOME ALTERNATIVE, AND WE'RE OFFERING AN ALTERNATIVE, A HOLODECK, A MULTI-ROOM, POSSIBLY MULTI-LEVEL BUILDING THAT WOULD SUPPORT SIMULATIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE PART IN FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITY IN THE BODY SUITS AND THE GOGGLES AND HELMETS AND SO ON, BUT YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PARTICIPANTS.
YOU COULD HAVE GAMING ROOMS, YOU COULD HAVE SPORTS, [INAUDIBLE] AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES.
A FRIEND TALKED TO ME THE OTHER DAY AND SAID, HOW COME WE DON'T HAVE A WOODEN ROLLER COASTER IN CEDAR RAPIDS? WELL, WHY DON'T YOU PUT IT IN A HOLODECK? YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE WOODEN ROLLER COASTERS YOU WANT.
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE ON IT THAT YOU WANT.
YOU COULD DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
[INAUDIBLE] HAS A VIRTUAL CONCERT TOUR THAT THEY HAVE ALL IN A HOLODECK.
HOW ABOUT THIS? A BRIDAL GROUP WANTS TO CHECK OUT VARIOUS DRESSES ON THEIR BRIDAL TROUPE.
THEY CAN CHANGE INTO ANY DRESSING THAT THEY WANT WITHOUT HAVING EVER TO TAKE OFF ANY CLOTHES.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST AMAZING THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO OR THINK TO DO.
[00:20:01]
TRAINING, SIMULATION, FLIGHT SURGERY, REPAIR AND DO IT YOURSELF PROJECTS.TAKING ON A PROJECT OF THIS COMPLEXITY AND MAGNITUDE WOULD CERTAINLY BE DAUNTING, BUT ONE IN LINE WITH CEDAR RAPIDS AND IOWA'S OWN HISTORICAL, INNOVATIVE HERITAGE, IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH PONDERING. THANK YOU.
MR. HAYES, BEFORE YOU LEAVE US, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ARE YOU REGISTERING AN OBJECTION TO THIS? YES. OKAY.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RANDY WALKER.
I LIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AND I AM DEFINITELY HERE TO OPPOSE THIS.
THERE WILL BE INCREASED SUICIDE RATES, INCREASED DOMESTIC CRIME BATTERING CHARGES WILL BE RAMPANT BECAUSE WHEN A HUSBAND OR WIFE TAKES ALL THE FAMILY INCOME AND DESTROYS THE BUDGET TO COME DOWN AND ENTERTAIN THEMSELVES AT THE EXPENSE OF EVERYBODY AND THEIR FAMILY, IT'S CARNAGE THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO PUT THAT FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.
I DON'T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A CITY THAT STOLE MONEY OUT OF THE MARGINALIZED AND THE THOSE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE A LIVING THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE PIE IN THE SKY. HOW DID THE IOWA LOTTERY WORK OUT WITH ALL THAT PROMISED MONEY FOR THE EDUCATION SYSTEM? WE HAVE SOME NICE TRAILS, BUT IT'S NOT HELPING THE FAMILY.
FOR EVERY PERSON THAT HAS A GAMBLING ADDICTION, THEIR LIVES AFFECT THE LIVES OF 5 TO 10 OTHER PEOPLE WHEN THEY SPIRAL DOWN, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THERE'S BETTER WAYS TO MAKE MONEY.
THERE'S MORE WAYS TO MAKE MONEY.
GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS NICHOLAS ARNOLD.
I AM A SOUTHEAST SIDER AND AN INCOMING FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE AT WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS STRONG CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSAL TO BRING A CASINO TO CEDAR RAPIDS.
A CASINO WILL NOT BENEFIT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AT RISK IN THIS COMMUNITY.
ALONG WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, I DON'T WANT THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY LEADERS TO YET AGAIN FAIL AND UNDER SUPPORT THE 11% OF THIS CITY THAT DOES NOT NEARLY THAT DOES NOT ENJOY NEARLY AS NICE A LIFE AS THE REST OF US.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE SMALL AMOUNTS OF THE REVENUE THAT THE CASINO DEVELOPERS HAVE PROPOSED TO DONATE TO CHARITIES AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL NOT OUTWEIGH THE COSTS OF NUMEROUS CITIZENS LOSING THEIR JOBS, SAVINGS AND EVEN LIVES TO GAMBLING PROBLEM.
CEDAR RAPIDS HAS AGAIN AND AGAIN BEEN NAMED ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE COUNTRY TO LIVE, THRIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY, AND BRINGING A CASINO TO CEDAR RAPIDS FOR THE PLEASURE OF SOME EXECUTIVES TO GET RICH OFF THE COMMUNITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I NOR OTHER RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE IN OUR CITY.
SO I ASK YOU, COUNCILORS, TO THINK ABOUT THE YOUNGER POPULATION WHO ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PRONE TO TRY GAMBLING OR THE PEOPLE LIVING FROM PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND SPENDING IT ALL ON THE POSSIBILITY THEY MAY SOMEDAY BECOME RICH, OR THE MEN AND WOMEN WITH AN ADDICTION THAT ARE NOW CONSIDERING TAKING THEIR OWN LIVES BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME, AND PLEASE DO NOT LET CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, BE KNOWN AS ANOTHER CASINO TOWN.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WOOSLEY AND I LIVE IN NORTHEAST CEDAR RAPIDS, AND I DO OPPOSE THE CASINO PROPOSAL FOR THIS LAND.
MY FEELINGS ARE CEDAR RAPIDS IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN IOWA, AND I TAKE THE WORDS THAT BERNIE HAYES, YOUR OTHER CANDIDATE, EARLIER MENTIONED.
[00:25:04]
SO WELL KNOWN.IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, BUT I ALSO FEEL WE AS A CITIZEN OF CEDAR RAPIDS, HAVE BETTER IDEAS THAT WE CAN DEVELOP THAT OTHER AREAS WITHIN AN HOUR TO 1.5 HOURS AWAY CAN WE DON'T NEED TO COPY THAT REGION. I AM A TOUR DIRECTOR AND I'VE HAD MY OWN BUSINESS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, IN THE WORLD ON DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE MUCH MORE ATTRACTION TO THE PUBLIC OF ALL AGES AND TOURISM RELATED THAN A CASINO. I DON'T PATRONIZE A CASINO.
WE HAVE ENOUGH IN THIS REGION AND WE FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE ANOTHER NEW IDEA, JUST LIKE OUR PAST HISTORY WITH COLLINS AND OTHER FOLKS.
SO A CASINO IS, TO ME A COPY AND THIS CITY IS NOT A COPY.
WE ARE ORIGINAL AND THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FORWARD IS SOMETHING NEW.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPOT OF LAND IT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AS A NEW IDEA TO THE LOCATION FOR ALL OF US AND NOT JUST CEDAR RAPIDS, BUT SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT'S WHY I DO OPPOSE THE CASINO.
HELLO MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS KATHY POTTS 1118 FIRST STREET SOUTHWEST.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.
IT MENTIONED THERE WOULD BE TWO OPEN PUBLIC HEARINGS OR FORUMS. WHERE WILL THOSE BE? HOW WILL THEY BE ADVERTISED SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW ABOUT IT? BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE PUBLIC IS NOT EASILY MADE AWARE.
WILL THIS BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL SEE ADVERTISED SO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC LOOKS AT IT, NOT JUST THOSE OF US THAT ARE INTERESTED IN POLITICS OR THINGS LIKE THAT? I AM A.
MY HUSBAND SAYS I LIKE TO DONATE MY MONEY TO THE CASINOS AND I DO THAT REGULARLY.
WE WERE AT HAWKEYE, OR AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS THE OTHER DAY AND THEY GAVE SOME BACK.
I'M NOT TOO THRILLED ABOUT HAVING ONE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
LIKE THEY SAID BEFORE, IT'S WE HAVE SO MANY WE CAN DRIVE TO.
IT MAKES A PLEASANT DRIVE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
I LIVED ON THE GULF COAST OF MISSISSIPPI.
WHEN THE CASINOS DID COME IN, A LOT OF MONEY DID COME IN WITH THE MONEY.
WE SAW MORE BUSINESSES, BUT WE ALSO SAW MORE DEATHS.
WE SAW MORE ANGER IN THE HOME WHERE PEOPLE THAT WERE LOSING MONEY AND THIS WASN'T JUST THE NORMAL PERSON, AS YOU WOULD SAY, BUT THESE WERE EXECUTIVES THAT HAD TAKEN TENS OF THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND GONE TO BED ON IT AND LOST LIKE WE'VE HEARD.
YOU CAN DRIVE ANY DIRECTION AND END UP AT A CASINO.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I OPPOSE THE ONE HERE, MAINLY BECAUSE I LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM IT AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WILL AFFECT MY TRAFFIC, BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE GOING TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT THESE TWO HEARINGS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS? COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT.
LET THE RECORD INDICATE. OH, WE GOT ONE MORE COMING UP.
I'VE BEEN TO A FEW OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WHEN THE RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION COMES TO TOWN TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO GIVE A LICENSE TO THE CITY OR TO SOMEONE FOR A CITY, AND YOU WILL HAVE PEOPLE FROM EVERY CASINO IN THE STATE AND PEOPLE FROM EVERY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP AND EVERY COUNTY THAT HAS A CASINO , AND YOU WILL HEAR THEM TELL HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO HARM THEM AND WHAT GREAT THINGS THEY HAVE DONE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR COUNTIES THAT THE CASINO HAS BROUGHT IN SO MUCH MONEY AND DONE SO MUCH FOR THEIR NONPROFITS AND THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEIR BUSINESSES.
IT'S A GOOD THING. I THINK THE OPTION IS A GREAT DEAL.
[00:30:02]
IT NEEDS TO GET DONE. THANK YOU.THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH FIVE OBJECTIONS SHOWN FOR THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO ANY COUNCIL COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER.
ANYONE ELSE? WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
NUMBER ONE, MY FEELING ON GAMBLING IS I AM, I GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY, NEUTRAL ON THE WHOLE MATTER.
NOT A GAMBLER MYSELF, BUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING HERE TODAY IS TAKING A PORTION OF THAT SITE AND GIVING THIS GROUP THAT THE COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO LONG SUPPORT AN OPTION TO CONTINUE CONTROLLING THE LAND, WHICH THE CITY DOES IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DO GET A CASINO LICENSE, AND THE THING THAT HAS PREVENTED A CASINO IS THE STATE HAS NOT GRANTED A LICENSE , AND UNTIL THE STATE GRANTS A LICENSE AND A LICENSE, THERE IS NO CASINO, AND THE OTHER THING I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CITY DOES.
WHOEVER GETS A LICENSE IS GOING TO BUILD A CASINO IN AND AROUND THIS AREA.
THERE IS NO STOPPING IT IF THEY GET A LICENSE, AND SO SIMPLY THIS WE'RE PROVIDING ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS, UPWARDS OF THREE AND A HALF YEARS FOR THEM TO GET A LICENSE, AND IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE LOOK AT THAT SITE, THAT SITUATION GOING FORWARD.
THE INVESTOR GROUP, WHOEVER THEY ARE, MAY VERY WELL DECIDE, FORGET IT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
WE'RE NOT EXPRESSING THAT WE'RE PERSONALLY FOR GAMING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WE'RE SIMPLY DOING THE SAME THING WE DID WITH THE FIRST AND FIRST DEVELOPMENT.
EVENTUALLY, WE HELD THAT LAND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS UNTIL THE RIGHT DEVELOPMENT CAME ALONG.
THE CITY OWNED IT AND AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME ENDED UP SELLING IT THE SAME WAY TO THE DEVELOPER GROUP THAT IS DEVELOPING THAT OLD CASINO SITE INTO SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING.
IT'S A HIGHLY POLITICAL SITUATION AND I WOULDN'T BE BETTING MY LUNCH TOMORROW THAT A LICENSE COMES AROUND ANYTIME SOON. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.
THANKS, MAYOR. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DIFFERENT SITES THAT WE HAVE.
OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS A PRETTY SPLIT DECISION WHEN IT CAME TO THE VOTE IN THE LAST ELECTION.
HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS.
WE ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF BRINGING MORE JOBS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR UNION LABOR, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR NONPROFITS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE FIRST AND FIRST DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY WE DIDN'T CONTINUE WAITING FOR A CASINO.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE DID NOT WAIT AND HOLD OUT FOR THAT FOR PERPETUITY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A BENEFICIAL EFFORT FOR US JUST TO SAVE LAND INDEFINITELY.
FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET A CASINO LICENSE ANYTIME SOON.
I REALLY SEE THIS AS A FUTILE EFFORT.
I KNOW THAT I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE WOEFULLY OUTVOTED HERE, AND THAT'S OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER TODD MAYOR, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MAN OVERLAND, YOU ARTICULATED A LOT OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S NOT A FOR GAMBLING, FOR GAMING OR NOT FOR GAMING.
IT'S IN THE SENSE OF DEVELOPING A LAND ASSEMBLY STRATEGY AND A STRATEGIC PLAN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I DON'T FEEL ANY REAL COMPELLING NEED FOR THAT LAND OVER THERE.
NOBODY IS, YOU KNOW, COMING AT US FOR AN ALTERNATIVE.
SO I SIMPLY LOOK AT IT AS A LAND BANK, AND WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, PAST THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, THAT TOOK US 20 YEARS TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE SEASONS CENTER, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS TOO WHETHER IT WAS THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY WHEN YOU'VE GOT THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
[00:35:07]
SOMETHING. UNTIL THEN, IT MAKES SENSE, AT LEAST TO ME, TO GET A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY IN AND JUST TO PUT IT OVER TO THE SIDE FOR WHENEVER THAT DAY COMES.SO I'LL BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
ANYONE ELSE. OKAY, I'LL JUST ECHO, LIKE THE COMMENTS WERE FROM MR. TURSI, I HAPPENED TO GROW UP IN BETTENDORF PRE AND POST GAMING AND IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT TOWN AFTER I THINK ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN TO BETTENDORF CAN VOUCH FOR THAT COMBINATION OF LEADERSHIP AND VISION IS REALLY TURNED THAT TINY LITTLE SUBURB INTO SOMETHING, AND IT REALLY WAS A GAME CHANGER WHEN THE BOATS CAME IN.
