Aug 08, 2023 City Council

PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO, JUST NOTE HAS BEEN CANCELED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

[2. A public hearing will be held to consider amending Chapter 55 of the Municipal Code, Boat and Other River Regulations, to add provisions related to structure requirements, liability insurance and the structure approval process to Section 55.17, Harbor and Shore Rules and Regulations. CIP/DID #PKS043-23 CANCELLED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.]

SO THERE WILL BE NO STAFF PRESENTATION OR VOTE ON THIS.

HOWEVER, ANYONE WHO IS HERE IN REGARDS TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, DO YOU WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SEEING NONE. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

[3. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property at 80th Street and E Avenue NW from A-AG, Agricultural District, to S-MC, Suburban Mixed-Use Community Center District, as requested by A&M LLC (Mathew Langley). CIP/DID #RZNE-033666-2023]

A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY AT 80TH STREET AND E AVENUE NORTHWEST FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY A&M LLC, MATTHEW LANGLEY IS HERE.

MATTHEW, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MATTHEW LANGLEY, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

THE REQUEST IS TO GO FROM THE RECENTLY ANNEXED PROPERTY BEING BROUGHT IN AS AGRICULTURAL TO SEE IT GO TO SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THIS AS A WAY TO PROPOSE A LAND USE FOR COMMERCIAL IN ITS INTENT AND TO BE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY ATTRACT MORE OF THAT TYPE OF USE TO THE AREA.

THE TOTAL AREA OF THE PROPOSED LOT IS 10.33 ACRES.

A QUICK MAP OF THE AREA SHOWING BOUNDED IN GREEN THE PROPOSED SITE.

AND THEN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWING IT AS URBAN MEDIUM INTENSITY.

MOST OF THE AREA IS URBAN MEDIUM INTENSITY WITH THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL AREA URBAN LIGHT INTENSITY.

AND THEN THE CURRENT ZONING MAP.

OUR GIS SYSTEMS HAVE NOT UPDATED TO SHOW THE AGRICULTURAL ZONING FOR THE CURRENT PARCEL.

WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THAT TO COME IN AS OF TODAY.

THE PROPOSED AREA WOULD GO TO THAT RED SMC DESIGNATION UNDER THIS PROPOSAL.

THE REZONING PROCESS ASKS THE QUESTION FOR STAFF TO CONSIDER.

IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED LAND USE REGULATIONS WITH THE ORDINANCES ADOPTED AND ANY OTHER PLANS ADOPTED BY THE CITY. STAFF FIND THAT IT IS CONSISTENT.

THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS A DEVELOPING AREA, AS WELL AS ONE THAT IS DEEMED SERVICEABLE BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

IT'S ALSO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR THIS PROPOSED ZONE, AND THE CHARACTER ITSELF MATCHES ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE ADJACENT TO HIGHWAY 100 RAMP, AS WELL AS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS INTENT.

STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH NO CONDITIONS FOR THIS PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU, MATTHEW.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.

THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER GRANTING A GAS EASEMENT ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY BETWEEN THE NATIONAL CZECH AND SLOVAK MUSEUM AND THE CEDAR RIVER, AS REQUESTED BY

[4. A public hearing will be held to consider granting a gas easement on City-owned property between the National Czech and Slovak Museum and the Cedar River as requested by MidAmerican Energy Company in connection with the West Side Flood Control System – Czech Village 12th Avenue Detention Basin project (Rob Davis). CIP/DID #3313200-00]

[00:20:03]

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH THE WEST SIDE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM, CZECH VILLAGE 12TH AVENUE DETENTION BASIN PROJECT.

ROB DAVIS IS HERE.

ROB, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL ROB DAVIS PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROJECT IS VERY SIMPLE.

IT'S AN EASEMENT FROM INSPIRATION PLACE TO THE PUMP STATION THAT WE CALL THE 12TH AVENUE PUMP STATION THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

THIS IS REALLY AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

IT WILL PROVIDE A SECOND NATURAL GAS FEED TO THE 12TH AVENUE PUMP STATION.

AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROJECT IN CASE THERE'S A FAILURE ON THAT LINE OR THE LINE HAS TO BE SHUT DOWN DURING A FLOOD.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS AN ALTERNATE POWER SOURCE FOR THAT PUMP STATION.

SO DRAINAGE BEHIND THE FLOOD WALL CAN CONTINUE TO BE PUMPED OVER INTO THE RIVER.

SO THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROJECT AND REQUESTED BY THE CITY OF MIDAMERICAN.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE SOLE BENEFIT IS TO THE PUMP STATION.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE EASEMENT BE GRANTED FOR JUST $1.

AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE OBVIOUSLY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AS IS PART OF THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROB.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD .

COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HOEGER.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE DO HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

THE FIRST IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL ACTION THAT IS SLATED FOR TODAY.

A SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD WILL COME AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE CITY BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE BEFORE AND AFTER EACH COUNCIL MEETING AT THIS TIME DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, HOWEVER, WE ARE HERE AS A COUNCIL TO LISTEN.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL THE MATTERS THAT WE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TODAY APPLY TO ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AS WELL.

SO REMINDER TO STAY AT THE LECTERN, GIVE DOCUMENTS TO THE OFFICER ON YOUR RIGHT.

COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES AND ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTERS YOU WISH TO ADDRESS.

SO NO ABUSE OF PERSONAL IRRELEVANT COMMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED AND AGAIN, NO PARTICIPATION FROM OUR AUDIENCE.

IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME.

TODAY WE HAD SIX PEOPLE SIGN UP, SO I WILL JUST CALL YOU IN THE ORDER THAT THEY APPEAR ON THE LIST.

AND THE FIRST IS LYDIA BROWN HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 29.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF DEJA VU.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BACK AND SPEAK TO YOU AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT MAY HAVE COME UP IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING REGARDING THE PROPERTY ON 27TH STREET DRIVE, OWNED BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH WE ARE REQUESTING TO BE REZONED.

AFTER THE CONVERSATION AT CITY COUNCIL AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF THE NEIGHBORS, WE FELT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE QUESTIONS BE ADDRESSED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE MOST IMMEDIATELY IMPACTED BY THAT, IT'S SORT OF A TRIANGLE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THIS LAND SITS ON.

WE INVITED ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE RIGHT THERE THAT ARE ON THAT PROPERTY, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND WHOSE DISTRICT IT IS.

AND WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AND WE HAD A PACKET OF INFORMATION SHOWING THE CHANGES THAT WERE BEING MADE AND SOME OF THOSE CHANGES WHICH YOU'LL SEE TODAY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT A DRIVE THRU THAT WAS COMING FROM 27TH STREET DRIVE.

WE'VE ELIMINATED THAT DRIVE THROUGH FOR SAFETY REASONS AND BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS FELT THAT IT WAS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY OF THEM AS WELL AS, QUITE HONESTLY, THE COUNTRY CLUB INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE IN THE PARKING LOT.

SO WE MADE THAT CHANGE.

WE'VE COMMITTED TO A MINIMUM OF A SIX FOOT SOLID FENCE ALONG WITH GREENERY, TO HELP WITH SHIELDING OF NOISE AND VIEW AND ANY LIGHTS THAT MIGHT BE COMING.

WE'VE MOVED THE TENNIS COURTS AS FAR AWAY FROM THE HOUSES AS REASONABLE BASED ON THE EASEMENT THAT'S THERE, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT THE TENNIS BUILDING ITSELF, WHICH MAY CREATE WITH JUST WITH AIR CONDITIONING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, SOME NOISE, IT'S AS ALSO AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

[00:25:01]

SO WE REALLY WANTED TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS.

CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB HAS BEEN A GOOD NEIGHBOR, WE BELIEVE, FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

PEOPLE CHOOSE TO BUY HOMES BY THE COUNTRY CLUB BECAUSE OF THE VALUATION OF THOSE HOMES.

THEY ARE INCREASED BY HAVING THE CLUB THERE.

AND IN ADDITION, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, THE ENGINEERS, THE ARCHITECTS, THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM, THEY FOLLOWED ALL OF THE GUIDELINES, ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS, CITY, STATE AND COUNTY GUIDELINES, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE WE ARE REQUIRED TO DEMO SOME BUILDINGS.

THOSE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN PART OF THE COUNTRY CLUB.

THOSE HOMES HAVE BEEN PART OF THE COUNTRY CLUB FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

WE OFFERED THEM TO THE COMMUNITY FOR FREE IF THEY WANTED TO MOVE THEM.

THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WHEN NO ONE TOOK US UP ON IT, WE TOOK A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, CEDAR RAPIDS FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN USING IT FOR TRAINING EXERCISES, WHICH HAS BEEN ACTUALLY KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY UTILIZE THOSE BUILDINGS, FOR TRAINING EXERCISES, WHETHER IT BE SMOKE INHALATION OR SMOKE DETECTION AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO THEY'VE BEEN UTILIZING THEM.

IN ORDER TO GET A DEMO PERMIT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ASBESTOS AND YOU HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES, WHEN THEY GET TORN DOWN, ARE NOT GOING TO CREATE ANY KIND OF POLLUTANTS INTO THE AIR.

WE'VE TAKEN AN EXTRAORDINARY OPINION OF THAT AND ACTUALLY ARE WRAPPING UP.

IT'S CALLED PUTTING THEM IN A BURRITO.

WHEN YOU DO THE DEMO AND PHYSICALLY TAKING ALL OF THE THINGS OUT BEFORE THEY GET DEMOLISHED.

SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS COUNCIL KNOWS IS THAT THE COUNTRY CLUB IS REALLY WORKING VERY HARD TO ENSURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE WANT TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS WHILE STILL MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS CREATING ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ASSETS AND AMENITIES IN ORDER TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP TALENT IN THE MARKETPLACE.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL SAY REALLY THE LAST THING IS THAT MANY TIMES AS A DEVELOPER WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO THE CITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVES OR TRYING TO GET SOMETHING THAT IS OUTSIDE OF CODE OR TRYING TO GET SOMETHING ELSE.

THIS IS JUST A PRIVATE PROPERTY PROJECT THAT IS BEING PAID FOR WITH PRIVATE DOLLARS.

AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY TO ALLOW US TO DO ON THE PROPERTY WHAT THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.

I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT THIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALAN MURDOCH HERE TO SPEAK ON ECONOMIC ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ALAN MURDOCH.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE RENEWAL.

I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU POSTPONE AND CONSIDER IN MORE DETAIL BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ON THAT.

I'VE GOT CONCERNS ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM WITH THE ORGANIZATION.

WHEN I JOINED THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE INITIALLY I PRODUCED VIDEO, I PRODUCED WEBSITES, I CREATE CONTENT.

AND INITIALLY THEY STARTED REACHING OUT TO ME SAYING, WELL, WHAT WOULD IT COST TO DO THIS? WHAT ABOUT STREAMING AN EVENT ONLINE? YOU KNOW? AND I SAID, FINALLY, I SAID, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL COMPONENTS OF DOING THE WORK THAT YOU NEED TO DO IF YOU NEED TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO ASSIST IN SETTING UP AND ESTABLISHING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES, I CAN INVOICE YOU FOR THAT.

LET'S SET UP A CONTRACT AND DO THAT.

SO THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING STOPPED AND THEN.

YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU KNOW, I WORKED WITH THEM, THEY STARTED TO DO RFPS.

THEY STARTED SENDING OUT RFPS, AND THEY PREFERRED TO WORK WITH AGENCIES THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION, SEND OUT RFPS TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BEFORE THEY OPEN THEM UP TO NON MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THAT WAS YOU KNOW, THAT WAS GREAT, YOU KNOW, BUT SOME OF THE RFPS, YOU KNOW, CAME OUT AND THEN THEY JUST LIKE DIED ON THE VINE.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, IN A WAY, KIND OF FISHING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE CREATIVE DIRECTION THAT WE COULD GO.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE RULES AND WE'RE GOING TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

AND ONE OF THOSE WAS DURING COVID.

THERE WAS A BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGN.

THEY WERE STARTING TO ROLL OUT A PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE TO USE AN APP TO TO SHOP THROUGH LOCAL SERVICES.

AND SO THEY SENT ME A REQUEST FOR AN RFP FOR A VIDEO TO PROMOTE THE APP.

SO I SENT THAT IN, AND THEN I HEARD BACK A COUPLE TIMES AND THEN THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE APP DEVELOPMENT AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT. WE'LL TELL YOU TOMORROW WHO WE'RE GOING TO CHOOSE FOR THE VIDEO PRODUCTION.

AND THEN THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO ME.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, THE CAMPAIGN THE RALLY CAMPAIGN ROLLED OUT WITH NO RFP, WITH NO INVOICE,

[00:30:08]

WITH NO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FROM ANYBODY AND THE RALLY CAP CAMPAIGN.

SO I REACHED OUT TO THEM AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THE APP DIED ON THE VINE AND THE RALLY CAP CAMPAIGN KIND OF CAME IN, BUT NO RFP WAS SENT OUT.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES, YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'VE REQUESTED RFPS FROM SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE ALTERNATE, YOU KNOW, SCOPES AND GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT BID.

AND LATER I FOUND OUT THAT WENT TO DOUG'S WIFE'S AGENCY, WHICH IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION.

DOUG IS THE DIRECTOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A PROBLEM.

AND I REACHED OUT AGAIN TO ANOTHER PERSON AT THE AGENCY AND THEY APOLOGIZED AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING WITH THAT WHOLE PROJECT AND SO FORTH.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE WAY THAT PROJECTS GET ROLLED OUT THROUGH THEM AND THE WAY THAT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS.

ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS COME UP RECENTLY IS THE MOVE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL INTO THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE BUILDING.

I'M WORKING ON BORNGRAEBER'S CAMPAIGN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER FOR HIM.

AND IN SOME OF OUR INTERVIEWS WE GOT TALKING ABOUT THAT AND I TALKED WITH DAVE TYMINSKI, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED.

AND HE BACKED UP TO, WELL, THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT EXISTS PRIOR TO MEET PRIOR TO 2019.

SOME OF THESE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE SO LONG AGO THAT WE'RE JUST ROLLING FORWARD WITH STUFF.

AND SO MY QUESTION WAS, WELL, WHY AREN'T THESE KINDS OF THINGS IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE? WHY AREN'T WE TALKING ABOUT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE A HIGH SCHOOL INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WHY? WHY ISN'T THAT DIALOG HAPPENING? AND TO ME, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE CONCERNS THAT A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

THE PUBLIC'S NOT INVOLVED.

AND CITY MONEY TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT IN THIS AREA.

AND THOSE ARE AREAS OF CONCERN.

LET ME CHECK MY TIME, MY 51 SECONDS.

SO I'M GOING TO WAIT AND I'LL PROBABLY COME BACK NEXT MONTH.

I WORKED ON THE VIDEOS FOR WELCOMING WEEK AND I'VE GOT SOME ITEMS THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY AND DEI DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN RELATION TO THE WAY THAT THOSE VIDEOS ROLLED OUT.

I WON'T BE ABLE TO BE HERE THE SECOND TIME THIS MONTH, BUT THE FIRST TIME NEXT MONTH.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

EMILY KAISER HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 30.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS EMILY KAISER AND I'M A SENIOR KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER WITH ALLIANT ENERGY, SERVING OUR LARGE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS HERE IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS REGION.

AS MAYOR NOTED, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE REZONING ASSOCIATED WITH THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL CENTER THAT YOU GUYS WILL VOTE ON LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

SO AGAIN, ALLIANT ENERGY INITIALLY OBTAINED OPTIONS AND WHICH LED TO THE EVENTUAL PURCHASE OF GROUND THAT WE NOW KNOW AS THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL CENTER.

THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING THAT GROUND WAS REALLY TO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ATTRACTION OF LARGE ELECTRIC LOADS TO OUR SERVICE AREA.

IN ADDITION, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDED DIRECT VALUE ADDED BENEFITS BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, THOSE VALUE ADDED BENEFITS COME IN THE FORM OF INCREASED TAX BASE JOB CREATION AND THEN ADDITIONALLY ADDITIONAL WATER AND WASTEWATER LOAD FOR YOUR CITY UTILITIES AS WELL.

SO SINCE PURCHASING THE GROUND, ALLIANT ENERGY HAS CONTINUED TO PERFORM EFFORTS TO CONTINUE BUILDING THE SITE READINESS OF THIS PROPERTY.