THE DEBATE OVER CASINO IS OVER, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THIS IS NOT A DEAL THAT IS IN PERPETUITY.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND STATED, IT IS TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS.
SO THIS ISN'T THE COUNCIL UNILATERALLY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THAT UNTIL WE GET A CASINO BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THE POLITICAL NATURE OF THESE DECISIONS, AND AGAIN, NOT TO OVERSTATE THIS IS REALLY AS FAR AS A CASINO GOES, THIS ISN'T UP TO CEDAR RAPIDS.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS OF THOSE WHO ARE IN SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO OPPOSE THIS CASINO.
IT IS TREMENDOUS TO SEE THIS LEVEL OF INTEREST AND NOT JUST THIS ISSUE ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR IMPRESSIVE ATTENDANCE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THAT, AND PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL ALSO, OFTENTIMES IT MAY APPEAR THAT WE ARE JUST HEARING THIS ALL FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN WE'RE IN FRONT OF YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF TIME AND DELIBERATION AND TALKS WITH THOSE FOR AND AGAINST, AWAY FROM CHAMBERS, TALKS WITH STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNING WITH THE VISION OF THIS COUNCIL AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AS WE TALK ABOUT BANKING, LAND LONG TERM VISION.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S THOUGHTFUL WORK ON THIS.
BEFORE WE GOT TO THIS POINT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY LEFFLER, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.
[2. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed Amendment No. 18 to the Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan for the Consolidated Central Urban Renewal Area (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #OB283396]
AREA. SCOTT, I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.THANK YOU, MAYOR. I REQUEST PERMISSION TO COMBINE AGENDA ITEMS TWO AND THREE AS THEY'RE RELATED.
ON MAY 9TH, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED TERM SHEET WITH D.
FOR HOUSING PROJECT AT 922 NINTH STREET SOUTHEAST.
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. TERMS INCLUDE A $620,000 CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
MINIMUM IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE A ONE SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND TWO ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS OR ADUS.
EACH UNIT IS THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, THREE GARAGE STALLS ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE SECOND ADU WITH ALLEY ACCESS WITH A TOTAL OF SIX OFF STREET PARKING SPOTS AND TWO ON STREET. TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION COMMENCEMENT IS JULY OF 23, WITH COMPLETION IN DECEMBER OF 23.
INCENTIVES INCLUDE A REIMBURSEMENT OF 100% TAX INCREMENT UP TO 72,000 NET PRESENT VALUE.
HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE CURRENT SITE, AND HERE ARE A COUPLE OF RENDERINGS OF THE PROJECT.
WE WILL RETURN LATER IN JULY OR AUGUST FOR A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT? WASN'T IT TWO AND THREE? YES.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ITEM NUMBER TWO? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL? SEEING NO QUESTIONS. THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY VANORNY.
AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
[00:40:01]
NOW WE'RE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH D TAGGART HOLDINGS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY AT 922 NINTH STREET SOUTHEAST.[3. A public hearing will be held to consider a Development Agreement with D Taggart Holdings, Inc. for the redevelopment of property at 922 9th Street SE (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #TIF0083-2023]
THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT MATTER.ITEM NUMBER THREE. DOES ANYONE WANT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? THIS WOULD BE THE TIME.
NOW, YOU SAW THE BEFORE PICTURE OF WHAT THE PROPERTY LOOKS LIKE.
THAT IS NOT HOW ERIC [INAUDIBLE] RUNS HIS PROPERTIES AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE NAME OF D TAGGART.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CHANGED.
I'M NOT GETTING INTO THAT, BUT I LIVE NEXT TO TWO OF HIS PROPERTIES.
THIS FIRST ONE ON THE FIRST PAGE IS MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
THIS IS ONE OF HIS PROPERTIES.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE PROPERTY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FRONT PORCH, IT'S FALLING DOWN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CURB, I THINK THAT THIS GRASS KEEPS GROWING.
IT'S GOING TO COME ACROSS FIRST AND BE IN MY YARD.
HE DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF HIS PROPERTIES.
PEOPLE OFTEN WONDER HOW DO SLUMLORDS LIKE ROBERT [INAUDIBLE] MAKE THEIR PLACE IN CEDAR RAPIDS? THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT.
THIS IS HOW A SLUMLORD BEGINS.
HE DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HE ALREADY HAS.
ALL OF THAT'S FINE AND GOOD, BUT THIS IS HOW IT ACTUALLY LOOKS.
I LIVE ACROSS FROM HIS PROPERTY.
I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO HIS PROPERTIES.
HE DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THEM.
HE IS A TERRIBLE NEIGHBOR AND I'VE TOLD HIM THIS TO HIS FACE.
SO IT'S NOTHING HE HASN'T HEARD.
THE PROPERTY MANAGER, I BELIEVE, IS THE ONE THAT LIVES NEXT DOOR TO ME.
WELL, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORS? WELL, YOU CAN COMPLAIN UNTIL YOU FIND OUT THAT FOR 20 YEARS HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A DISCOUNT ON HIS TAXES.
MAY I HAVE A DISCOUNT FOR 20 YEARS ON MY TAXES? I SURE WOULD APPRECIATE IT, BECAUSE OUR HOME IS PAID FOR AND I HAVE TO WRITE THAT CHECK PERSONALLY.
I HOPE, LIKE I SAID, TAKE INTO THOUGHT THAT THERE WILL BE A COUNCIL DOWN THE ROAD THAT WILL SAY, HOW ON EARTH DID WE END UP WITH ANOTHER SLUMLORD IN CEDAR RAPIDS? IT HAS A STARTING PLACE.
I'M SUGGESTING YOU LOOK AT IT.
YOU KNOW WHERE FIRST AND C SPLIT.
THE TWO HOUSES ARE RIGHT THERE.
DON'T JUST GIVE AWAY TAX MONEY AND SAY, WELL, GOOD AND FINE, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTIES, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS INTO STRONG CONSIDERATION.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH ONE OBJECTION FOR THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. THERE IS NO RESOLUTION ON THIS ITEM.
THIS WAS JUST A HEARING TO BE HELD TO CONSIDER THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
[4. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed Amendment No. 4 to the Urban Renewal Plan for the Consolidated I-380 Corridor Urban Renewal Area (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #TIF-0070-2022]
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN FOR THE CONSOLIDATED I-380 CORRIDOR URBAN RENEWAL AREA.SCOTT, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.
PERMISSION TO COMBINE AGENDA ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE AS THEY ARE RELATED? SURE. THANK YOU.
FOR AN EXPANSION PROJECT AT 9300 EARHART LANE, SOUTHWEST ON MAY 9TH, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED CITY SUPPORT FOR AN EXPANSION PROJECT WITH CONVEYOR ENGINEERING AT 1345 76TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST.
[00:45:10]
THIS IS A $5 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT WITH MINIMUM IMPROVEMENTS TO INCLUDE A 32000 SQUARE FOOT EXPANSION TO THE EXISTING BUILDING.77 JOBS WILL BE RETAINED WITH 12 NEW JOBS CREATED AS A RESULT, CONSTRUCTION IS SLATED TO COMMENCE AT THE END OF JULY 31ST, 2023, WITH COMPLETION NOVEMBER 30TH OF 2023.
THIS DOES COME WITH A STANDARD INCENTIVE OF TEN YEAR, 50% REBATE OF INCREASED TAXES, WITH AN ESTIMATED 1 MILLION IN NEW TAXES OVER TEN YEARS WITH 380,000 REBATED. HERE IS A MAP SHOWING THE TWO STARS INDICATE THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN AMENDMENT , AND AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE EXPANSION PROJECT AT CONVEYOR ENGINEERING.
THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? THIS IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE URBAN RENEWAL AREA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NUMBER FIVE.
[5. A public hearing will be held to consider a Development Agreement with Conveyor Eng. & Mfg. Co. for an expansion project at 1345 76th Avenue SW (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #TIF-0082- 2023]
THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH CONVEYOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING.DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
AS I TYPICALLY SAY, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A COMPANY FOUNDED IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
BEEN HERE A LONG, LONG TIME, GROWN OVER THE YEARS AND ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER OF OUR SMALLER MANUFACTURERS THAT REALLY MAKE THE BASE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ALWAYS MADE STUFF IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND SUPPORT THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
THE KEY TO THIS EXPANSION, AS WELL AS OTHERS THAT WE'VE APPROVED RECENTLY, ARE THAT THEY HAVE HIGH QUALITY JOBS THAT SUPPORT FAMILIES AND THEY'RE EXCELLENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE SOLID LOCAL OWNERSHIP TO CONTINUE TO INVEST HERE.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO ADD NOT ONLY RETAIN JOBS, BUT ADD TEN JOBS HERE, 15 JOBS THERE, 20 JOBS HERE.
IT ALL ADDS UP, AND IT REALLY MAKES CEDAR RAPIDS ECONOMY WHAT IT IS TODAY.
THANK YOU. GLAD YOU'RE BACK FROM VACATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. THERE'S NO RESOLUTION ON THIS MATTER EITHER.
[6. A public hearing will be held to consider a Development Agreement with OFB LLC for a housing project at 415 and 421 C Avenue NW (Scott Mather). CIP/DID #DISP-0028-2019]
SCOTT, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.THANK YOU, MAYOR. ON JUNE 28TH, 2022, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A STANDARD INCENTIVES UNDER THE LOCAL MATCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR HOUSING PROJECT AT 415 AND 421 C AVENUE NORTHWEST.
ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022, THEY WERE AWARDED WORKFORCE HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
SO TODAY WE'RE HERE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH OFB LLC.
THIS IS A $1.2 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES A FOUR UNIT ROW HOME, OF WHICH OUR 1320FT², TWO BEDROOM, TWO BATH UNITS, TWO STALL DETACHED GARAGE PER UNIT, A SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITH 1200 SQUARE FOOT, TWO BED, TWO BATH AND ONE AND A HALF STALL GARAGE.
CONSTRUCTION IS PLANNED TO COMMENCE ON AUGUST 31ST, 2023, AND COMPLETE AUGUST 31ST OF 24.
THIS DOES COME WITH A STANDARD INCENTIVE OF TEN YEAR, 100% REBATE OF INCREASED TAXES, ESTIMATED 240,000 OF NEW TAXES OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS WITH 180,000 REBATED.
HERE'S A MAP OF THE PROJECT LOCATION, AND A SITE PLAN SHOWING THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON THE 415 SITE AND THE FOUR UNIT ROW HOME ON 421.
SO HERE IS A PHOTO OF VERY SIMILAR SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT HAS BEEN BUILT BY THE SAME COMPANY THAT INTENDS TO USE THIS SAME PLAN FOR THE 415 C AVENUE, AND HERE ARE A FEW RENDERINGS OF THE FOUR UNIT ROW HOME.
[00:50:08]
SO TODAY WE'RE HERE TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, AND THEN WE WILL RETURN LATER IN JULY OR AUGUST FOR THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH OFB LLC.THIS IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.
THERE IS NO RESOLUTION ON THIS MATTER AS WELL.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
[7. A public hearing will be held to consider amending Ordinance No. 022-22 to modify the conditions and site plan for property at 550 27th Street Drive SE, zoned P-IN, Public Institutional District, to permit outdoor tennis courts and a seasonal temporary structure as requested by the Cedar Rapids Country Club (Seth Gunnerson). CIP/DID #RZNE-032718- 2022]
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 022-22 TO MODIFY THE CONDITIONS AND THE SITE PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY AT 550 27TH STREET DRIVE, SOUTHEAST ZONE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT TO PERMIT OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS AND A SEASONAL TEMPORARY STRUCTURE AS REQUESTED BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB.THANK YOU. SETH GUNNERSON ZONING ADMINISTRATOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AS MENTIONED IN THE ITEM DESCRIPTION, THIS IS THE REQUEST ON THE PART OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB TO AMEND THE CONDITIONS OF A PRIOR APPROVAL TO PERMIT AN OUTDOOR TENNIS FACILITY IN LIEU OF A PERMANENT BUILDING.
THIS REQUEST DOES NOT CHANGE THE ZONE DISTRICT FOR THE COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN 2022.
THAT APPROVAL LAST YEAR, THOUGH, DID INCLUDE A NUMBER OF DETAILED CONDITIONS ON DEVELOPMENT AND FOCUSED ON THEIR REQUEST AT THAT TIME TO BUILD A PERMANENT INDOOR TENNIS CENTER AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THEIR PROPERTY.
MODIFYING THE ORDINANCE IS REQUIRES THE SAME PROCESS AS THE ADOPTION.
AS PART OF THE REQUEST, THE ORGANIZER OF THE PETITION EMAILED STAFF AND STATED THAT THIS DOES NOT THAT THE INTENT OF THE PETITION WAS NOT TO OPPOSE OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS. STAFF REVIEWED THE PETITION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200FT PER STATE LAW AND FOUND THAT LESS THAN 1% OF THE LAND IN PROXIMITY TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY CLUB PROPERTY AND APPROXIMATELY 6.4% OF THE LAND NEAR THE PROPOSED TENNIS FACILITY WERE INCLUDED IN THE PETITION.
SO VOTING ON THIS WOULD BE BY SIMPLE MAJORITY.
THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION LAST MONTH REVIEWED THIS CASE AND LISTED SOME CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE PROPOSAL, INCLUDING THAT THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S IDENTIFIED FOR INTENSIVE SURVEY IN THE FUTURE.
A LOT OF THIS IS ALSO SIMILAR TO CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT THE HPC HAD LAST YEAR.
STAFF HAS VERIFIED WITH THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE THAT THERE ARE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT ON THE ABILITY TO HAVE A DISTRICT IN THE FUTURE, AND BASICALLY THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A CONCERN WITH THE CONCERN RELATED TO THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THE PROPOSED TENNIS STRUCTURE.
THIS CASE WENT TO THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION ON JUNE 6TH, I BELIEVE IT WAS EARLIER IN JUNE.
THE APPLICATION FAILED TO GAIN A RECOMMENDATION.
IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS HEARD DURING THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
KIND OF SETTING THE LOCATION FOR THIS.
THIS IS THE AREAS INDICATED AS URBAN LOW INTENSITY IN THE CITY'S FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
THE BULK OF THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE COUNTRY CLUB IS ZONED PUBLIC AND INSTITUTIONAL.