SO MOST RECENTLY WE HAVE HIRED BURNS AND MCDONNELL TO HELP US THROUGH SOME MASTER PLANNING, BUT ALSO SOME TARGET INDUSTRY WORK THAT THEY PERFORM SOME RESEARCH ON FOR US.

SO THROUGH THAT RESEARCH, THEY ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF TARGETED INDUSTRIES, BUT SEVERAL WERE IN DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE TARGET INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE WORK THAT ANGELO ECONOMICS PERFORMED FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AS WELL.

SO THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES INCLUDE MANUFACTURING, FOOD AND BIOPROCESSING AS WELL AS LIFE SCIENCES.

SO IN ADDITION, ALLIANT ENERGY HAS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS OUR STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AT BIG CEDAR.

SO AS NOTED, THE INTENTION OF THIS SITE WAS TO CONTINUE BUILDING ELECTRIC LOAD, BUT ALSO BEING A VALUE ADDED ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE REALLY REMAIN INTENTIONAL ON THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE ENTERTAIN AT BIG CEDAR TO ASSURE THAT THEY'RE GOOD INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORS TO BOTH OUR BUSINESS, OUR COMMERCIAL AND OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS AS WELL.

[00:35:06]

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER LANDS IN THAT PROPERTY IS REALLY THE HIGHEST VALUE AND THE BEST USE OF THE PROPERTY, BOTH FOR ALLIANT ENERGY AND FOR THE CITY AS WELL.

SO IN ADDITION, WE ARE CONTINUING TO LEVERAGE THE TARGET INDUSTRY RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TELLING THAT STORY OF WHY BIG CEDAR IS A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS AND AGAIN, WHY CEDAR RAPIDS MAKES A GOOD FIT FOR THOSE INDUSTRIES AS WELL.

AND LASTLY, WE AS IT RELATES TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROACH, WE HAVE RELAUNCHED OUR HEADQUARTER CALL VISITS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EXISTING INDUSTRY REMAINS WHOLE WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA AND REMAINS HEALTHY WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA.

SO AS IT RELATES TO THE REZONING OF THE CURRENT AREA THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL CENTER, WE BELIEVE NOW IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN PROJECTS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

NOW MORE THAN EVER, SITE READINESS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS AS THEY'RE VISITING THE SITE.

WE OFTEN GET QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE CURRENT ZONING STATUS IS AND WHAT THE TIMELINE FOR REZONING IS AS WELL.

SO BY REZONING THE PROPERTY NOW, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR PROSPECTS WILL SEE THAT WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN ANTICIPATION OF GROWTH AT THAT SITE.

IT ALSO DISPLAYS COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE FOR WHAT GROWTH LOOKS LIKE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

AND THEN IN ADDITION, LASTLY, ALLIANT ENERGY WHILE WE DO PLAY A ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AS THE LANDOWNER AND AS THE ELECTRIC UTILITY, WE ALSO ONLY CAN FIND SUCCESS WHEN WE HAVE OUR STRONG PARTNERS AT THE TABLE AS WELL, INCLUDING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND CITY STAFF.

THESE TEAMS ARE WITH US THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, ASSURING WHATEVER IS ENTERTAINED AT THAT SITE IS A GOOD FIT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS REZONING EFFORT.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY ARISE AT THIS PROPERTY AT ANY POINT IN TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. RYAN [INAUDIBLE] HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 29.

GIVE THIS. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS RYAN [INAUDIBLE]AND I'VE LIVED AT 33127 STREET DRIVE FOR 23 YEARS.

I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE FOR THE FOURTH TIME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AGAIN TODAY.

MY INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT IS PARAMOUNT, AS YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE.

I'M ONE OF THE LARGEST STAKE HOLDERS BEING RIGHT NEXT TO THE PROPERTY.

I HAVE 175FT OF MY PROPERTY THAT WILL BE RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARKING LOT AND BUBBLE BORDERING THE CRCC OWN LOTS.

ON A SIDE NOTE, WHEN I MOVED TO 27TH STREET DRIVE, THE SEVEN HOMES PURCHASED BY THE CLUB WERE OWNED AND OCCUPIED WITH A MIX OF NEW AND OLD.

WE WERE THE YOUNGEST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT ISN'T THE CASE ANYMORE.

AND FOR THOSE SEVEN HOMES, THEY'RE GONE.

AS OF TODAY I THINK THE LAST ONE IS GETTING TORN DOWN.

BEAUTIFUL SEVEN OLD HOMES NEED SOME REPAIR.

COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.

GONE. NO YOUNG FAMILIES TO HELP RENEW THIS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HEARS BEYOND JUST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR ISSUE.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M NOT TOTALLY AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY OF CRCC HOMES.

I KNOW THEY'RE LANDLOCKED AND THEY HAD TO BUY AND THEY STARTED BUYING 15 YEARS AGO.

BUT I DO HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION, AS WELL AS THE DRAINAGE ISSUES IN REGARDS TO THEIR INTENDED ISSUES.

AND I'VE BROUGHT THOSE UP BEFORE.

THAT ISN'T NEW, BUT STILL A BIG ISSUE AND STILL CONCERNS WITH THE PARKING LOTS AND THE DRAINAGE BECAUSE UNDER THE NEW ZONING THEY HAVE TO KEEP ALL THAT WATER ON PROPERTY AND I DON'T SEE HOW THEY CAN DO THAT WITH THE PARKING LOT AS IT'S SLOPED DOWN, EVEN IF THEY'VE USED PAVERS AND MOVE IT OUT INTO THE DRIVING RANGE, I DON'T SEE THEM HOLDING 100% OF THAT.

I ATTENDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.

I APPRECIATE PAUL, MY NEIGHBOR, FOR GETTING IT TOGETHER WITH THE CLUB AND THE IMMEDIATE, AS I CALL IT, THE ISLAND

[00:40:04]

BETWEEN 27TH FAIRWAY TERRACE AND COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY.

AND IN THAT IT WAS DISCUSSED LOCATING THE COURT 65FT AWAY FROM MY PROPERTY, REMOVING THE ACCESS ROAD.

ET CETERA.

I BELIEVE ALL NEIGHBORS IN ATTENDANCE THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WAS A PART OF WE'RE IN FAVOR OF THE COURTS BEING MOVED CLOSER TO THE FAIRWAY TERRACE THAT THE COUNTRY CLUB HAS ACQUIRED, AND IT WILL NO LONGER BE A CITY STREET.

AS WELL AS VOICING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION.

LAST WEEKEND, AFTER JUST ONE OF THE HOMES ON FAIRWAY TERRACE WAS DEMOLISHED, WE EXPERIENCED THE LIGHT AND SOUNDS COMING FROM THE PICKLEBALL COURTS 300FT AWAY THAT WAS BLOCKED BY THESE HOUSES.

THIS WAS SATURDAY NIGHT AROUND 9 P.M., ROUGHLY 300FT AWAY FROM MY PROPERTY.

I AM REALLY CONCERNED NOW MORE THAN EVER ABOUT THE NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION THAT WILL BE SHED FROM THE NEW TENNIS COURTS, PARKING AND POSSIBLE BUBBLE.

MANY OF US IN THE TRIANGLE SPEND TIME IN OUR BACKYARDS IN THE EVENINGS, AND THE TRANQUILITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE INTERRUPTED BY EARLY MORNINGS AND LATE EVENINGS. USE OF THE COURT AND LIGHTING.

I'M ALSO CONCERNED FROM 7 A.M.

TO 10 P.M.

EVERY DAY. WHERE THERE WILL BE NO PEACE BUT HEARING PICKLEBALL AND TENNIS COURTS.

THE FARTHER YOU PUSH IT AWAY, THE BETTER OFF.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE THERE.

LIGHTS ARE NOT THE ANSWER.

I THINK THEY NEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF LIGHT POLLUTION.

I'M STILL WORRIED ABOUT THE NOISE POLLUTION BEING SO CLOSE.

SECURITY IS A BIG ISSUE WITH PEOPLE PARKING THERE AT ALL HOURS.