HERE'S AN AERIAL SHOWING THE AREA THAT'S A SUBJECT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[00:55:07]
THIS OUTLINE JUST SHOWS GENERALLY THE AREA THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT TODAY.THIS IS A STREET VIEW FROM FAIRWAY TERRACE.
SINCE THE APPROVAL LAST YEAR, FAIRWAY TERRACE TERMINATES APPROXIMATELY AT THE EDGE OF THIS PROPERTY.
THIS IS A STREET VIEW FROM 27TH STREET DRIVE SOUTHEAST.
THIS PROPERTY IS THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE COUNTRY CLUB'S PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE EXISTING APPROVED SITE PLAN, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE, SPECIFICALLY CALLING OUT THE FOOTPRINT FOR PERMANENT STRUCTURE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE SITE. HERE'S THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN THAT WAS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
IN REACTION TO COMMENTS HEARD AT THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
THAT WAS IN REACTION TO COMMENTS ABOUT NOISE AND PROXIMITY TO HOMES.
THIS BLUE REGION HERE SHOWS THE APPROXIMATE ALIGNMENT OF THE FORMER FAIRWAY TERRACE NORTHEAST.
THERE ARE UTILITY EASEMENTS AND CITY UTILITIES THAT RUN THROUGH THIS AREA.
SO FURTHER MOVING OF THE TENNIS COURTS TO THE EAST AS PROPOSED WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE.
THEY ARE PROPOSING A SMALL CLUBHOUSE TENNIS ACCESSORY STRUCTURE RELATED TO THE TENNIS FACILITY HERE.
THE APPLICANTS PROVIDED A NUMBER OF RENDERINGS SHOWING THE SITE.
MOST OF THESE INCLUDE IMAGES WITH AND WITHOUT THEIR PROPOSED INFLATABLE STRUCTURE.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT THE TENNIS COURTS ARE LOWER THAN 27TH STREET DRIVE.
I BELIEVE ABOUT NINE FEET IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
THERE'S SOME TERRAIN THAT SLOPES UP FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH THAT WOULD PARTIALLY SINK THE TENNIS COURTS AND THE INFLATABLE STRUCTURE AS VIEWED FROM 27TH STREET DRIVE.
HERE'S A VIEW WITH THE INFLATABLE STRUCTURE.
HERE'S A VIEW FROM ABOVE FROM THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE DRIVING RANGE AND WITH THE STRUCTURE.
HERE'S A VIEW OF THE PROPOSED TENNIS CLUBHOUSE, AND WITH THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE.
THIS VIEW IS FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY CLUB CLUBHOUSE.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE NORTH LOOKING ACROSS 27TH STREET DRIVE FROM THE NORTHEAST, LOOKING AT THE TENNIS COURTS WITH THE INFLATABLE STRUCTURE. THE APPLICANT ALSO PROVIDED A VIEW SHED ANALYSIS.
THIS WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT SHOWING BASICALLY HOW THEY BELIEVE THAT THE STRUCTURE ITSELF WILL HAVE KIND OF REDUCED OR WILL BE PARTIALLY OBSCURED BY EXISTING TERRAIN AND TREES AND OTHER, I GUESS, NATURAL FEATURES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS SHOWING SUBSTANTIAL TREES ALONG COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY AND WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE ARROWS ARE INTENDED TO REPRESENT AREAS WHERE SOMEONE'S STANDING ON PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY OR ADJACENT PROPERTIES WOULD HAVE A VIEW OF THE TENNIS FACILITY.
THE COUNTRY CLUB ESSENTIALLY IS SAYING THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION, THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY, THAT THE VIEWS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE MUCH LESS THAN, SAY, IF THE LOCATION WAS CLOSER TO THE CLUBHOUSE, WHERE IT WOULD BE MORE VISIBLE.
IN TERMS OF REZONING CRITERIA, IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OTHER STUDIES, WE FIND STAFF FINDS THE REQUEST IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH ANY ADOPTED PLAN.
STAFF HAS NO CONCERNS WITH THE ABILITY FOR THE AREA TO BE SERVED.
THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN AFFECTING PUBLIC SERVICES THAT ARE PROPOSED.
IT'S PROBABLY WORTH NOTING THAT THIS IS ALSO TAKEN FROM THE VIEW OF ISSUES WITH SERVICES.
[01:00:03]
IN TERMS OF CHARACTER, THE REQUEST DOES NOT CHANGE THE UNDERLYING ZONE.DISTRICT OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS ALREADY EXISTS ON THE FACILITY.
THE REZONING LAST YEAR SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT OUTDOOR TENNIS WAS A PERMITTED USE ON THE PROPERTY.
WE'RE ALSO NOTING THE TEMPORARY SEASONAL STRUCTURE IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS USED BY ANOTHER COUNTRY CLUB IN TOWN, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECORD OF CONCERNS RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF THAT FACILITY.
THE ORDINANCE CONTAINS A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS WHICH ARE OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
CONDITION NUMBER THREE RELATES TO THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE IT REQUIRES, AND THIS IS WHAT THE COUNTRY CLUB FROM THE BEGINNING STATED THEY INTEND TO DO, IS THAT THE MATERIAL FOR THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE WILL BE OPAQUE, SO THERE WILL NOT CREATE ANY ILLUMINATION WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ESTABLISHES A HEIGHT LIMIT FOR THE STRUCTURE AND IT LIMITS THE USE FROM OCTOBER 15TH ONWARD, PARTIALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BUILDING CODE, THE STRUCTURE CANNOT STAY UP FOR MORE THAN 180 DAYS.
I THINK THE COUNTRY CLUB CAN SPEAK MORE TO HOW THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE OPERATING THIS STRUCTURE OUTSIDE OF MID-OCTOBER TO MID-APRIL THEY'VE SAID THAT THERE MAY BE A SPECIAL EVENT WHERE THEY WOULD PUT IT UP FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, SO ANY TEMPORARY USE OUTSIDE OF THAT WINDOW MUST BE APPROVED BY THE CITY AND SHOULD BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SPECIFIC EVENT, EITHER A SPECIAL EVENT APPROVED BY COUNCIL OR ANOTHER PERMITTED TEMPORARY EVENT WITHIN THE ZONING CODE.
CONDITION NUMBER FOUR PERMITS.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT STRUCTURE BASICALLY MEMORIALIZES THAT.
THE REMAINING CONDITIONS ARE UNMODIFIED FROM PRIOR APPROVAL.
THEY ADDRESS LOT COMBINATION SCREENING AND THE FUTURE USE OF THE LAND PARKING LOT LIGHTING SHOULD BE NOTED THAT REMAINING FROM THE PRIOR APPROVAL IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A PRIVACY FENCE ALONG THE WEST PROPERTY LINE, AS WELL AS A PLANTED HEDGEROW, WHICH WILL PROVIDE SCREENING FOR IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT HOMES FROM PARKING AND FROM THE TENNIS FACILITY.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THIS IS FOR APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE.
STAFF'S FINDINGS ARE THAT, AS NOTED, OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS ARE PERMITTED USE ON THE PROPERTY.
TEMPORARY STRUCTURES ARE USED AT SIMILAR USES IN TOWN AND THE CITY HAS NOT RECEIVED COMPLAINTS, AND AS I'VE HIGHLIGHTED, WE'RE NOT MODIFYING ANY OF THE SCREENING REQUIREMENTS OR LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
STAFF HAS MET WITH THE COUNTRY CLUB AND DISCUSSED TOPICS SUCH AS LIGHTING, NOISE AND OUTDOOR HOURS OF OPERATION AND INFORM THEM OF WHAT THE ZONING CODE REQUIRES, AND NO CONCERNS WERE RAISED BY THE COUNTRY CLUB AND BEING ABLE TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
WITH THAT, TODAY IS THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANTICIPATED FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SETH.
THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ARE COMING TO ASK FOR A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE SITE PLAN, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL KNOWS, AND THE PROPOSED PLAN THAT WAS PUT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL LAST YEAR.
THE FOOTPRINT OF IT CHANGES VERY SLIGHTLY, AND IN FACT, REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE IS THAT WE'RE MOVING IT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY, THE MOST CLOSE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY AS REASONABLE BECAUSE OF UTILITY EASEMENTS AND SUCH, THAT AT THE CPC MEETING WE LISTENED TO THE NEIGHBORS AND THEIR CONCERNS AND FEEL LIKE THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED THOSE THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED IN THE SITE.
[01:05:05]
AS WE BRING IN COMPANIES TO LOOK AT THIS COMMUNITY AS A VIBRANT BEST IN CLASS FACILITY AVAILABLE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.I BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT ONLY A IRONIC TO ME THAT IT'S PARK AND RECREATION MONTH AND THIS IS ABOUT OUTDOOR RECREATION FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO FOR THE OVER 600 FAMILIES THAT ARE MEMBERS AT THE CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB, AND PROBABLY JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE OVER 200 EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE WHO WORK WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE FACILITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO JUST ENHANCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AGAIN, BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES JUST CHANGE IS WHAT IS OBJECTED TO AND WE RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THAT.
THE CRCC HAS TRIED FOR SINCE 1904 TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO THAT AREA, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING REALLY DOES ADDRESS THE ISSUES AT HAND WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF A GROWING COMMUNITY AND A GROWING CLUB.
I THINK THE PRECEDENT WAS SET WHEN ELMCREST WAS ABLE TO PUT UP A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO REALIZE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS.
WE LIVE IN A CLIMATE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR AS MUCH OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FROM ABOUT NOVEMBER 1ST TO HOPEFULLY APRIL 15TH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS DOES IS ALLOW US TO HAVE A YEAR ROUND RECREATIONAL FACILITY IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S ALREADY AVAILABLE.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO I REALLY WAS INTERESTED IN THEIR THOUGHTS WAS DWAYNE SMITH.
HE HAS A PROPERTY OVER CALLED SMITHFIELD, WESTFIELD, THE OLD WESTFIELD, AND HE THINKS IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE TYPES OF PROPERTIES LIKE THIS TO ADHERE TO ALL OF THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID, THE SITE PLAN AS PROPOSED, WE BELIEVE, ADDRESSES A LOT OF THE ISSUES.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M TOM [INAUDIBLE], AND THIS MONTH I MARK 38 YEARS LIVING ON THAT BLOCK WHERE THIS PROPOSED BUBBLE IS POSSIBLY GOING TO GO.
NOW, A YEAR AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT A BUILDING, AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE CLUB VOTED DOWN THE FUNDING OF THAT BUILDING AT THIS TIME.
SO THIS LOOKS LIKE PLAN B OF WHAT WE WANTED, AND WHAT MANY PEOPLE WANTED A YEAR AGO.
SHE JUST MENTIONED ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO ENHANCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WELL, WE HAVE 58 SIGNATURES THAT WE DON'T WANT THE BUBBLE.
IF SHE HAS 58 SIGNATURES OF NEIGHBORS THAT SAY WE WANT THE BUBBLE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, BUT THE FACT IS.
IN A VERY OLD, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAN TALK ALL YOU WANT ABOUT BUSHES, TREES; YOU CAN'T HIDE A BUBBLE.
SO I AM TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THIS, AND I WOULD ASK THAT ANYBODY THAT'S A CLUB MEMBER ON THE COUNCIL OR LIVES WITH A CLUB MEMBER TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM THIS VOTE.
[01:10:09]
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JUSTIN FORTUNE AND I AM ONE OF THE RESIDENTS WHO PARALLELS RIGHT ALONG THIS LINE OF TREES HERE.I REALLY RESPECT AND APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY, TO THE PEOPLE OF CEDAR RAPIDS IS SOMETHING THAT I LOVE ABOUT ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE, THAT THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE TO ME.
MY WIFE AND I MOVED UP HERE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE LIVING IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
WE LOVE LIVING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ENJOY THE COMMUNITY THAT'S THERE.
WE ENJOY THE SERENITY, THE SCENERY, EVEN THE PROXIMITY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.
HOWEVER, WITH THE CHANGE OF HAVING THIS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO OUR HOME AND WE WOULD BE BORDERING THIS PARKING LOT RAISES A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR ME.
SO I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, PRIVACY AND NOISE.
THIS PARKING LOT, I REALIZE, IS PART OF THE PROJECT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES AND POLITICS AROUND HOW MANY SPACES THERE ARE, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PARKING LOT AND SEE IT ON THIS PLAN, IT LOOKS FINE, BUT WHENEVER I LOOK AT IT IN MY YARD, IT'S FIVE, SIX, TEN FEET AWAY FROM WHERE MY CHILDREN PLAY, AND I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY AND PRIVACY OF MY FAMILY.
WHENEVER I'VE ASKED AND TRIED TO BRING UP THESE CONCERNS, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY OR IT SEEMS TO BE DISMISSED, AND I FIND THAT VERY CHALLENGING FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S TRYING TO VOICE A CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DOME IS AN EYESORE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE CHANGE, AND THAT REALLY ISN'T MY MAIN CONCERN TODAY.
I FEEL UNEASY ABOUT THE PROXIMITY OF A COMMERCIAL GRADE PARKING LOT NEAR MY BACKYARD.
REGARDLESS OF I MEAN, THE TREES WILL TAKE TIME TO GROW.
THE FENCING THAT'S PROPOSED IS SHORT; IT'S SHORT FOR BEING THAT CLOSE TO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND SO I WANTED TO RAISE THIS CONCERN BECAUSE I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP IN GETTING THIS MOVED OR GETTING THIS CHANGED SO THAT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND PRIVACY CAN BE CONSIDERED. I WOULD ACTUALLY ASK YOU FOR A SECOND EVEN TO PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES AND ASK, WHAT IF YOU WERE IN THIS POSITION? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? ASK YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR YOUR FAMILY IF YOU KNEW THAT A COMMERCIAL GRADE PROPERTY AND A PARKING LOT WAS GOING TO BE THIS CLOSE TO WHERE YOUR CHILDREN PLAY? FOR THE SAKE OF MY TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND THE ONE THAT IS ON THE WAY, I BEG YOU TO CONSIDER THE SAFETY AND PRIVACY LOSS THAT COMES WITH HAVING THIS PROJECT AND THIS PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE PROJECT SO CLOSE TO MY HOME.