HOW DO WE KNOW THEY'RE FROM CLUB BUSINESS? WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN THE YEARS THAT THE CLUB HAS BEEN OWNED, VACANT PROPERTIES, THE UPTICK IN CARS COMING AND GOING ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, LIKE LAST NIGHT, THERE WAS EIGHT KIDS.

I THINK THEY TOOK A DIP IN THE POOL, JUMPED THE FENCE AND OUR DOGS, OUR NEIGHBOR'S DOG, EVERYONE AWOKE.

WE WENT OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND WE FOUND OUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.

BUT NONETHELESS, THERE'S BEEN SHOOTINGS ON THE COUNTRY CLUB PROPERTY.

ON BROAD DAYLIGHT BREAK INS.

I KNOW IN MY RECENT CONVERSATION WITH THE CLUB TOM FOWLER, WE DISCUSSED HAVING THE CLUB INSTALL THE PRIVACY FENCING AWAY FROM THE PRIVATE AND OTHER VEGETATION.

WE HAVE THE SEPARATES THE PROPERTIES.

TOM HAS BEEN VERY AGREEABLE TO THIS BUT WILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY, NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION.

IN CLOSING, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND END WITH THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF JONI MITCHELL FOR ALL TO PONDER.

THEY HAVE PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT.

I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE SOME PEACE AND TRANQUILITY IN THE TRIANGLE AND AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS THIS PROJECT PROGRESSES.

THANK YOU.

2000. ITEM 29.

I LOVE JONI MITCHELL.

YAY. MY NAME IS TEAL THOUSAND.

I LIVE AT 300 FAIRWAY TERRACE SOUTHEAST.

I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND I OPPOSE THE CLUB'S AMENDED SITE PLAN TO IMPOSE A GIANT CIRCUS TENT TWO THIRDS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD AND AS TALL AS THIS BUILDING PARKED IN OUR BACKYARDS FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.

I GOT FOUR WORDS FOR YOU THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON.

SORRY. TREES, LEAVES, ELEVATION AND SIZE.

THE CLUB SUBMITTED A VIEW SHED ANALYSIS.

ABOUT HALF THE TREES THAT THEY HAD INDICATED WERE THERE HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN AND DON'T EXIST, ALONG WITH THE FIVE HOUSES THAT THE CLUB OWNS AND HAS DEMOLISHED.

AND JUST TO SAY FOR THE TREES THAT REMAIN.

IN IOWA IN FALL, TREES LOSE THEIR LEAVES.

SO THERE'S NO BLOCKAGE AT ALL COMING FROM THE TREES.

AND THE FACT THAT THE CLUB ADMITTED THE FACT THAT ELEVATION IS A CONCERN, THIS IS A MASSIVE BUBBLE THAT THEY WANT TO INSTALL SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND IT'S GOING TO TOWER 50FT OVER COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY.

SO THE FIRST HANDOUT THAT I PROVIDED IS A SCALE MODEL OF WHAT THAT BUBBLE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN COMPARISON TO THE SURROUNDING NEARBY HOMES.

AND IT POSITIVELY JUST DWARFS THEM.

[00:45:02]

THE SECOND PAGE IS THE CLUB'S VIEW SHED ANALYSIS, AND ALL THOSE LITTLE LOVELY YELLOW X'S ARE ALL THE TREES THAT ARE NOT THERE.

AND ALSO THE FIVE HOUSES THAT HAVE SINCE BEEN DEMOLISHED BY THE CLUB.

SO JUST TO SAY THAT THE ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS PROVIDED BY THE CLUB ALSO SKEW THE REAL SCALE BY AT LEAST 45 DEGREES SO THAT THE BUBBLE APPEARS MUCH SMALLER AND SHORTER IN NEARBY HOMES BIGGER AS WELL AS MAKING IT LOOK LIKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A PRAIRIE LAND.

IT'S NOT. IT'S ALL HILLS AND VALLEYS AGAIN, IN THE VIEW SHED ANALYSIS, ONLY TWO HOMES.

THE CLUB MAINTAINS THAT ONLY TWO HOMES WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE BUBBLE DUE TO TREES BLOCKING EVERYONE ELSE.

BUT SHOCKER OVER THE TREES DEPICTED IN THE CLUB'S MAP DO NOT EXIST.

THEY'VE BEEN CUT DOWN.

YELLOW X'S AGAIN HAVE MARKED THE TREES AND STRUCTURES THAT NO LONGER EXIST.

NOW AS ELEVATION ACCORDING TO THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY SITS AT 793FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

THE BUBBLE SITE, JUST THE GROUND IT'S GOING TO BE INCORPORATED INTO ON 27TH STREET DRIVE IS 813FT.

THAT'S A 20 FOOT RISE IN ELEVATION.

COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS IS AGAIN, NOT HILLS OR SORRY, NOT FLAT.

IT'S HILLS AND VALLEYS.

AND BECAUSE MOST OF OUR HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ON A HILLSIDE OPPOSITE THE CLUB AT ELEVATIONS WITH A PERFECT VIEW OF THE BUBBLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY TREES OR HOW MANY STRUCTURES YOU PUT UP THERE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BLOCK OUR VIEW.

I CAN SEE THE EMPTY LOTS FROM MY YARD.

AGAIN THE CLUB STATES THAT THE BUBBLE WILL RISE 30FT ABOVE 27TH STREET DRIVE.

AND EVEN IF IT'S DUG TEN FEET DOWN INTO THE HILLSIDE, IT'S GOING TO TOWER OVER COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY BY 50FT.

IT'S GOING TO DOMINATE THE HILLSIDE AND BE EYEBALL TO EYEBALL WITH THE WHITE MANSION ON THE CLIFF ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 27TH STREET DRIVE.

IT'S INSULTING AND RIDICULOUS TO BE TOLD BY PRO BUBBLERS THAT WE NEIGHBORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE BUBBLE.

A MAJORITY OF US WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE BUBBLE JUST FINE.

FURTHERMORE, ONLY FOUR OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THE CLUB'S PETITION IN FAVOR OF THE BUBBLE ACTUALLY LIVE IN COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS.

OBVIOUSLY THEY BELIEVE THAT SO LONG AS THE CIRCUS TENT ISN'T PARKED IN THEIR BACKYARD, IT'S A GREAT THING BECAUSE WHO CARES IF IT DESTROYS THE INTEGRITY OF SOMEONE ELSE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONE OTHER THING ABOUT PETITIONS, AT LEAST FOR PEOPLE THAT I KNOW OF PERSONALLY, WHO SIGNED OUR PETITION OPPOSING THE BUBBLE, WHICH WAS POSTED ONLINE BY THE CITY, WERE CALLED BY CLUB MEMBERS TO EXPLAIN THEIR OPPOSITION.

THE REASON THIS IS AN ISSUE IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY AWARE, A HISTORIC LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT AN ELITE ENCLAVE.

ALMOST EVERY HOME IS A TWO INCOME HOUSEHOLD.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THEY CANNOT SIGN A PETITION, LET ALONE ATTEND AND SPEAK OUT AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR FEAR OF REPRISALS FROM THEIR BOSSES OR CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.

SO PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT WHEN CITY COUNCIL HOLDS MEETINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF A WORKDAY ON AN ISSUE WHERE GOING PUBLIC WITH ONE'S CONCERNS CARRIES THE POTENTIAL TO DEEPLY AFFECT THE POCKETBOOKS OF WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT COUNTING HEADS ACCURATELY REFLECTS HOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FEELS AS A WHOLE.

AGAIN, IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT THE CLUB'S OWN MEMBERS REFUSE TO PAY FOR A PERMANENT STRUCTURE.

INSTALLATION OF AN ALTERNATIVE INFLATABLE CIRCUS TENT DOES NOT BENEFIT US OR SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD.

IN FACT, THE BUBBLE WILL ONLY SERVE TO DIMINISH OUR HISTORIC VILLAGE EQUALITY.

TIME'S UP, MS. THOUSAND.

THANK YOU. AND PLEASE RECUSE YOURSELF MAYOR.

TODD BARKER SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 29.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS TODD BARKER. I LIVE AT 312 23RD STREET DRIVE SOUTHEAST, YOU KNOW, AND SITTING, WAITING AND LOOKING AT THE AGENDA.

THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS THAT CR IS A VIBRANT URBAN HOMETOWN AND A BEACON FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES INVESTED IN BUILDING A GREATER COMMUNITY NOW AND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT THE FOUNDERS OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB DID FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THROUGH THEIR TRAVELS, BROUGHT A COUNTRY CLUB AND GOLF AND THEN A POOL AND TENNIS TO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND THEY HAVE REINVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST 120 YEARS.

I AM A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS AND THE COUNTRY CLUB OF APPROXIMATELY 45 YEARS, AND A LOT OF FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE BUBBLE AND OTHER PARTS THAT ARE AND AREN'T GERMANE TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

BUT THIS IS AS MUCH A TENNIS AND PARKING LOT AND REINVESTMENT IN OUR PROPERTY PRE AND POST DERECHO AND THE DAMAGED HOUSES

[00:50:06]

THAT EXISTED THERE WERE BEYOND DISREPAIR.

WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO CODE AND THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED.

NOW WE ARE ALSO REMOVING THIS IS AS MUCH A RELOCATION OF EXISTING TENANTS THAT ARE THE CORNER MORE VISIBLE OF COUNTRY CLUB, PARKWAY AND FAIRWAY TERRACE.

THOSE GO AWAY AND ARE RELOCATED TO A MORE SECLUDED, LESS VISIBLE LOCATION ON OUR CONSTRAINED PROPERTY.

THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF INFILL WITH RESPECT TO THOSE HOUSES THAT WERE OWNED LONG BEFORE MANY PURCHASED THEIR PROPERTY.

AND THE COUNTRY CLUB IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

THIS WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN THAT WE HAD IN MIND.

RESIDENTS IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AROUND COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS, WERE DEVASTATED BY DERECHO.

LIKE MANY PROPERTY OWNERS, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO ADVANCE OUR PROPERTY.

NO DIFFERENT THAN RYAN REPLACING HIS ROOF AND DOING IMPROVEMENTS IMMEDIATELY NEXT DOOR.

AND EVERYONE IS TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO REINVEST IN THEIR PROPERTY.

WE ARE NO DIFFERENT.

THERE ARE 606 HOUSEHOLDS OR ABOUT 1800 PEOPLE, AND THAT'S ABOUT 404 HOUSEHOLDS, OR ABOUT ALMOST 1200 PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THIS CLUB.

PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY AND THAT BY ITS OWN RIGHT INCREASES THE DEMAND FOR VALUE.

HEATHER MORRIS, AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL RESIDENTIAL AGENT, HAS SAID THE AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET FOR COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS IS FOUR DAYS AND IT HAS OVER 101% PRICE TO LISTING VALUE VERSUS THE AVERAGE MARKET OF 97%.

THAT IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY PEOPLE WANTING TO LIVE NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY.

AS FOR SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT, THIS IS OUR OWN PETITION OF 150 SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT.

AND WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, 1800 FAMILY MEMBERS AND 200 FULL TIME AND PART TIME STAFF THAT OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.

THERE ARE MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS IN COUNTRY CLUB HEIGHTS, THERE ARE MEMBERS AND NON MEMBERS IN DISTRICT TWO WHERE IT SITS AS WELL AS THE GREATER COMMUNITY.

DAVE AND CAROL MCFARLAND LIVE IMMEDIATELY ON THE PROPERTY IN THAT AREA OF THE TRIANGLE OR THE ISLAND.

THEY COULDN'T BE HAPPIER THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING WITH THE HOUSES AND THEY ARE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT.

THEY WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE WERE THE SLESSERS AND JONES, WHO ARE NEUTRAL ON THE PROJECT.

PAUL ESKER, WHO HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU BEFORE, WAS THERE AND VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE CHANGES WE'VE DONE AND THE PROJECT.

TOM CARFREY WAS THERE.

WE COULDN'T EVEN SEE HIS HOUSE AND IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH TREES.

IT WAS THE HOUSE.

WE DID A DEMONSTRATION, COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND WAS THERE WHERE IT WILL BE TEN FEET BELOW THE GRADE OF 27TH STREET DRIVE.

WE ERECTED A POLE AT ITS HIGHEST PEAK, WHICH IS 20FT, AND THAT WILL BE THE HEIGHT WITH RESPECT TO SOMETHING AS OUTLANDISH AS 50FT ABOVE COUNTRY CLUB PARKWAY. IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS LIKE HOUSES THAT OBSTRUCT THE VIEW.

WE'VE REDUCED THE ELEVATION OF THAT FURTHER.

WE HAVE SOLID FENCING, WHICH WAS JUSTIN FORTUNES CONCERNED.

HE IS NO LONGER HERE AND IS SATISFIED WITH THE SAFETY.

AND MR. HADDOW IS ALSO NOT HERE TO OBJECT.

SO OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS, WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN IN WORKING WITH THE CITY AND IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS TO BE AS ACCOMMODATING AS WE CAN TO REDUCE THE VISIBILITY. THE GREENERY AND VEGETATION THAT MISS BROWN MENTIONED WILL ONLY GROW IN OVER TIME BY PUTTING THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF IT THAT WILL FURTHER OBSCURE THE VISIBILITY. AND THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE A NET BENEFIT TO NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN USING IT AS MEMBERS BUT AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. AND THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO CHANGES, YOUR HONOR.

DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE ANY CHANGES? COUNCILMEMBER HOEGER.

MAYOR, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM 29.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I ALSO BECAUSE DUE TO MY REAL PROPERTY LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS PROJECT, THAT COULD EITHER IMPACT IT POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY I ALSO WILL RECUSE MYSELF.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS HOEGER AND POE RECUSING THEMSELVES.

ANYONE ELSE? THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 29.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA]

QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. WELL, WE'VE MOVED ON FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.

THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP.

I DO NOT HAVE THAT ON THIS MEETING.

POTENTIALLY IT IS ON THE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN UP SHEET.

[00:55:05]

OKAY. OKAY.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER 24 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE 8TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST AND MOUNT VERNON ROAD SOUTHEAST FROM 8TH TO 14TH RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF

[24. Report on bids for the 8th Avenue SE and Mount Vernon Road SE from 8th Street to 14th Street Reconstruction project (estimated cost is $9,900,000) (Tim Mroch). CIP/DID #301956-02]

$9,900,000.

TIM MROCH IS HERE.

TIM, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

TIM MROCH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT AND DO SOME EXPLAINING AND SOME BACKGROUND.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

SO CURRENTLY ON THE SCREEN, YOU SEE THE INTERSECTION OF 10TH STREET, 8TH AVENUE AND MOUNT VERNON ROAD.

ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN YOU SEE AS IT SITS TODAY, ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT WITH A ROUNDABOUT.

THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN A DECADE IN THE MAKING.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE MEDICAL DISTRICT AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT EACH HAVE COMPLETED INDEPENDENT STUDIES IN THIS AREA, EACH LOOKING AT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF ENHANCEMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION, AESTHETICS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY.

THE INTERSECTION OF MOUNT VERNON ROAD 10TH AND 8TH IS A GATEWAY TO A GROWING DOWNTOWN AND AN ENTRANCE TO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT.

MOUNT VERNON ROAD CURRENTLY CARRIES 23,000 VEHICLES A DAY.

THIS LOCATION IS DISTINCT WITHIN THE CITY AND NEEDS TO BE TREATED AS SUCH.

SO WHY ARE WE COMPLETING THIS PROJECT NOW? AND WHY A ROUNDABOUT? THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS AREA HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT.

THE STUDIES AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS ARE A GUIDE THAT WE'VE USED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.

THE ROUNDABOUT IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR A TRICKY INTERSECTION THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE AERIAL, HAS ODD GEOMETRY.

YOU'RE COMING AROUND A CORNER, YOU'RE INTERSECTING OTHER STREETS, YOU'VE GOT A ONE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 8TH AVENUE.

SO BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ALSO HAVE A HISTORY OF CRASHES.

OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD THERE WERE 40 CRASHES.

SOME OF THOSE WERE INJURY CRASHES.

BECAUSE OF THAT, THE CITY APPLIED FOR A TSIP, WHICH IS TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND GRANT.