STRANGERS, CARS, EVENT, PARKING, LIGHT POLLUTION, CONSTRUCTION HAZARDS.
I REALLY I'M COMING TO YOU AS A CITY COUNCIL FOR HELP WITH THIS.
I AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I LOVE AND RESPECT YOUR YOUR POSITION OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND SO I COME TO YOU FOR HELP, AND I THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.
THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS PAUL [INAUDIBLE]. I LIVE AT 325 27TH STREET DRIVE.
ON THE RENDERINGS, I AM THE SECOND HOUSE ON 27TH STREET DRIVE.
SO ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, IT'S MY FRIEND RYAN'S HOUSE AND THEN MY HOUSE.
I WANT TO, I GUESS, TAKE A STEP BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF THIS PROJECT AND THEN HOPEFULLY PROPOSE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS THAT COULD RESOLVE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT I KNOW THAT MYSELF AND MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE.
THIS PROJECT IS BEING PROPOSED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
SO I THINK THAT IS THE BACKDROP THAT WE HAVE TO START WITH, AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN A PARKING LOT, LIKE JUSTIN MENTIONED, THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK IS HOW WOULD IT HOW WOULD THE COUNCIL REACT IF I CAME AND SAID, HEY, JUSTIN, I WANT TO ACTUALLY REPLACE MY WHOLE HOUSE WITH A PARKING LOT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR BLOCK?
[01:15:04]
THE SECOND STEP IN THIS PROCESS WAS THAT THE CLUB CAME AND REQUESTED A BUILDING.LAST YEAR THIS COUNCIL REJECTED THAT INITIAL REQUEST BECAUSE IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
IT WAS A BUILDING THAT DIDN'T FIT THE QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THIS COUNCIL COMMANDED THAT THE COUNTRY CLUB GO AND TRY AGAIN, AND THEY CAME BACK AND THEY TRIED AGAIN AND THEY PUT FORTH THE PROPOSAL THAT THIS COUNCIL APPROVED LAST YEAR.
NOW THAT PROPOSAL HAS BEEN VOTED DOWN BY THE CLUB, THEY ARE BACK WITH ANOTHER PROPOSAL WHICH WAS REJECTED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND NOW WE ARE ON PROPOSAL NUMBER FOUR, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO VIEW THIS NEW PROPOSAL IN THE CONTEXT OF THOSE PAST ONES IN A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC WAYS. FIRST, THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME AS OF LAST WEEK THAT THERE IS A STREET, A THROUGH STREET THAT ABUTS JUSTIN'S PROPERTY, RYAN'S PROPERTY. HARLOW'S PROPERTY, AND IS RIGHT NEXT TO MY PROPERTY.
THAT WAS NOT ON ANY OF THE PRIOR PLANS.
SECOND, UNLIKE LAST YEAR, THIS PROPOSAL INCLUDES OUTDOOR COURTS FOR A PORTION OF THE YEAR AND THE CLUB IS REQUESTING THE ABILITY TO USE COURT LIGHTING ON THOSE COURTS.
THIS IS GOOD DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS BETTER THAN WHAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW, AND I SAID, THAT'S GREAT, AND I WAS IN FAVOR OF IT LAST YEAR, AND HONESTLY, I KNOW I'M GOING TO MAYBE GET SOME FLACK FROM SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS FOR THIS, BUT WITH SOME SMALL CHANGES, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT I WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS EVEN RIGHT NOW, EVEN MAYBE WITH THE BUBBLE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW BUT I GET THE REASONS WHY THEY NEED IT.
I GET WHY IT MAKES SENSE, BUT THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I THINK THEY DON'T NEED.
ON THE LIGHTING, THAT LIGHTING DOES NOT EXIST ON THE EXISTING COURTS.
THOSE THREE COURTS HAVE NO NIGHTTIME LIGHTING ON THEM.
THEY DO HAVE NIGHTTIME LIGHTING ON.
WHAT YOU SEE IN THE RENDERING IS THE CLAY COURTS AND THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO ADD LIGHTING THAT THEY DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE LIKE LIVING 50FT AWAY FROM A FOOTBALL STADIUM AND I KNOW THEY'D HAVE THEM ON TIMERS AND THEY'D HAVE THEM OFF AT 9 P.M.
PURSUANT TO THE CODE, BUT REALISTICALLY AND LYDIA AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, IF YOU HAVE A BUBBLE DURING THE WINTER, WHICH IS WHEN IT GETS DARK EARLIER, YOU DON'T NEED THE LIGHTS IN THE WINTER AND YOU DON'T NEED THE LIGHTS IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE IT'S LIGHT OUT UNTIL 9 P.M.
ANYWAY, AND THAT'S WHEN THE LIGHTS PER CITY CODE HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF.
SO THERE'S THE USE CASE FOR I THINK THE STADIUM STYLE LIGHTING IS NOT VERY STRONG.
I THINK THIS COUNCIL COULD MAKE THIS WHOLE PROJECT A LOT MORE PALATABLE TO THE NEIGHBORS.
THE SECOND CONDITION I'D ASK FOR IS THAT YOU ASK THEM TO TAKE THAT ROAD BACK OUT.
SETH, ARE YOU ABLE TO FLIP BACK TO LAST YEAR'S PROPOSAL? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PROPOSAL, THERE'S NO ACCESS ROAD.
LAST YEAR, WHAT THIS COUNCIL APPROVED HAD NO ACCESS ROAD.
THE CLUB BELIEVED AS OF LAST YEAR, THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THEY FOLKS CAN GO THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, KIND OF LIKE THEY DO RIGHT NOW.
THEY CAN COME IN AND OUT EITHER WAY, AND IF FOLKS PARK AT THE TENNIS FACILITY AND THEY WANT TO GO BACK OUT THROUGH FAIRWAY TERRACE TO COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE, THEY CAN OR THEY CAN GO THROUGH THE CLUB AND GO UP TO 27TH STREET.
I GUESS I HAVEN'T HEARD AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE ROAD IS NECESSARY, THIS NEW ACCESS ROAD, AND FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK IT IS, AND I THINK IF THE ROAD IS NOT THERE, IT'LL MAKE THIS A LOT MORE PALATABLE TO ME, TOO, AND I THINK TO SOME OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT IDEAL THAT THE PARKING LOT IS STILL AS CLOSE TO SOME OF OUR HOUSES AS IT IS.
I THINK I SPOKE LAST YEAR ABOUT OUR CONCERNS WITH THE USE OF THE PARKING LOT AFTER HOURS AND THE LIGHTING IN THAT PARKING LOT, BUT YOU COULD MAKE IT A LOT BETTER IF YOU JUST ASKED THEM IF YOU JUST APPROVED THE SAME THING YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR, WHICH IS NO OUTDOOR LIGHTING AND NO ACCESS ROAD.
WITHOUT THAT ACCESS ROAD, SURE THEY WOULD LOSE.
I THINK IT'S A DOZEN PARKING SPOTS.
THANKS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ? GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 325TH STREET DRIVE SOUTHEAST.
[01:20:09]
PLUS SPECIAL OCCASIONS.I WOULD LIKE TO START BY REVISITING SOME OF THE VERY RECENT HISTORY RELATED TO THIS PROJECT.
ALL OF THESE QUOTES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
WE DID EXPLORE A NUMBER OF CONFIGURATIONS.
THIS STARTED WITH A BUBBLE CONCEPT SIMILAR TO ELMCREST COUNTRY CLUB, BUT IT WAS DETERMINED THROUGH A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS THAT THIS JUST WASN'T AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE THAT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
FAST FORWARD MAY 10TH, 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUOTES FROM LAST YEAR.
WHEN WE GET INTO THE DESIGN THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ANY NEW DEAL WILL BE VERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURE BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE VIEW SHED COMING DOWN FROM COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY OR GOING FROM THE RESIDUAL HOUSES THAT THE BUILDING AS MUCH CAN BLEND IN ARCHITECTURALLY WITH THE OVERALL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS AN ARCHITECT MYSELF, THIS TYPE OF FACILITY COULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT YOU SEE AT MOST COUNTRY CLUBS, WHICH IS THE DOME, THE BLOW UP DOME, EVERYTHING ELSE, WHICH I THINK IS NOT VERY ENHANCING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WANT THIS TO BE A QUALITY PRODUCT THAT ENHANCES THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT DETRACT FROM IT.
SO FLASH FORWARD, HERE WE ARE TODAY, JUST ABOUT 12 MONTHS LATER, AND THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAS CHANGED? NOT MUCH.
THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD IS STILL FILLED WITH CHARACTER.
THE CLUB IS ASKING FOR A CHEAPER OPTION.
HOW ABOUT DOWNSIZING THE ORIGINAL OPTION? IN MY QUESTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS WHY SHOULD THAT BE GRANTED WHEN IT COMES AT THE EXPENSE AND INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE FLYING IN THE FACE OF WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL SAID JUST A YEAR AGO? THEY HAVE OPTIONS AND MEANS TO BUILD WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED LAST YEAR, AND THEY CHOOSE NOT TO.
THEY COULD ASSESS MEMBERSHIP DUES.
THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORK FOR 24 YEARS, AS THEY'VE SAID.
THEY'RE RAISING THOSE EIGHT HOMES.
THEY PURCHASED TWO STREETS VACATED BY THE CITY LAST YEAR.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS TEMPORARY CONCEPT, THEY WILL NEVER HAVE THE INCENTIVE OR MOTIVATION TO EVER BUILD A PERMANENT STRUCTURE IN THIS SEASONAL, INDUSTRIAL LOOKING BUBBLE WILL REMAIN IN PERPETUITY.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS T.L.
THOUSAND. I LIVE AT 300 FAIRWAY TERRACE SOUTHEAST AND I OPPOSE THIS PROJECT OR THIS AMENDED PETITION FOR THE ORDINANCE APPROVED LAST YEAR. OUR HISTORIC LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT NEED A GIANT CIRCUS TENT.
THE CIRCUS TENT WILL BE AS TALL AS THIS BUILDING.
IT IS LARGE, AND REGARDLESS OF THE RENDERINGS SHOWN IN THE PRESENTATION, IT IS NOT FLAT.
IT WILL TOWER TEN FEET OVER THE CLIFFSIDE ABOVE IT.
THE CLUB'S OWN MEMBERSHIP VOTED AGAINST BUILDING THE PERMANENT STRUCTURE.
IT WASN'T A COST THING, AS SUGGESTED.
[01:25:01]
THE MEMBERS REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT AND JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS A 20 YEAR PLAN IN PLACE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CLUB IS ENTITLED TO GET WHATEVER IT WANTS.THERE WERE ALSO NO UPDATED ENGINEERING PLANS SUBMITTED WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
THE CLUB DID NOT SUBMIT A MINOR DESIGN ADJUSTMENT APPLICATION AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 32.05.11 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AND THERE WAS A CHANGE OF LOCATION OF AT LEAST TEN FEET IN ANY DIRECTION, SPARKING OR TRIGGERING THAT REQUIREMENT, LET ALONE A MAJOR DESIGN EXCEPTION APPLICATION. INSTEAD, THE CLUB JUST SENT A LETTER SAYING PRETTY PLEASE, CAN WE CHANGE WHAT YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR? I ALSO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ASK THAT THE MAYOR RECUSE HERSELF FROM THIS VOTE.
SHE IS A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE COUNTRY CLUB AND NEARLY 55% OF HER POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HER 2021 MAYORAL CAMPAIGN CAME FROM CLUB MEMBERS, AND WHEN YOU CROSS-REFERENCE HER DONOR NAMES AGAINST A 2023 CLUB MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY SHOWS THAT 41% OF THE DONATIONS ALSO CAME FROM CRCC MEMBERS, AND THIS IS FROM A PUBLIC RELEASE DONATIONS LIST THAT THE MAYOR SUBMITTED IN OCTOBER OF 2021.
LOGICALLY, ANY VOTE CAST IN FAVOR OF THE CRCC'S REQUEST.
YOU ARE SENT FROM MISS IOWA IN THE 1989 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT.
TWO CITY MAYORS PROOF OF THAT.
SO WHETHER YOU SEEK FURTHER OFFICE OR RETURN TO SERVING BUSINESS CAPITAL-RAISING CAMPAIGNS, YOU'RE VOTING ON THE CLUB'S REQUEST TO SOLELY BENEFIT AN ELITE PRIVATE CLUB WHOSE MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED ENORMOUS AMOUNTS TO YOUR LAST CAMPAIGN CAN ONLY GENERATE MORE GOODWILL AS WELL AS MORE SERIOUS MONEY FROM THEM TO YOU.
YOU STATED PEOPLE ELECTED ME TO VOTE.
THIS IS NOT A CRITICAL PROJECT.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO POSITIVELY BENEFIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEREFORE I DEMAND THAT YOU I REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE DENY THIS APPLICATION AND MAYOR, THAT YOU RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THIS VOTE.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS MARY TRESNAK AND I RESIDE AT 2516 26TH STREET DRIVE WHERE THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND I WILL HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OR HAVE RESIDED FOR THE LAST 29 YEARS.
TO BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE MY PERSONAL OPINION, I DO NOT OBJECT TO THE OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS.
WHAT I OBJECT TO IS THE BUBBLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM BETWEEN OCTOBER 30TH TO APRIL 15TH EVERY YEAR AND THEN POTENTIALLY UP TO 30 DAY INCREMENTS BETWEEN APRIL AND OCTOBER FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
I HONESTLY HADN'T CONSIDERED SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT PAUL AND JUSTIN AND PERHAPS RYAN WILL RAISE ABOUT THE PARKING AND THE THOROUGHFARE. NOW, THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED BECAUSE WHEN WE DRAFTED OUR PETITION, WE DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE A THOROUGHFARE THROUGH THEIR BACKYARDS, BASICALLY, BUT I THINK ALL OF US, WE WANT THE COUNTRY CLUB TO BE A VITAL PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND A VITAL PART OF OUR CITY.
IT'S WHAT I MEAN, THE NEIGHBOR, THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE COUNTRY CLUB ITSELF IS WHAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND WHY YOU WILL FIND PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE FOR DECADES.
GOING BACK TO JUST THE REASONS I SUPPORT OPPOSING THE BUBBLE IS YOU GO BACK TO THE UNDERLYING CITY ORDINANCE AND IT'S SECTION 3202.03, AND IT DESCRIBES THE PURPOSE OF OUR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AND IT PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART, AND I'M READING HERE, DISCOURAGE ANY STRUCTURE THAT BECAUSE OF ITS CHARACTER OR SIZE, WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
[01:30:02]
WE'RE NOT THE ELMCREST NEIGHBORHOOD.OUR HOMES ARE OF A MORE HISTORICAL NATURE, AND ACROSS THE STREET FROM THOSE HOMES IS A IS A MANUFACTURING FACILITY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I DON'T KNOW, BUT I HAZARD TO GUESS THAT WHEN THE BUBBLE WAS APPROVED FOR ELMCREST.
THERE WERE LIKELY DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS THAN THERE ARE TODAY.
MR. DOYLE'S ALREADY KIND OF GONE THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE PROPOSAL.
THE CITY COUNCIL INITIALLY LAST YEAR REJECTED WHAT I WAS CALLING THE WAREHOUSE PROPOSAL.
IT LOOKED LIKE A METAL WAREHOUSE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASKED TABLED THE PROPOSAL.
IT WENT BACK TO THE COUNTRY CLUB, CAME BACK.
THEY DID BETTER. THEY CAME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT APPEARED TO BE A GOOD COMPROMISE.
IT WAS COMPATIBLE WITH OUR HOMES.
A BUBBLE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR HOMES.
IT'S NOT IN THE CHARACTER, NOR IS IT THE SIZE.
I MEAN, YOU'VE HEARD SOME DESCRIPTION OF THE SIZE.
YOU'VE SEEN A PICTURE OF POTENTIALLY HOW IT'S PERCEIVED THE SIZE WILL BE, AND IT'S NOT IT DOESN'T FIT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD , AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT STEP BACK FROM WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A YEAR AGO.
A COMMENT WAS MADE EARLIER THAT THIS WAS A SLIGHT CHANGE.
THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTRY CLUB TO USE A BUBBLE INTO PERPETUITY.
THERE'S NO DEADLINES AROUND IT.
I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ELMCREST.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG ELMCREST HAS HAD THEIR BUBBLE, BUT 15 YEARS.
WE DON'T NEED A BUBBLE FOREVER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE FOR THE COUNTRY CLUB TO DO BETTER IF THIS IF THIS ORDINANCE IS PASSED AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.
SO, I THINK IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WOULD YOU WANT THIS BUBBLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? THINK ABOUT YOUR HOMES, LOOKING OUT YOUR FRONT DOORS, LOOKING OUT YOUR DINING ROOM WINDOWS, LOOKING OUT YOUR KITCHEN WINDOW, SITTING ON YOUR BACK PATIO.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE A BUBBLE AND IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE? SO WITH THAT, I'LL CONCLUDE, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
JUST GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT 312 23RD STREET, DRIVE SOUTHEAST, AND YES, I WANT THIS BUBBLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM A ALMOST LIVE MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I THINK I GOT EVEN TOM [INAUDIBLE].
I'VE LIVED IN COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS ABOUT 45 YEARS.
THERE ARE 21 PEOPLE IN THE NOTED IN GREEN THAT LIVE IN COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS.
IF YOU EXPAND THAT AREA JUST SLIGHTLY, YOU GET OVER 80 MEMBERS, AND THEN IF YOU JUST GO SLIGHTLY BEYOND THAT, THERE ARE ABOUT 100 MEMBERS THAT OWN PROPERTY IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.
[01:35:01]
I LIVE NEAR, THEY DO NOT THEY WILL NOT SEE THIS.THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE SEEN THE ELMCREST BUBBLE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN TO ELMCREST IN THE WINTER IS ZERO TIMES, AND THE ONLY CHANGE WITH RESPECT TO MINOR IS WE MADE TO ONE A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE INSTEAD OF PERMANENT, AND THEN WE MOVED IT FURTHER AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORS AFTER THE CONCERNS WE HAD.
THE LIGHTING AND ALL OTHER ASPECTS WOULD BE TO CITY CODE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED ANY FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
TOM, DAN AND TL, ALMOST ALL THE OBJECTORS WILL NOT SEE THIS IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES UNLESS THEY GO ONTO THE PROPERTY OR IF THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY SEEKING IT OUT. THE REASON THAT OURS IS DIFFERENT FROM ELMCREST, AMONG OTHER REASONS, IS THAT IT'S ONE BUBBLE VERSUS TWO.
OURS IS LOWER BY OVER NINE FEET AND IT'S ONLY 30FT TALL.
IT IS NOT AS TALL AS THE CITY HALL.
WE'LL HAVE A SIX FOOT SOLID FENCE THAT'S TO CODE IN VEGETATIVE SCREENING ON THE OTHER SIDE, IN ONE OF THE DIAGRAMS, THERE'S A COMPONENT THAT SHOWS IT FROM THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU CANNOT SEE THE TENNIS COURTS.
YOU SEE A FENCE AND TREES NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY, AND THEN THE COURTS ARE 65FT FURTHER AWAY AND THE AIR HANDLING UNITS ARE 135FT FROM NEIGHBORS.
SO UNLESS SOMEONE IS SPECIFICALLY SEEKING IT OUT, IT WILL NOT BE VIEWED.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE OVER 606 HOUSEHOLDS WITH RESPECT TO NUMBERS, I THINK WE SUBMITTED 50 SIGNATURES AND EIGHT LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO THEIR 58, BUT THOSE 606 HOUSEHOLDS REPRESENT OVER 1800 PEOPLE, MOSTLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WHEN YOU INCORPORATE THE STAFF, AS LYDIA BROWN POINTED OUT, THAT'S OVER 2000 PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION THAT OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITIES AND COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS THAT USE TEMPORARY BUBBLES FOR ACTIVITIES IN WEATHER AN INCLEMENT CLIMATE TO DO ACTIVITIES, AND THEY'RE THRIVING AND VIBRANT AND CEDAR RAPIDS IS ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WITH RESPECT TO ELMCREST, AND THAT WAS SO POPULAR AND SO IN DEMAND, THEY ADDED A SECOND BUBBLE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING THAT ELMCREST HASN'T BEEN PERMITTED TO HAVE, AND WE THINK WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IS MORE RESPECTFUL TO THE SURROUNDING AREA, IS LESS NOTICEABLE, AND MOST OVER SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, NO ONE WILL SEE IT BECAUSE IT WON'T BE THERE. I FEEL LIKE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE OBJECTING TO THE BUILDING WOULD, QUITE FRANKLY, OBJECT TO ANYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
THERE'S OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THIS, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT ITS APPROVAL.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEIGHBORS, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT FOR THE CITY, NOT JUST THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTRY CLUB, BUT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I'M PATTY KNUDSEN AND I LIVE AT 2510 26TH STREET DRIVE SOUTHEAST, AND MY HUSBAND I HAVE LIVED IN OUR HOUSE FOR 50 YEARS, SO I WIN THE CONTEST FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN A DELIGHTFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WELCOME OUR WELCOMED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO LOVE TO COME AND BUY A HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO GROW UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO HAVE CHILDREN, WHO GROW UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT RIGHT NOW, AND CERTAINLY AFTER THE DERECHO, WHICH CHANGED OUR PROPERTY AND THE TREES THAT ARE MISSING DO AFFECT WHAT WE SEE OUT OF OUR WINDOWS EVERY DAY.
I CAN NOW SEE ALL THE WAY TO ERNIE PENCE'S HOUSE FROM MY KITCHEN WINDOW, SOMETHING I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO PRIOR TO THE DERECHO, WHICH MEANS THAT I WILL INDEED FROM MY HOUSE.
[01:40:01]
EVEN ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.LAST YEAR EVERYTHING WAS DONE AND SETTLED AND WE WERE ALL FINE WITH IT, BUT EACH TIME SOMETHING NEW CHANGES, IT DOES CAUSE US TO RECONSIDER WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS? COUNCIL? GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT IS PARAMOUNT AS I AM THE LARGEST STAKEHOLDER SINCE I HAVE 175FT OF PROPERTY BORDERING THE CRCC-OWNED LOTS AND I WILL SEE THE BUBBLE.
I AM NOT TOTALLY AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY THAT CRCC OWNS.
I'M ACTUALLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY'VE PUSHED IT FARTHER TO THE FAIRWAY TERRACE AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, BUT I AM AGAINST THE BUBBLE AS IT STATES. I'M AGAINST THE NEW DRIVEWAY THAT THEY'VE PUT IN THE PRIVATE DRIVE.
IT WILL BE LIKE A LIVE MARIO KART GOING THROUGH THERE.
I THINK THOSE 12 PARKING SPOTS NEXT TO THE TENNIS COURTS BETWEEN US AND THE COURTS CAN BE MOVED TO 27TH STREET DRIVE OR FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR THOSE.
LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT TOTALLY AGAINST DEVELOPMENT AND I'M ALL FOR WHERE THE TENNIS COURTS ARE, AS THEY SEEM, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING THIS NEW DRIVEWAY, THIS PRIVATE DRIVEWAY THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE SITE.
MY CONCERNS HAVE GROWN DUE TO THE SITE PLAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE SHOWING THE TWO WAY PRIVATE ACCESS ROAD RIGHT NEXT TO MY PROPERTY. HAVING TRAFFIC THIS CLOSE TO MY PROPERTY WILL INCREASE THE NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION ESPECIALLY EXPONENTIALLY.
THEY ALREADY HAVE PART OF A STREET, SO USE THAT IF THEY NEED TO SEE FIT.
WE ALREADY HAD CONCERNS WITH THE NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION COMING FROM THE PROPOSED BUBBLE AND ADDING IN THE ACCESS ROAD WILL MAKE THESE ISSUES EVEN MORE PROBLEMATIC.
THE PROXIMITY TO MY PROPERTY LINE WAS TO BE AROUND 28FT AND EIGHT INCHES.
I ASK THAT WHATEVER IS PUT IN OUTDOOR COURTS, INDOOR FACILITY, PAVILION, PARKING ACCESS ROAD, THAT AT A MINIMUM IT BE THE 28FT AND EIGHT INCHES THAT WAS APPROVED AT THIS LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND ZONING MEETING FROM MY PROPERTY LINE.
I KNOW IN MY RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CLUB MANAGER, TOM FOWLER, WE HAVE DISCUSSED HAVING THE CLUB INSTALL THE PRIVACY FENCING NEXT TO THE PRIVET AND OTHER VEGETATION THAT WE HAVE THAT SEPARATES THE PROPERTIES.
TOM HAS BEEN VERY AGREEABLE TO THIS.
WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE VEGETATION BETWEEN THE PROPERTIES AND HOPE THAT IT WILL ADD TO THE PRIVACY SCREENING NOT ONLY FOR US BUT FOR THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS, THAT THIS DRIVE THAT I THINK SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE AMENDMENT.
I HOPE THAT WITH THE THAT ADDITIONAL PRIVACY SCREENING, ALONG WITH THE EXISTING VEGETATION AND THE COURTS BEING FARTHER AWAY, THAT IS A MORE REASONABLE COMPROMISE.
IN CLOSING, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TODAY AND WILL END WITH THIS ONE QUESTION FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WOULD EACH OF YOU VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT IF IT WAS BEING BUILT LESS THAN 30FT FROM THE BACK DOOR OF YOUR HOUSE, YOUR BEDROOM, YOUR PATIO, YOUR BACKYARD, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A FIRE AND TRYING TO HAVE A PEACEFUL NIGHT?
[01:45:04]
WITH THIS BEING SO CLOSE, THE PEACEFUL NIGHTS I MOVED INTO THIS HOUSE 23 YEARS AGO.THOSE PEACEFUL NIGHTS WILL BE GONE IF YOU HAVE THAT PRIVATE DRIVE ALONG THERE, AND THE BUBBLE DOES NOT FIT INTO PER THE ZONING THAT THE NEW ZONING THAT'S IN PLACE, THAT BUBBLE DOES NOT FIT INTO THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? I HAVE ONE QUICK THING TO SAY ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, OF COURSE, BUT I DO LIVE IN A HISTORICAL HOUSE.
I CAN'T HAVE BRAND NEW WINDOWS.
I DID GO TO NORTHERN IOWA, THOUGH, AND IN 1994, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THIS TIE.
DID YOU GET HER NAME? OKAY. OKAY.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? GOING ONCE. ALL RIGHT.
I'LL ASK TO CONFIRM WITH THE CITY CLERK.
I HAVE EIGHT OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
MAYOR, DUE TO A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE APPLICANT, I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF.
MAYOR DUE TO THE LOCATION OF MY PROPERTY AND BASED UPON CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION, I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF AS WELL.
I'LL GET STARTED. I WOULD SAY TO EVERYBODY COMING INTO THIS MEETING TODAY? I DID NOT.
FIRMLY DECIDE WHICH WAY I SHOULD VOTE ON THIS.
HAVING THIS BEEN A KIND OF A LONG RUNNING CASE STARTING LAST YEAR, I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO COME UP AGAIN, BUT IT DID AND MY COMMENT WOULD BE IS THAT LAST YEAR THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE ENDED UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT I THINK MOST EVERYBODY COULD LIVE WITH, IN MY OPINION, BUILDING THE PERMANENT BUILDING THE WAY IT WAS PROPOSED.
WOULD HAVE BEEN A WIN FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ESSENTIALLY, BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT THAT IS VERY PLEASING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS A WIN, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE COUNTRY CLUB, AND SINCE THEY CHANGED THEIR PLAN, THEN THINGS I THINK ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE COUNTRY CLUB IS LANDLOCKED.
EITHER BY TOPOGRAPHY OR NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
IT'S NOT EASY FOR THEM TO EXPAND THE FOOTPRINT TO DO ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT EITHER NOW OR INTO THE FUTURE, AND SO ESSENTIALLY THEIR ONLY WAY FORWARD IS TO DO WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS EXPANDING FURTHER TO THE WEST, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT THEY ARE IN.
THEY'RE A VERY VALUABLE ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY, REALLY A CRITICAL ASSET, BUT SOMETIMES I GO BACK TO THINKING, WELL, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING, AND IT'S BEEN THERE FOR 120 SOME YEARS, AND I HOPE IT'S THERE FOR ANOTHER 120 SOME YEARS, BUT THE PROBLEM I KEEP COMING BACK TO IS WE APPROVE THAT PERMANENT BUILDING LAST YEAR.