IN 2021 WE WERE GRANTED THAT OR WE WERE AWARDED THAT GRANT BY THE DOT BECAUSE OF THAT CRASH HISTORY AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE DOT OF A ROUNDABOUT BECAUSE OF ITS SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS IS DETAILS ON THE ROUNDABOUT.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, THE ROUNDABOUTS IN THE MIDDLE WITH PLANTINGS, IF YOU WERE TO SLICE THE ROUNDABOUT AND TURN IT UP JUST ABOVE ON THE LEFT HERE, IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT IT FROM YOUR VEHICLE, YOU'D SEE PLANTINGS, TREES, AMENITIES.

THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN HERE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LARGE WALL THAT'LL BE DECORATIVE, LOTS OF VEGETATION, DECORATIVE LIGHTING.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A HIGH LEVEL OF STREETSCAPE AND AMENITY.

SO AGAIN, WHY A ROUNDABOUT? ROUNDABOUT IMPROVES SAFETY? THE INSTITUTE, THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY, YOU MAY SEE THEIR COMMERCIALS ON TV BECAUSE THE CAR MANUFACTURERS LIKE TO TOUT THEIR CHECK OF APPROVAL WHEN THEIR CARS MEET CERTAIN SAFETY STANDARDS.

THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ACTUALLY SUPPORT THIS GROUP INDEPENDENTLY, SO THEY'RE INDEPENDENT AND THEY LOOK AT NOT ONLY THE SAFETY OF VEHICLES, BUT ALSO THE SAFETY OF DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE CAN PUT IN.

AND THEIR STUDIES SHOW THAT A ROUNDABOUT REDUCES FATAL CRASHES BY 90%, INJURY CRASHES 76% AND PEDESTRIAN CRASHES BY UP TO 35%.

A ROUNDABOUT ALSO PROMOTES LOWER SPEEDS, REDUCES THE CONFLICT POINTS, WHICH MEANS WHEN VEHICLES ENTER THE ROUNDABOUT, THE WAY THEY CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES FROM THE OTHER LEGS.

AND IT LEADS TO OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE SIGNAL TIMING THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP AND THAT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, IT JUST VARIES IN HOW WELL IT OPERATES BECAUSE OF VOLUMES.

THIS LOCATION, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE ROUNDABOUT IS A VERSATILE INTERSECTION TYPE BECAUSE OF ITS SHAPE, SIZE AND DESIGN AT THIS LOCATION.

IF WE WERE TRY TO FIX SOME OF THE GEOMETRIC ISSUES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE, THE IMPACTS TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THEY ARE.

[01:00:12]

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS NOW.

EACH STAR ON THE RIGHT HAND OVERHEAD IS A RECTANGULAR, RAPID FLASHING BEACON, WHICH ON THE LEFT HERE, THIS IS A RECTANGULAR, RAPID FLASHING BEACON THAT WE HAVE ON THIRD AVENUE SOUTHEAST.

AT EACH OF THESE LOCATIONS, THERE WILL BE PUSH BUTTONS SO THAT PEDESTRIANS CAN PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE RAPID, RECTANGULAR FLASHING BEACON WILL START FLASHING FOR THE PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS.

NOW, AT EACH LOCATION, TOO, YOU CAN SEE BETWEEN THE STARS THERE'S ACTUALLY A REFUGE.

SO IF A PEDESTRIAN CROSSES, THEY'RE ONLY CROSSING AND LOOKING ONE WAY.

SINCE IT'S ONE WAY TRAFFIC ON THAT THOSE TWO LANES, THEN THEY CAN STOP.

PUSH THE BUTTON AGAIN.

LOOK THE OTHER DIRECTION AND THEN CROSS.

I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUTREACH THAT WAS COMPLETED.

WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING IN OCTOBER OF 2022.

ALSO INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WERE HAD WITH CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, MERCY MEDICAL CENTER, UNITY POINT AND OTHERS.

ONGOING COORDINATION WILL CONTINUE DURING CONSTRUCTION AND MAPS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CREATED FOR THE DIFFERENT PHASES SO THAT MERCY CAN HAND THOSE OUT TO PATIENTS OR SEND THOSE WHEN THEIR APPOINTMENTS ARE COMING UP.

ALSO, THE AMBULANCE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION.

THIS PROJECT IS ADJACENT TO A CURRENT PROJECT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

EVERYBODY PROBABLY HAS DRIVEN THROUGH SO CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE TWO PROJECTS AS WELL.

SO WHAT ABOUT ENVISION CR? THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS ENVISION CR, CONNECT CR WHICH IS ENHANCES TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR USERS WHILE KEEPING SAFETY TOP OF MIND.

INVEST CR WE'RE REPLACING OLD INFRASTRUCTURE WITH NEW, BUT ALSO ADDING AMENITIES THAT WILL KEEP AND ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO THE AREA.

ALL THE THEMES UNDERPINNED IN THE ENTIRE ENVISION CR PLAN ARE SUPPORTED BY THIS PROJECT.

THAT INCLUDES SUSTAINABILITY.

THIS PROJECT WILL REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY REDUCING IDLING TIME.

HEALTH ROUNDABOUTS ARE PROVEN SAFETY FEATURE FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING IN VEHICLES AND ALSO PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS.

PLACEMAKING THE PROJECT ADDS STREETSCAPING, LANDSCAPING, AND LIGHTING TO THE AREA AND EFFICIENCY.

IT MOVES PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, OR I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MEDICAL DISTRICT BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM AND THEIR SUPPORT, MOST SPECIFICALLY PHIL LOSTA AND HIS SUPPORT THROUGHOUT AND JUST MEETING, HE'S BEEN A GREAT TEAM MEMBER AS WE'VE MOVED THROUGH THIS PROJECT.

ALSO THE MERCY MEDICAL CENTER AND OTHERS IN THE AREA.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK CITY STAFF, SPECIFICALLY AARON STONE, THE PROJECT MANAGER.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG PROJECT MANAGER, WE WOULDN'T BE AT THIS POINT THAT WE ARE TODAY.

AND NOW THE BID RESULTS.

WE HAD SEVEN BIDS ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AUGUST IS NOT USUALLY A TIME OF YEAR THAT WE BID LARGE PROJECTS LIKE THIS, BUT THIS PROJECT AS A MULTI YEAR PROJECT, WE NEEDED TO GET GOING ON IT.

SO WE HAD SEVEN BIDS ON THIS PROJECT.

THE BIDS RANGED FROM $7,927,719.78, UP TO A HIGH OF $13,382,366.90. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT AND AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO BOOMERANG.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TIM.

COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO A LITTLE BIT OF QUESTION.

A LOT OF THE OTHER ROUNDABOUTS THAT WE HAVE, THEY'RE JUST CONCRETE.

AND WE GOT TRUCKS AND VEHICLES THAT JUST DRIVE RIGHT OVER THE MIDDLE OF IT FOR THEIR CONVENIENCE.

HOW'S THAT GOING TO THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ALLOWED IN THIS ONE, RIGHT? THOSE ARE MANY ROUNDABOUTS.

YES. AND THAT'S HOW YOU DESIGN A MINI ROUNDABOUT IS FOR LARGER VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE OVER THE CENTER ISLAND.

BE ACCESSIBLE FOR LARGER TRUCKS, DUMP TRUCKS, CITY VEHICLES AND STUFF LIKE THAT TO ACCESS.

YES, BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE ACTUALLY SAT AND WATCHED THE ROUNDABOUTS ON WILEY BOULEVARD, THE ONE ON JOHNSON AVENUE WILEY.

THERE WAS REALLY NEVER AN ISSUE WHEN THERE WAS A FOUR WAY STOP.

BUT I HAPPENED TO COME UPON TIME WHERE AFTER THE ROUNDABOUT WAS PUT IN AND IT'S A 20, 25 MILE AN HOUR SECTION, I'VE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER ON ITS ROOF IN A 25 MILE AN HOUR SECTION BEFORE LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS A FOUR WAY STOP.

[01:05:04]

THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF CONFUSION IN MY EYES.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A RIGHT PLACE FOR ROUNDABOUTS.

BUT IN A BUSY PLACE LIKE THIS AND WITH A SCHOOL RIGHT UP ON THE HILL, I MYSELF AM I'M FOR THE PROJECT FIXING THIS CONNECTION, BUT I'M TOTALLY AGAINST THAT ROUNDABOUT, SO THANK YOU.

OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS, MAYOR. TIM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK IT THOROUGHLY EXPLAINS HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPROVE THAT INTERSECTION.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE MEDICAL ENTITIES WHO WOULD BE THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN THIS CASE ANYWAY.

HAVING A STAKE AND APPROVING OF THIS PLAN JUST IS PROOF IN THE PUDDING THAT THIS IS PRIORITIZING SAFETY AND THAT IT'S THE RIGHT PLAN FOR THE SPACE.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. YEAH, TIM, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SHOW US THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY MY BIG TAKEAWAY LAST PRESENTATION. HOW ARE WE GOING TO SAFELY WITH SUCH A BIG INTERSECTION WITH SO MUCH CONVERGING.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO SAFELY MOVE PEDESTRIANS.

AND MORE AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, OUR KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL AT MCKINLEY.

SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

DO YOU AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS LAST TIME.

SO MY APOLOGIES, MAYOR, BUT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A ROUNDABOUT, ROUNDABOUTS USUALLY SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN DRAMATICALLY THROUGH THE PROCESS, THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SLOW DOWN SOME OF THE TRAFFIC COMING OFF OF MOUNT VERNON ROAD? I WALK ALONG THAT SECTION OF THE ROAD QUITE FREQUENTLY AND PEOPLE ARE FLYING.

I KNOW IT'S A HIGHWAY, BUT PEOPLE FLY DOWN MOUNT VERNON ROAD.

DO YOU THINK THIS WILL HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THAT? I THINK RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION, DEFINITELY.

AND IT'LL VARY DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY.

SO IF THERE'S A LOT OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AT THE ROUNDABOUT, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE SLOW BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE YIELDING TO EACH OTHER WITHIN THE ROUNDABOUT.

BUT THEN EVEN ON THE NON-PEAK TIMES, PEOPLE WILL BE SLOWING DOWN PROBABLY 25 MILES AN HOUR.

SO YOU WON'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE TODAY WHEN YOU'RE YOU'RE COMING DOWN MOUNT VERNON ROAD, YOU HAVE THIS TURN AND YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS TURN.

AND THEN THERE'S A SIGNAL THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MAYBE YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION LIKE YOU SHOULD BE.

IT WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT SITUATION SINCE WE'LL BE SLOWING PEOPLE WITH THE ISLANDS, THE DIVERTER ISLANDS AND GETTING PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN BEFORE THEY EVEN ENTER THE CIRCLE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER.

THANKS, TIM. I BELIEVE YOU SAID WE'RE OBTAINING A DOT GRANT FOR THIS, AND I'M SORRY IF I MISSED IT.

WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF THAT? IT'S A HALF $1 MILLION DOLLARS.

THANK YOU. IT'S A TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT.

THANK YOU. JUST TO SORT OF TACK ON TO THAT, TOO, DO WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM PRIVATE PARTNERS AS WELL FINANCIALLY? ANYTHING ON THE ROUNDABOUT, OR IS THAT ALL? WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE MEDICAL DISTRICT, SO THEY'RE KICKING IN FUNDS TO DO SOME OF THE UPGRADES OF THE THE STREETSCAPING.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY PART OF THEIR MASTER PLAN AS AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN 10TH STREET.

THIS IS KIND OF THE END OF THAT PIECE, BUT IT'S ALSO A PIECE OF THEIR MASTER PLAN ON 8TH SO THEY HAVE A PIECE FROM 7TH TO 10TH.

SO IT'S REALLY TWO PIECES COMING TOGETHER.

IT'LL FINISH IT OFF REALLY NICELY.

WONDERFUL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIM.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, I'VE AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WE'VE DONE LOTS OF STUDIES ON, YOU KNOW, IS THERE BENEFITS TO ROUNDABOUTS? AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF ROUNDABOUTS, MINIS, WHICH I'M NOT QUITE A FAN OF AS WELL.

BUT WE HAVE NO CHOICE BECAUSE THERE'S NO ABILITY TO BUILD ANYTHING BIGGER BECAUSE OF WHAT'S BUILT ON THE FOUR CORNERS.

BUT I HAVE A ROUNDABOUT THAT'S JUST 3 OR 4 BLOCKS THAT FROM MY HOME, STONEY POINT AND E, AND IT'S SAME SIZE AS THIS AND SAME TYPE OF DESIGN WITH THE EARTH.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT FANCY LANDSCAPING, BUT IT'S AN EARTHEN MOUND.

AND, AND SO IT'S BEEN AMAZING AS YOU LEARN.

AND I WENT OUT WHEN I FIRST WENT IN AND TOOK THE COURSE THE PUBLIC WORKS HAD THAT I THINK WAS JOHN WITT THAT GAVE ME THE DRIVING LESSON ON HOW TO USE A ROUNDABOUT.

AND AFTER A WHILE, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE WATCHED IS I GO THROUGH BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY SENIORS WITH ROUNDABOUTS.

AND SO I'VE WATCHED IT AND IT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ACCIDENT THERE JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE BIGGER ONE VERSUS THE MINIS, WHICH ARE MORE PRONE TO PEOPLE GETTING A LITTLE CRAZY.

AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAVING DRIVEN THAT INTERSECTION AND HAVING LIVED AT ONE TIME A LONG TIME AGO ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE INTERSECTION THAT DOES HAVE LOTS OF ISSUES.

AND IT'S NOT WHAT I CALL A PRETTY AREA.

AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO ADD A LOT TO THE END OF WHAT'S ALL BEEN DEVELOPED ALONG THE MED Q TO REALLY MAKE WITH THE NEW BUILDINGS THERE, GETTING RID OF THAT OVERPASS THAT

[01:10:06]

HAS AGED DRAMATICALLY.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO ENHANCE THE AREA.

AND IT'S REALLY I THINK WHAT IS THIS OUR THIRD $500,000 GRANT.

I THINK WE GOT THE ONE AT COLLEGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OUT THERE, WHICH WON STATE AWARDS FOR BEING ONE OF THE BEST ROUNDABOUTS IN THE STATE AND FOR ITS SERVICE AND HOW IT WORKED WITH THE SCHOOLS RIGHT THERE.

AND SO AGAIN, MINIS I THINK ARE A BIG ISSUE, BUT I THINK BY THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT THIS TYPE OF ROUNDABOUT, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

AND I THINK THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SAINT WENTZ ROUNDABOUT THAT'S ALSO HEAVILY LANDSCAPED.

THAT'S A SMALLER ONE, BUT THE BIGGER ONES WORK VERSUS THE MINIS MUCH EASIER.

AND SO I'M KIND OF EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS GOES.

MY ONLY CONCERN THAT YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT AS WE WALKED UP THE STAIRS TODAY IS THAT THIS IS A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CONFUSING DURING CONSTRUCTION, AS IT ALREADY IS, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.

AND WE JUST NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB THAN AS WE CAN THE BEST JOB WE CAN TO SIGNALIZE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW AS THOSE LANES SHIFT AND IT'S CONSTRUCTED IN PHASES SO THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THROUGH THE AREA BECAUSE IT IS A TWO YEAR PROJECT VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S SHORT TERM.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT MAYBE THE FINAL PROJECT LOOKS LIKE.

AND SO THAT SAFETY DURING CONSTRUCTION.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK OUT A GOOD PLAN WITH BOOMERANG.

AND I KNOW THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S SIGNED PROPERLY.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER TODD, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO I WANT TO JUST HEARKEN ON THE POINT YOU MADE EARLIER.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION NOW.

YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING ACCIDENTS.

YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING INJURIES.

THE PURPOSE OF THE ROUNDABOUT AND I EVEN SLOW DOWN MYSELF, IS TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.

AND SO YOUR POINT IS WELL TOOK ABOUT IT WILL DURING CONSTRUCTION.

I MEAN I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING MOUNT VERNON ROAD, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER STREETS THAT HAVE THAT ARE IN PAVING FOR PROGRESS AND OTHER PROGRAMS WHEN THEY'RE DONE.

YOU DON'T GET A CALL ON WHAT A GREAT JOB.

AND SO AND THE OTHER PART IS IN TERMS OF THE COST SHARE, THIS IS WHAT CITIES DO.

THIS IS A ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

THE SMID HAS STEPPED UP WITH THE AMENITIES ON 10TH.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO OTHERS IN THAT AREA.