IT ISN'T THE CITY'S OR THE CITIZENS' FAULT THAT THEY DIDN'T BUILD IT, BUT NOW THEY WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING ELSE THAT I THINK IT'S HARD TO ARGUE FITS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL. I DON'T SEE WHERE THE NEIGHBORS BENEFIT ONE IOTA FROM HAVING A DOME OR A METAL BUILDING OR ANYTHING OF THAT TYPE, AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, I THINK THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS UNLESS THEY DECIDE DOWN THE ROAD TO REVISIT THE FIRST PROPOSAL FROM 2022, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT KIND OF CREATES WINNERS AND LOSERS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK THEY CAN SURVIVE THAT, AND IN THE LONG RUN, THERE IS STILL THAT OPTION TO BUILD THAT PERMANENT FACILITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO.
I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SUPPORT A BUBBLE STRUCTURE IN THIS LOCATION.
THERE'S NO UPSIDE TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS IN THIS SITUATION, SO I'D ENCOURAGE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD ON FIGURING OUT A WAY TO BUILD THE PERMANENT STRUCTURE EITHER SOON OR PERHAPS DOWN THE ROAD.
[01:50:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR.WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND IS VERY ELOQUENT.
ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU STATED AND SHARE A LOT OF THOSE SENTIMENTS.
I ALSO JUST TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SIGNATURES AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
SO THAT OPINION ACTUALLY WEIGHS QUITE HEAVILY WITH ME.
I FIND US IN THAT SITUATION YET AGAIN.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETE PROPOSAL AHEAD OF US.
I DO AGREE THAT THE PROJECT THAT WAS WE DECIDED ON LAST YEAR WAS SUFFICIENT.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THE REQUESTS FOR THIS AMENDMENT THIS TIME, AND I DO THINK THAT THE HISTORICAL CHARACTER OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, INCLUDING THE DOWNSIDES TO ELMCREST AND THE BUBBLE AND THE DISTASTE FOR THE BUBBLE.
I DON'T THINK THE BUBBLE WOULD PASS IF IT WAS CAME BEFORE US AGAIN TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, YOU WILL NOT BE GETTING MY SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TODD. MAYOR THANK YOU.
SETH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS VERY, YOU PROVIDED, I THINK, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INSIGHT.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, IN THE EVENT THAT THE CLUB CAME TO US OR LET ME ASK YOU THIS. IN THE EVENT THAT PRIOR TO THE LAST PROPOSAL, THE CLUB HAD JUST WANTED TO PUT UP A BUBBLE, WOULD THAT HAVE WENT THROUGH THE COUNCIL? POTENTIALLY.
OKAY. THIS IS KIND OF A CONSEQUENCE OF THE MOST RECENT CODE OVERHAUL, WHICH SET KIND OF MAXIMUM SIZE LIMITS FOR STRUCTURES IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND A THRESHOLD WHERE IT WOULD GO THROUGH FOR HEARING.
I DON'T GO TO THE CLUB, AND I DON'T PLAY PICKLEBALL, BUT IN TERMS OF THIS POLICY DISCUSSION, THERE APPEARS, AT LEAST TO ME, TO BE A LOT OF TRADE OFFS, AND THERE I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY NOBODY WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT A BUBBLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE IN THE ABILITY OF AN ENTITY TO AT LEAST MAINTAIN SOME SEMBLANCE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN TERMS OF THEIR SELF-DETERMINATION.
IT'S TRYING TO CREATE A SENSE OF BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THERE NOW, WHAT EXISTS THERE IN TERMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE IMPACTED CHANGE IS GOING TO BE.
THOSE ARE THE SAME CONCERNS I HEARD ABOUT TRAILS 30 YEARS AGO, AND NOW PEOPLE BUY HOMES NEXT TO TRAILS, THE SAME WAY PEOPLE BUY HOMES NEXT TO COUNTRY CLUBS.
IN THE ARGUMENT IN TERMS OF WOULD I WANT IT IN MY BACKYARD? IT'S SORT OF MUTE ON ME BECAUSE I'VE GOT A METH HOUSE BEHIND MY BACKYARD.
OKAY, AND SO, YEAH, I WOULDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT A BUBBLE, BUT I CAN LIVE WITH THAT OVER WHAT I'M LOOKING AT NOW AND SO I'LL BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL SCREENING.
I THINK CONVERSATIONS THAT TOM AND CERTAIN NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS BEST YOU CAN, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'LL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSAL.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND MENTIONED, THIS PROJECT HAS COME BEFORE US.
BEFORE, AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY RECUSED MYSELF.
THE CITY CHARTER IS WHAT GOVERNS OUR DECISIONS REGARDING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND SECTION 6.01 STATES QUOTE, THAT THE USE OF PUBLIC OFFICE FOR PERSONAL FINANCIAL GAIN IS PROHIBITED, UNQUOTE.
[01:55:09]
AND CAN OBJECTIVELY DELIBERATE AND VOTE, AND SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT BEFORE I GET TO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.SETH, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE.
BUBBLE AND KIND OF THE FACT THAT THE COURT LEVEL IS GOING TO BE BELOW GRADE.
CAN YOU KIND OF GO OVER THAT A LITTLE BIT AGAIN? WHAT'S THE AND I KNOW YOU HAD A YOU HAD AN IMAGE OF THAT.
YEAH. 27TH STREET DRIVE IS BEHIND WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW.
WHAT'S THAT GRADE CHANGE FROM THE CURRENT LEVEL.
I BELIEVE IT WAS SO THEY MENTIONED TEN FOOT TALL RETAINING WALL HERE.
I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT NINE FEET OF GRADE CHANGE IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FROM THE STREET TO THE LEVEL OF THE TENNIS COURTS THAT THROUGH FINAL ENGINEERING MIGHT VARY BY A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE PROPOSED.
THEY'VE TOLD US THAT THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE WOULD BE, I BELIEVE, 38FT IN HEIGHT I ROUNDED UP IN THE ORDINANCE, IT SAID SHALL NOT EXCEED 40.
THE WAY WE WOULD TYPICALLY MEASURE HEIGHT IS ABOVE THE NEAREST ADJACENT STREET LEVEL.
YEAH. OKAY, AND WHAT'S THE HEIGHT OF THE HOUSE NEXT TO IT? DO YOU HAVE ANY APPROXIMATELY DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T HAVE A GOOD WAY TO SPECULATE THERE.
I WOULD ASSUME NINE, TEN FOOT CEILINGS, TWO-STORY HOME.
SO PROBABLY 20FT, MAYBE GETTING CLOSE TO 25 OR MORE TO THE PEAK OF THE ROOF.
OKAY. SO MAYBE 28FT VERSUS 22, THREE, FOUR FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, POTENTIALLY.
OKAY. YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A [INAUDIBLE] ANALYSIS.
DO YOU KNOW? DO YOU KNOW WHO CONDUCTED THAT ANALYSIS? I DO NOT RECALL.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I BELIEVE IT WAS ONE OF THE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS FOR THE COUNTRY CLUB.
I KNOW THAT IT WASN'T TO THE EXTENT OF DOING DETAILED LIKE RENDERINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND DO THE ARROWS HERE MEAN THOSE ARE THE SIGHT LINES, BASICALLY? YEAH WHAT WAS DESCRIBED TO ME WAS THAT WAS POINTS WHERE THEY BELIEVED YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CATCH A VIEW THROUGH KIND OF THE LIKE IN THIS EXAMPLE, YOU WOULD BE LARGELY OBSCURED BY THE TREES AND OTHER STUFF, BUT THIS WOULD BE A POINT WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE A MORE DIRECT VIEW.
A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HEARD DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ABOUT THE WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AS AN ACCESS ROAD PARKING LOT ACCESS ROAD, THE TWO WAY TRAFFIC, AND IF I RECALL I THINK IT WAS MISS BROWN MENTIONED THAT THE TENNIS COURTS WERE MOVED AND PARKING WAS ADDED THERE TO MOVE IT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AWAY FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY.
THERE WAS ALSO MENTION OF MAYBE PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE.
IS THAT A CITY ISSUE LIKE FOR FIRE ACCESS OR THAT KIND OF THING? I KNOW WE WENT KIND OF BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THAT.
THERE WAS IT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE IF A PERMANENT STRUCTURE WAS BUILT THE FACT THAT IT GOES THROUGH. I THINK THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS DRIVE, ONCE YOU GET TO 150FT, IT HAS TO CONTINUE OUT OR YOU WOULD NEED A FULL TURNAROUND FOR A FIRE TRUCK BECAUSE OF HOW THEY RECONFIGURED THE SITE.
SO THEY DISPLACED SEVERAL PARKING SPACES BY MOVING THIS DOWN.
THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED PARKING SPACES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY CLUB, I THINK, IS TRYING TO PROVIDE PARKING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MEETING THE DEMAND AT THE COUNTRY CLUB AS WELL, WHICH I THINK WAS ONE OF THE A NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN, RIGHT, IS PARKING, ESPECIALLY ON, YOU KNOW, LARGE EVENTS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SPILLING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I GUESS I FROM THE PROPONENTS THAT OF THE PLAN THAT SPOKE, I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE.
I MEAN I WOULD I WOULD GUESS IF.
YOU KNOW, THE ACCESS THE ACCESS ROAD IS A MAJOR CONCERN.
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED AS LONG AS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IF IT'S A FIRE ISSUE, RIGHT, I MEAN, IF IT'S A FIRE CODE ISSUE AND THE FIRE MARSHAL SAYS, NO, WE NEED IT, THEN IT'S REQUIRED.
[02:00:02]
MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THEY WOULD BE LIMITED ON HOW FAR THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE PARKING UP HERE WITHOUT IT CONTINUING THROUGH AS SHOWN. YEAH, BUT I MEAN, I GUESS MY POINT IS THE CITY IS NOT IS NOT SAYING THAT HAS TO BE THERE.SO IF THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, WE DON'T NEED THAT, THOSE 12 SPACES OF PARKING, THE CITY'S NOT GOING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THAT AGREEMENT.
OKAY AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT LIGHTING.
IT GOES BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER TODD'S QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW THEY CURRENTLY HAVE PERMISSION, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
I MEAN, IF THE APPLICANT WANTED TO PUT OUTDOOR LIGHTING UP NOW, COULD THEY DO THAT? THEIR TENNIS COURT ON THEIR CURRENT OUTDOOR TENNIS COURTS? THEY WOULDN'T, AND I KNOW THERE WAS ONE COMMENT IN PARTICULAR ABOUT I'LL USE THE TERM STADIUM LIGHTING.
THE ZONING CODE WOULD REQUIRE THAT SOMETHING I THINK WHAT WE'RE ALL VISUALIZING LIKE THE TALL POSTS AND, YOU KNOW, VERY BRIGHT, YOU KNOW, TV QUALITY LIGHTING, GETTING SHOWN DOWN THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROVED BY THIS.
WHAT WE REQUIRE IS THERE'S A MAXIMUM HEIGHT LIMIT FROM THIS IN WHICH THE COUNTRY CLUB WOULDN'T BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN ADJACENT PROPERTIES, I THINK, AND IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF IT CAN'T EXCEED 20FT UNDER OR 25FT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, AND THEN REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY DO THEIR LIGHTING, THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A PHOTOMETRIC PLAN SHOWING THAT THERE'S NOT MORE THAN ONE FOOT CANDLE, AND I DON'T HAVE A GREAT MEASUREMENT FOR WHAT A FOOT CANDLE IS, BUT VERY LIMITED LIGHT POLLUTION AT THE PROPERTY LINE AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE CONDITION WHERE ACTUALLY WE'RE NOT CHANGING IT.
SO I GUESS TO PUT A YEAH, TO PUT A FINE POINT ON MY QUESTION, ARE THERE AS FAR AS LIGHTING GOES, DOES THIS PROPOSAL ALLOW ANYTHING THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWED? NO, IT DOESN'T GIVE THEM ANY SPECIAL PERMISSION.
THEY WOULD IF THEY WANTED TO LIGHT THE NEW TENNIS COURTS SIMILAR TO THE I WOULD SAY, KIND OF LOWER PAN LIGHTS THAT THEY HAVE ON THESE TENNIS COURTS DOWN HERE THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED. THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO DO THE WHAT SOME WOULD DESCRIBE AS STADIUM LIGHTING WITHOUT ANOTHER APPROVAL.
I THINK THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, MAYOR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
A LITTLE CONFUSING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW AND WHAT WE VOTED ON LAST TIME.
I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT WANT A BUBBLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOSTALGIC.
IT'S OLD. THE COLONIAL STYLE HOUSES IN THERE.
I HAVE A HARD TIME SUPPORTING IT LIKE SCOTT OR THE CHANGES.
LOOKING AT THE PARKING LOT HERE ON 26--OFF OF 27TH, I WANT TO CLARIFY, IS THAT A SIX FOOT FENCE WITH THOSE TREES OVER HERE ON THE WEST SIDE? YEAH. THE CONDITION IS A MINIMUM SIX FEET.
THEY WOULD BE PERMITTED TO GO TO SEVEN FEET UNDER THE ZONING CAN GO HIGHER.
YEAH. NO GATES, NO NOTHING THROUGH THERE.
I MEAN NO ACCESS TO THAT PARKING LOT FROM THAT NEIGHBOR RIGHT THERE.
NOT UNLESS THAT WAS THE NEIGHBOR THAT CAME AND TALKED, ISN'T IT? YEAH. A REQUIREMENT WOULD BE IT'D BE A SOLID SCREEN, I SUPPOSE, IF A NEIGHBOR WAS FOR SOME REASON WANTED AN ACCESS GATE, THAT WOULD BE FINE TOO, BUT YEAH, NO, I WOULDN'T SEE IT. RIGHT. I HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WOULD CHANGE THE SCOPE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY EYES.
I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THAT BUBBLE RIGHT NOW.
I SUPPORT THE TENNIS COURTS THEMSELVES, THE EXPANSION, BUT THE BUBBLE ITSELF.
I APPROVE THE BUILDING BEFORE, BUT THE BUBBLE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF.
OKAY. SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FACILITY.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT? SO LIKE THE COURTS DOWN HERE? YEAH. SO THOSE ARE ALL GOING AWAY.
SO NOW IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ALL DRIVING RANGE.
THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE COUNTRY CLUB PROPOSED TO US.
YES. SO THOSE HOMES THAT USED TO HAVE TO LOOK AT COURTS AND OKAY, THEY JUST HAVE DRIVING RANGE NOW.
[02:05:02]
OKAY. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT THROUGH STREET.I UNDERSTAND WITH 27TH STREET, I BELIEVE ONE ISSUE IS THERE ARE STILL PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT NEED ACCESS OFF THE PUBLIC STREET, WHICH IS WHY I BELIEVE IT'S TWO WAY , BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YEAH, AND THEN CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT FENCE OFF FAIRWAY TERRACE? WERE YOU TALKING--THE ADJACENT TO THAT PROPERTY.
YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SEE HOW TALL THAT IS.
HOW TALL IS THAT SCREEN? OH, SORRY. THIS OTHER SIDE.
AT THE END OF FAIRWAY TERRACE HERE.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE CURRENT END OF FAIRWAY TERRACE.
THE REST HAS BEEN VACATED TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.
SO ADJACENT TO THE HOME, HOW TALL IS THAT FENCE? NEXT TO THE PARKING LOT? THE FENCE WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED.
THE ZONING CODE WOULD ALLOW IT TO GO TO SEVEN, AND THIS IS I WOULD SAY THIS IS UNDER PREVIOUSLY, WE APPROVED THAT HEIGHT FOR THE FENCE AND THE PARKING LOT AT THAT LOCATION. OKAY.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT SINCE THE LAST TIME THIS ISSUE WAS BEFORE COUNCIL, THE LANGUAGE AROUND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WAS MADE VERY CLEAR AND CONTRARY TO THE DEMAND OF SOMEONE HERE IN THE GALLERY.
I'VE BEEN CALLED A LOT OF THINGS IN A DISPARAGING WAY, BUT AMBITIOUS IN A DISPARAGING WAY.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT RIGHT THERE.
CAN I JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION? WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO HOLD THIS AND BRING IT BACK WITH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED? I ABSOLUTELY, YEAH, I ABSOLUTELY FEEL THAT WAY.
WELL, I WOULD SAY IF YOU IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS YOU WANT TO MAKE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, AND THEN BUT ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE DOWN ONE TODAY, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DEFER UNTIL WE HAVE FULL COUNCIL, BUT.
LET ME JUST CONTINUE MY REMARKS AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE. I WILL NOT BE RECUSING MYSELF.
THAT IS THE SMALL THAT IS THE SHORT STORY ON THIS.
I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THIS COUNTRY CLUB SINCE 2001.
I KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO BE JUST ABOUT RIBBON CUTTINGS AND PARADES.
YOU EXPECT ME TO TAKE A VOTE ON THIS AND I WILL BE VOTING ON THIS? I DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH STAFF.
SETH, IF YOU ARE UP FOR THAT, WE CAN JUST TAKE ALL OF OUR NOTES TODAY AND RECONVENE.
DO WE NEED A MOTION TO HOLD? SO I'D BE MORE THAN GLAD TO MAKE A MOTION.
I'M GOING TO LET ME JUST DOUBLE CHECK WITH OUR ATTORNEY, SEE IF WE NEED A MOTION TO BRING IT BACK.
OKAY. I'LL NEED A MOTION TO POSTPONE TODAY'S AND BRING IT TO THE NEXT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE AND BRING IT TO THE AT LEAST, IF NOT THE NEXT, THE MOST APPROPRIATE ONE ONCE THE CHANGES IN DISCUSSIONS CAN BE HELD WITH AND WE CAN HAVE I'D LIKE TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON HERE AS WELL.
OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT SECOND? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER, SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.
[8. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Demolition of the Former CRANDIC Railroad Bridge over the Cedar River project (estimated cost is $650,000) (Brenna Fall). CIP/DID #327002-01]
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. OKAY.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS SPECIFICATIONS FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE FORMER CRANDIC RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE CEDAR RIVER PROJECT, WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $650,000.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
BRENNA FALL WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
[02:10:08]
GROUP HAVE BEEN A GREAT GROUP TO WORK WITH IN THE FUNDRAISING AND DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT SO FAR, AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO KICK OFF WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER MAYBE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE BRIDGE PROJECT ITSELF.THIS IS THE LOCATION MAP FOR THE BRIDGE PROJECT.
THIS IS THE SITE OF A FORMER CRANDIC RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE CEDAR RIVER.
CRANDIC HAS REBUILT FARTHER UPRIVER AND THE CITY DID TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE BRIDGE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND HISTORIANS AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SALVAGING WHAT WE CAN AND REUSING THAT, RECYCLING THAT, AND I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT EXPERIENCE ONCE THAT IS DONE.
THE DEMOLITION IS EXPECTED TO COST APPROXIMATELY $650,000.
THE BID OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY, JULY 19TH, AND WE ANTICIPATE UPON RECEIPT OF ACCEPTABLE BIDS AND AWARD OF THE CONTRACT, THAT THE DEMOLITION WOULD ACTUALLY OCCUR LATER THIS FALL INTO WINTER.
THANK YOU. BRENDA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN NORTHWEST CEDAR RAPIDS AND I'M HERE AS TREASURER OF, BUT ALLOW ME AN OBSERVATION BEFORE I BEGIN ON THAT.
WHEN I CAME IN, I SAW THAT WE WERE ON AN AGENDA AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC INTEREST, AND I THOUGHT, OH, NO I'M GOING TO BE HERE A LONG TIME.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN THE SMALL D DEMOCRACY.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE IN THIS ROOM.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL THAT'S ACCESSIBLE, THAT WE HAVE CITIZENS WHO ARE WILLING IN VERY REASONABLE WAYS, IN VERY CIVIL WAYS TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES.
SO I AM THRILLED TO BE IN THIS ROOM AT THIS MOMENT.
I'M HERE REALLY ALSO TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER MILESTONE IN A PROJECT THAT YOU'RE ALL VERY WELL AWARE OF, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR OBSERVATION ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT'S BEEN LAUDED AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THIS CITY, IF NOT THE BIGGEST IN THE STATE.
MY FOCUS IN THIS PROJECT FROM THE BEGINNING HAS BEEN PRIMARILY ON THE BRIDGE, BUT OF COURSE IT'S A OVER A $21 MILLION PROJECT THAT INCLUDES CEDAR LAKE.
THAT IS IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
SO I'M HERE TO THANK THE CITY FOR ITS COLLABORATION IN THIS PROJECT.
THIS COUNCIL HAS INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
MANAGER POMERANZ AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC, AND IN PARTICULAR JENNIFER PRATT, WHO'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO US, HAS WORKED WITH US ALL ALONG THE WAY AND HAS BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT LIAISON WITH BRENNA, WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, WITH FLOOD CONTROL AND ALL OF THE COOPERATION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE TO GET
[02:15:07]
US WHERE WE ARE TODAY.YEAH, IT IS THE BIGGEST PUBLIC PRIVATE PROJECT EVER.
THE [INAUDIBLE] FOUNDATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
THE CITY AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO CHIP IN, I'D SAY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT A LIGHTWEIGHT, SAY THE KIND OF COMMITMENT FINANCIALLY THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED, AND THEN THE GROUP THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH, AND I SHOULD SAY, BY THE WAY, WHEN I REFER TO THE COUNCIL, WE OF COURSE KNOW THAT THERE'S A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL THAT HAS PARTICULARLY TO BE LAUDED FOR LEADERSHIP ON THAT, AND THAT'S CONGRESS.
CONGRESS? DID I SAY CONGRESSMAN? [CHUCKLING] PLEASE CORRECT THE RECORD.
MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL DALE TODD, BUT THE GROUP THAT PUT TOGETHER THE FINANCING FROM THE PUBLIC POINT OF VIEW, MIKE MCGRATH AND HIS TEAM RAISED $8 MILLION, AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING? THE THRILLING PART OF THAT, I WENT BACK THROUGH SOME OF IT AND THERE WAS A PICTURE OF GRADY SUGGS THAT SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER WHO CAME TO US WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER. GRADY IS SIX YEARS OLD OR WAS SIX YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, AND HE BROUGHT WITH HIM A BALL CANNING JAR IN WHICH HE HAD COLLECTED $100 THROUGH REDEEMING CANS, AND HE HAD A PICTURE OF THE BRIDGE THAT WAS TAPED TO THIS JAR, AND HE STOOD ON THE BRIDGE SITE WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER AND SAID, I'M IN FIRST GRADE. I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE WHILE I'M IN FIRST GRADE.
WELL, HE'S TEN NOW, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT HIS CONTRIBUTION WAS ANY LESS APPRECIATED , AND IT GOES FROM THEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY OF CITIZENS THAT INCLUDE A FAMILY FOUNDATION CALLED JOHN AND CINDY, WHO COMMITTED $1 MILLION AND EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN.
SO IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY, EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT.
FLOOD CONTROL RIGHT NOW IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO CEDAR LAKE, AND DALE COULD TELL YOU A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN PROTECTING NOT ONLY ALL OF THE SURROUNDING INDUSTRY, BUT TO HAVE A LAKE THAT WILL BE CLEAN AND PURE AND SAFE FROM BACKWATER FROM THE CEDAR, AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COOPERATION, AND SADLY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
WE ARE SADLY, THE LAST THING I WILL SAY AS I GO BACK TO MY SEAT.
THANK YOU. IS THIS BRIDGE IS MORE THAN A CROSSING OVER THE RIVER.
IT IS A SYMBOL OF ALL THAT'S GONE BEFORE TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
LABOR INDUSTRY FARMS. THIS WILL BE A MONUMENT TO WHAT GOT US HERE AND A MONUMENT TO OUR FUTURE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
OKAY. MEET YOU BACK HERE IN FIVE MINUTES.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANKS, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE LEFT OFF HERE RIGHT AT PUBLIC COMMENT.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
SO HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE DO HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.APPLY TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS HERETO.
A REMINDER TO STAY AT THE LECTERN.
IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US, GIVE THEM TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON YOUR RIGHT.
HE WILL GET THEM TO US, AND COMMENTS ARE STILL LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE NO PARTICIPATION FROM THE AUDIENCE.
SO THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, 11.
WE HAVE 11 PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS FIRST AND HE HAS LEFT.
[02:20:01]
DAN DOYLE HAS SPOKEN.JIM [INAUDIBLE] FROM JANESVILLE.
NOW, THESE THESE FOLKS WERE ALL SPEAKING ON THE CASINO.
BERNIE HAYES SPOKE DAVE KENNEDY AND PAUL [INAUDIBLE].
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE ALL SPOKEN.
DID I MISS ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP ON THIS SPECIFIC AGENDA.
OKAY. WELL, THAT WILL CLOSE OUT THEN THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
CITY MANAGER SMITH, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA?
[Approval of the Agenda]
ONE CHANGE, YOUR HONOR.ITEM NUMBER 13C, THE ESTIMATED COST SHOULD BE 5,650,000 INSTEAD OF 5,850,000.
STANDBY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? YEAH. 13C AGAIN ESTIMATED COST SHOULD BE 5,650,000 INSTEAD OF THE LISTED 5,850,000. FOR THE DAFT IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
OKAY. AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE CHANGES? COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM 17A.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER RECUSES HIMSELF FROM 17A THE NEED PIZZA AND BEER RUN.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHTY, THEN THAT BRINGS US A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO A CONSENT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
[22. Report on bids for the 1st Avenue E and 1st Street NE Traffic Signal Improvements project (estimated cost is $140,000) (Rob Davis). CIP/DID #3315554-01]
SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $140,000.
ROB DAVIS IS HERE. ROB, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
ROB DAVIS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THIS IS THE INTERSECTION FOR FIRST AND FIRST EAST.
THIS IS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE NORTH SIDE OF THIS BUILDING HERE.
WE RECEIVED THREE BIDS ON JUNE 28TH.
THEY RANGED FROM $299,572.09 FOR MIDWEST CONCRETE, INC.
COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. WE DO NOT HAVE A RESOLUTION ON THIS ITEM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ORDINANCES.
[23. Ordinance renaming 6th Street NW to Ellis Boulevard NW, beginning at 1st Avenue West and continuing north to E Avenue NW, as requested by the Public Works Department in connection with the Ellis Boulevard and 6th Street NW Connection project. CIP/DID #STREET-032793-2022]
BEGINNING AT FIRST AVENUE WEST AND CONTINUING NORTH TO E AVENUE NORTHWEST, AS REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE ELLIS BOULEVARD AND SIXTH STREET NORTHWEST CONNECTION PROJECT.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER POE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
[24. Ordinance granting a change of zone for property north of Highway 30 and east of Williams Boulevard SW from S-MC, Suburban Mixed Use Community Center District, to S-RMF, Suburban Residential Medium Flex District, as requested by Atwood Rentals, LLC. CIP/DID #RZNE-033759-2023]
CENTER DISTRICT TO SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM FLEX DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY ATWOOD REYNOLDS LLC.THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
[02:25:01]
25 IS AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY AT 1425 60TH STREET NORTHEAST FROM SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER DISTRICT TO[25. Ordinance granting a change of zone for property at 1425 60th Street NE from S-MC, Suburban Mixed Use Community Center District, to T-IM, Traditional Industrial Mixed Use District, as requested by PBI-SBIZ, LLC. CIP/DID #RZNE-033756-2023]
TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL MIXED USE DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY PBI SBIZ LLC.THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER POE.
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.
THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY AND WILL BRING US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.
[PUBLIC INPUT]
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL BUSINESS AS IS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN AS A COUNCIL, SO REMIND EVERYONE TO STAY AT THE LECTERN.
COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES, NO ABUSIVE, LOUD, THREATENING OR PERSONAL COMMENTS.
KATHY POTTS HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FLOOD.
KATHY POTTS 1118 FIRST STREET SOUTHWEST.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'M TIRED OF HEARING MYSELF TALK TODAY.
LAST WEEK, I OR TWO WEEKS AGO, I REQUESTED THAT MARTY HOEGER BE LOOKED INTO FOR ETHICS VIOLATION FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE NORTHWEST SIDE, AND I'VE SINCE WITH STUDYING AND ALL THAT, FOUND OUT IT'S NOT AN ETHICS PROBLEM.
YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP LAST TIME FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS, SO THAT MEANS YOU ONLY PERFORMED 50% OF YOUR PUBLIC DUTIES FOR DONNA, WHO STILL LIVES ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE, WHO IS STILL DYING OF BRAIN CANCER, WHOSE HUSBAND IS STILL HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE WIFE DYING OF BRAIN CANCER, AND A CITY THAT'S REQUESTING OR DEMANDING EMINENT DOMAIN OF HIS HOME.
I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU ARE HERE TO DO YOUR JOBS AND WANT TO DO THAT TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS, BUT UNTIL DONNA DIES, I'M GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDS TO REPRESENT DONNA AND I DON'T THINK MR. HOEGER IS DOING IT, AND IF YOU DON'T REPRESENT A DYING WOMAN OF BRAIN CANCER, WHO CAN YOU REPRESENT? AND THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PATIENCE TODAY.
AJ [INAUDIBLE] HERE TO SPEAK ON EMINENT DOMAIN.
HELLO. I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO REBUILD MY HOME, BUT I DID KNOW BETTER.
I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
THEN TO SAY THINGS THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.
I KNOW BETTER THAN TO WASTE MY TIME WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT HAS NO POWER OR AUTHORITY.
OVER ANYTHING SINCE THE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT IN 2006.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS JUST BEEN A DOG AND PONY SHOW.
THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS ALL THE POWER.
SO WHEN PEOPLE CALL YOU POMERANZ'S PUPPET.
I KNEW BETTER THAN OTHERS TO HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE WHEN THE WATER HIT MY HOUSE IN 2008.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE.
THAT'S LIKE SAYING PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TORNADO INSURANCE OR WIND INSURANCE.
BECAUSE WE HAD A DERECHO, AND HAVE TORNADOES.
IF YOU WANT IT NEXT TIME, KNOW BETTER BEFORE YOU RUN YOUR MOUTH ABOUT IT.
[02:30:01]
SO I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER TO REBUILD MY HOUSE.THAT'S WHAT THE MAYOR TOLD ME LAST WEEK AFTER THE MEETING.
SHOULD I HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO GIVE MY HOUSE TO THE CITY FOR $14,500 FOR THE LAND VALUE? BECAUSE I HAD FLOOD INSURANCE.
SHOULD I HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN OTHERS TO HAVE GIVEN MY HOUSE TO THE CITY? AND THEN HAVE TO WRITE A CHECK FOR $3,500 TO COVER THE DIFFERENCE IN THE $18,000 COST OF DEMOLITION.
SHOULD I HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO LIVE WITH NO MORTGAGE, NO HOUSE PAYMENTS, NOTHING FOR 15 YEARS ? SHOULD I HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO LIVE WITH NO PARKING PROBLEMS? NO DEALING WITH NEIGHBORS.
SHOULD I HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM? A COUNTRY LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
I THINK BACK AND LOOKING BACK, I THINK I DID KNOW BETTER.
SO NOW, IN THE FUTURE, I'LL KNOW BETTER THAN TO ACCEPT THE CITY'S OFFER.
WILL I KNOW BETTER THAN TO ACCEPT A LOW BALL APPRAISAL FROM A WEAK APPRAISER USING LOW BALL ADJUSTMENTS TO AN INCOMPARABLE PROPERTIES.
WILL I KNOW BETTER THAN HIRE AN ATTORNEY? WELL, I KNOW BETTER AND HAVE A JURY DECIDE MY DAMAGES.
THE TRUTH IS, IS I DO KNOW BETTER.
I KNOW THE CASINO, WHICH HASN'T EVEN RECEIVED COMMISSION APPROVAL, IS OFFERING PEOPLE A BETTER DEAL ON THEIR HOMES THAT ARE HALF THE SIZE OF MINE, AND IT'S STILL VOLUNTARY.
YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU ACT LIKE YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE? BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A MONEY GRABBING CASINO CARES MORE.
I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD GET INVOLVED.
NOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT FLOOD PROTECTION.
I SAW THAT ON THE SOUTH WEST SIDE THAT THERE ARE THREE HOMES THAT HAVE PROTECTION.
WHY CAN'T YOU GO AROUND US LIKE THAT? WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT OUR AREA THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO LET THE WATER SPREAD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY WIDE THERE.
IT'S ALREADY WIDER THAN IT IS ALL THE WAY DOWN THE RIVER.
WHY CAN'T YOU GO AROUND US? WHY NOT? THANK YOU.
ROGER SLADE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT LED LIGHTS.
I WAS TOLD THAT THESE WERE PUT IN PLACE TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC FLOW, AND I WAS ALWAYS TOLD ALSO TOLD THAT THE THOUSANDS OF LED STREETLIGHTS ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY SAVE ENERGY EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ON DURING THE DAY HALF THE TIME.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE ON THE STREET CORNER OVER HERE THAT I PASSED BY.
SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A LIE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FACTOR IN ALL THE FIBER OPTIC CABLE THAT NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED IN THE STREETS FOR THESE 5G SMART POLES, ALL THE CONNECTIONS WITH THE MICROWAVE TOWERS, THE CAMERAS, THE FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE, THE PLATE READERS, THE TRACK AND TRACE TECHNOLOGY AND SENSORS, ALL THESE WORK TOGETHER. IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO EVERYONE'S HEALTH.
I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE CITY TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT LAST WEEK BECAUSE I JUST HAD A FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE. HOW MANY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND HOW MANY HAVE BEEN ADDED? AND HOW MUCH MONEY IS THIS ACTUALLY SAVING? I WAS TOLD BY THE DOT THE CITY AND ALLIANT THAT THESE LIGHTS SAVE A TON OF MONEY, BUT THEY NEVER SAY HOW MUCH OR HOW EXACTLY THIS IS CALCULATED.
TWO WHAT'S THE COST OF THE CAMERA INSTALLATIONS, THE OPERATIONS? WHERE ELSE ARE THESE BEING ADDED IN THE FUTURE? IT'S A LEGIT QUESTION BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY OF INTERSECTIONS IN THE CITY WITH CAMERAS SET UP AND THERE'S HOMES WITH WINDOWS OPEN RIGHT THERE.
SO THIS IS A PRIVACY VIOLATION ISSUE.
ALSO WHERE THE SERVERS LOCATED THAT STORE OUR DATA AND WHAT COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED.
I WAS TOLD PREVIOUSLY THAT NOTHING, NOTHING IS SAVED, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE.
[02:35:04]
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHO HAS ACCESS TO THIS AND WHO OWNS OUR PRIVATE DATA AND WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OR PROGRAMS WATCHING US.WE KNOW AI CONTROLS EVERYTHING.
THE REPLY I RECEIVED FROM THE CITY WAS THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST SIX HOURS FOR THEM TO DO THEIR RESEARCH, SO THEY WOULD NEED TO INVOICE ME $120 FOR THEIR TIME, AND IT MAY COST MORE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST AN ESTIMATE.
EVEN IN THIS ROOM, I NOTICED MEETINGS THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE QUESTIONS ASKED OF THE PRESENTERS.
LAST WEEK THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON SPENDING OVER 200,000 ON NEW LED LIGHTS FOR A BALL FIELD.
THE ONLY QUESTION ASKED WAS HOW LONG WILL THESE LAST AND HE SAID, MAYBE 20 YEARS.
I'LL HAVE TO LOOK IT UP. I'M NOT SURE.
HE SAID THEY'RE ALSO GETTING REPLACED JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE OLD.
IF ANYBODY HAS PAID ATTENTION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST MORE LED LIGHTS BEING INSTALLED FOR THE GLOBALIST POLICE STATE.
THERE'S A TON OF HEALTH ISSUES THAT THESE LIGHTS CAUSE AS WELL.
IT WASN'T A JOKE. [INAUDIBLE] YOU DON'T SMILE WHEN YOU COUGH.
THESE LIGHTS, AND THAT'S A FACT.
IF YOU'VE HEARD OF HAVANA SYNDROME, YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT IS.
SO IF IT GETS THAT FAR, JUST KNOW THAT IT'S NOT COVID.
THIS IS ANOTHER PANDEMIC BY DESIGN, AND I HAVE A LINK ON MY WEBSITE, ROGERSLADE.COM.
AGAIN, I NEED MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT HAS MY EMAIL.
I'M ALREADY A TAXPAYER, SO I'M NOT PAYING ANY MORE.
THERE IS NO OPT OUT BUTTON FOR THE POLICE STATE.
THEY NOW REQUIRE FACIAL RECOGNITION TO BOARD A PLANE.
THERE ARE JUST A FEW STEPS AHEAD OF US, AND THIS IS THEIR REALITY.
HI, MY NAME IS KIRA [INAUDIBLE].
I'VE BEEN MISSING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A LITTLE EMOTIONAL AND OUTRAGED.
I'VE BEEN WORKING, YOU KNOW, MY JOB I GO TO WORK AND I DIG IN THE DIRT IN THE HOT SUN.
I LOVE IT. I LOVE MY JOB, BUT WHAT MAKES ME EMOTIONAL AND WHAT MAKES ME UPSET IS THE CITY THAT I LOVE AND THE PEOPLE I SUPPORT.
I COME IN HERE AND I TALK TO YOU GUYS AND I SIT BACK THERE AND I LISTEN AND THE NICE AIR CONDITIONING AND PEOPLE IN THEIR NICE CLOTHES AND THEY'RE GETTING PAID TO SIT UP HERE AND GET CRITIQUED, WHICH I USED TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR IN COLLEGE, AND WE GOT CRITIQUED EVERY WEEK VERY HARDLY. I MEAN, WE REALLY CRITIQUED EACH OTHER IN ART COLLEGE.
YOU WANT TO BE AN ARTIST, YOU FIND OUT.
ALL RIGHT, AND I THE PEOPLE THAT I CARE ABOUT IN THIS CITY THAT ARE SAYING THINGS THAT I REALLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF, I MEAN, EVERYTHING FROM THE LITTLE OLD LADIES THAT ARE GETTING FINED FOR FEEDING THE CATS, TRAPPING AND RELEASING TWO LITTLE SOFT SPOKEN ROGER SLADE HERE.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE SITTING UP LISTENING, PAYING ATTENTION AND NOT TALKING DURING THAT.
I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS THINGS GOING WRONG IN THIS CITY.
[02:40:07]
RAPIDS POLICE SEXUALLY ASSAULT WOMEN AND THEN DELETE THE FOOTAGE.I'VE NOT GOT TO TALK TO THIS GUY YET, BUT I'VE SEEN THE SIGN AND THAT IS VERY UPSETTING TO ME.
I GREW UP IN THIS CITY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A CULTURE OF POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN TEACHING EACH OTHER HOW TO GET AWAY WITH STALKING PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
THEY HAVE FOUND A WAY AROUND IT.
YOU WANT TO TARGET SOMEBODY, YOU WANT TO GET TICKETS, YOU WANT TO MAKE MONEY.
HOW DID WE PAY FOR THE OUTGOING CHIEF TO HAVE THAT QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS? YOU KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY CAME FROM? IT CAME FROM THE BACKS OF THE POOR PEOPLE HERE.
IT'S CALLED TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
THEY ARE LYING ON OUR CITIZENS.
YOU GO TO COURT, THEY ARE GOING TO LIE IN COURT.
THEY'RE GOING TO LIE ABOUT YOUR SPEED.
THEY'RE GOING TO LIE ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID.
IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR 30 YEARS.
ALL RIGHT. THIS COP THAT'S BEEN BOTHERING ME FOR 30 YEARS, I FIND OUT WHEN HE'S WORKING AT THE FIRST AVENUE HY-VEE AND USES VIOLET AS AN EXCUSE TO APPROACH ME AGAIN, AND I MAKE.
I FIND OUT FROM THE DETECTIVE THAT'S TAKEN THE CASE? OH, HE WAS NOT JUST WORKING.
HE WAS WORKING ON MEDICAL LEAVE.
NO, THAT WAS A HY-VEE, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF VIDEO, SO I KNOW AS SOON AS I HUNG UP THAT PHONE, HE CALLED UP THE HY-VEE MANAGER AND HAD THEM DELETE THAT VIDEO TO MAKE SURE NOBODY GOT CAUGHT WORKING ON MEDICAL LEAVE.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK EVERY SINGLE DAY I GOT OFF OF WORK AT NOON THERE WAS A COP CAR WAITING FOR ME.
THERE WAS A COP CAR WAITING FOR ME AT 19TH AND SECOND AVENUE OR 19TH AND THIRD AVENUE.
SO I CALLED THAT OFFICER THAT I WAS TALKING TO.
OH, NO, THEY'RE NOT HARASSING YOU.
WELL, AFTER A WEEK OF THEM SITTING THERE WAITING, AS SOON AS I CALLED THAT OFFICER, THEY QUIT.
I WONDER HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE MAKE? I WANT TO KNOW.
I WANT TO KNOW ON THE FIREWORKS.
DID YOU GO OUT TICKETING PEOPLE FOR THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS? BECAUSE I'VE LIVED AT MY PLACE FOR 20 YEARS, AND NOBODY'S BEEN GETTING A BUNCH OF PARKING TICKETS OUTSIDE OF MY PLACE WHEN THEY'RE UP ON THE CURB OR IN THE YARD OR OUT IN THE STREET.
ACTUALLY, A CAR WAS OUT IN THE STREET, ABANDONED FOR TWO MONTHS.
GOOD TWO FEET OUT THE STREET, TIRES FLAT HANGING OUT THERE, TWO PARKING SPACES AWAY FROM MY CAR.
HE WALKED OUT TO MEASURE AND SAID I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE STOP SIGN, BUT BECAUSE I SAID, WHAT ABOUT THAT CAR? HE CAME BACK AND TOWED IT THE NEXT DAY BUT WE'RE NOT HARASSING YOU.
PAUL [INAUDIBLE] AND I BELIEVE MR. [INAUDIBLE] ALREADY SPOKE AS WELL.
OKAY. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
ANYTHING FROM COMMUNICATIONS TODAY? NOTHING FURTHER, YOUR HONOR.
THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.