THEY ARE CHIPPING IN.

BUT IN TERMS OF THIS TRAFFIC CONTROL, THIS IS TRAFFIC.

THIS IS OUR ARTERIAL FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.

THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

SO GOOD LUCK.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY POST SECONDED BY VANORNY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

NO. ONE NO. THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER 25 A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE LINN COUNTY EDGE OF FIELD PROJECT WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $450,000.

[25. Report on bids for the Linn County Edge of Field project (estimated cost is $450,000) (Mary Beth Stevenson). CIP/DID #PUR0623-348]

MARY BETH STEVENSON IS HERE.

MARY BETH. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE LINN COUNTY EDGE OF FIELD WATER QUALITY PROJECT WILL CONSTRUCT 24 SATURATED BUFFERS AND 13 BIOREACTORS ON ROUGHLY 1200 ACRES OF FARMLAND IN COOPERATION WITH 11 LANDOWNERS, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND LAND STEWARDSHIP WILL FUND 100% OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND EASEMENT PAYMENTS TO THE LANDOWNERS.

THREE BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THIS PROJECT ON JULY 26TH, 2023.

TWO VENDORS PROVIDED PRICING ON EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

LASER PRECISION WAS THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR ALL ITEMS COMING IN AT AN AGGREGATE COST OF $417,846.68.

THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COSTS IS $450,000 AND THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD OCCUR BETWEEN AUGUST 2023 AND MARCH 2024.

UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL DIVISION STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO LASER PRECISION IN THE AMOUNT OF $417,846.68.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU MARY BETH.

COUNCIL. THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. I'LL BE REALLY QUICK.

I JUST LOVE THIS PROJECT AND WANT TO SEE MORE OF IT.

THANKS. GREAT. THANK YOU.

NOTED. OKAY.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY.

SECONDED BY OVERLAND. ALL THOSE.

I'M SORRY. NOT OVERLAND, LOEFFLER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

ITEM NUMBER 26 IS A PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE SAVING PROPERTIES AND REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES OR SPARC PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE

[26. Presentation and resolution adopting the Saving Properties and Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) program to support the redevelopment of tax-delinquent, vacant and abandoned properties (Jeff Wozencraft). CIP/DID #CD-0090-2023]

REDEVELOPMENT OF TAX DELINQUENT, VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES.

JEFF WOZENCRAFT IS HERE.

JEFF, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON. JEFF WOZENCRAFT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AS STATED, THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO CREATE THE SPARC PROGRAM.

[01:15:05]

SO THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THAT MANY CITY STAFF, RESIDENTS, I'M SURE COUNCILMEMBERS AS WELL HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WHERE PROPERTIES FOR WHATEVER REASON BECOME ABANDONED AND UNCARED FOR AND IMPACT THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND RESIDENTS. AND THIS HAS BEEN A FOCUS OF STUDY FOR NATIONAL THINK TANKS HERE AT THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRESS IS SORT OF THE LEADER IN THIS AREA.

AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THESE VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND POSING COSTS ON MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, REDUCING SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUES, INCREASING THE PERCEPTION AND ACTUAL CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS, AND THEN ALSO ACTING AS A TRIGGER FOR NEGATIVE PROPERTY OWNER BEHAVIOR.

AND THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK.

WE'VE INVOLVED ALL THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THESE VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES, BUILDING SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, OUR REAL ESTATE AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, FINANCE AND SAFE CR, REALLY TRYING TO GET TOGETHER AND ADDRESS THESE PROPERTIES.

AND WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH IS LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH LINN COUNTY TO ACQUIRE TAX DELINQUENT, VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES THROUGH THE TAX SALE PROCEDURE, AND THEN PARTNER WITH NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS TO HELP CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THESE ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM WILL ALIGN WITH SOME CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT WERE RECENTLY ADOPTED, THOSE BEING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE'RE LOOKING TO PROVIDE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THESE CORE NEIGHBORHOODS PRIMARILY THAT WOULD BE USING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ESSENTIALLY BEING INFILL DEVELOPMENT. IT WOULD SUPPORT A CLEAN AND SAFE CITY, REDUCING BLIGHTED PROPERTIES THAT ARE DECREASING PROPERTY VALUES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND IN TURN CREATING SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I GUESS IN SOME LOOKING TO CREATE VIABLE AND CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES FROM ONES THAT ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING CURRENTLY.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.

THE KEY TWO COMPONENTS WOULD BE EITHER VACANT OR ABANDONED.

SO PARCELS THAT HAVE NO EXISTING STRUCTURE OR BUILDING ON THEM OR ABANDONED ONES THAT HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF OUR BUILDING CODE AND VACANT FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.

SOME OTHER CRITERIA THAT AMONGST OTHER DEPARTMENTS WE LANDED ON FOR PRIORITIZING THESE PROPERTIES ARE HISTORY OF NUISANCE AND CODE VIOLATIONS. THE AMOUNT OF CITY LIENS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED ON THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE INHIBITING THEIR REDEVELOPMENT, THE IMPACT TO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS, THEIR REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, THE INABILITY TO CONTACT THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THEN PAST CANCELED TAX CERTIFICATES AND MULTIPLE TAX SALES IN RECENT PAST.

AND SO THE PROCESS THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW, WE WOULD WORK AS A TEAM ACROSS THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY PROPERTIES FOR ACQUISITION THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THE REQUEST WOULD THEN BE MADE TO THE LINN COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE, AT WHICH POINT, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD, IT WOULD THEN ENTER A TAX SALE PROCEDURE.

AND IF NO ONE, THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ABLE TO REDEEM THE PROPERTY, IT WOULD THEN BE CONVEYED TO THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AT WHICH POINT WE WOULD ISSUE A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

AND IF REDEVELOPMENT IS INFEASIBLE, WE WOULD THEN OFFER THE PROPERTY UP FOR SEALED BID TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

THE PROPERTY ABOVE HERE IN THE TOP RIGHT, IT'S BEEN VACANT SINCE THE 2008 FLOOD HAS APPROXIMATELY $15,000 IN CITY LIENS THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED ON IT. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THERE'S BEEN FIVE CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS AND 26 CODE CASES SINCE 2013.

THE PROPERTY BELOW IT, THERE'S BEEN FIVE CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, 32 CODE CASES SINCE 2013, AND APPROXIMATELY $13,000 IN CITY LIENS HAVE ACCUMULATED ON IT.

SO THE NEXT STEP TODAY, THE RESOLUTION IS HERE TO APPROVE THE PROGRAM.

AND THEN THIS YEAR, WE WOULD PILOT THE PROGRAM TO SEE ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE PROBLEM PROPERTIES THAT EXIST THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU JEFF COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

YEAH, THIS PROGRAM IS LONG OVERDUE, SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY TEAM FOR GETTING CREATIVE AND FINDING WAYS TO HELP US WITH SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES.

JEFF, YOU'VE SHOWN US TWO EXAMPLES, BUT HOW MANY ESTIMATED PROPERTIES DO WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY? SO THIS IS A MOVING TARGET.

[01:20:01]

THERE ARE PROPERTIES THAT WOULD FALL IN AND OUT OF ONES THAT WE WOULD BE PRIORITIZING.

THERE ARE AROUND 50 THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO CONSECUTIVE TAX SALES WITH THE LINN COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE THAT ARE SITTING RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER VANORNY THANKS, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, JEFF, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, JUST TO REITERATE, IS THAT WE ARE BEING VERY DILIGENT ABOUT NOT TRYING TO STEAL ANYBODY'S PROPERTY.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO WORK THROUGH ANY SORT OF BARRIERS THAT ANYBODY'S HAVING.

BUT THE REALITY IS FOR THE EVERYDAY PERSON, IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO GET IN THIS STATE.

IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO HAVE THINGS COME UP AND LET YOUR LAWN GO AND THEN YOU CAN'T GET THE ROOF DONE AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPENS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL REMAIN ABOUT $500 AWAY FROM BANKRUPTCY.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I SAW A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION OF OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN DETROIT.

AND THEY DID IT BEFORE AND AFTER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE SOCIAL MEDIA REELS.

AND IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE A DILAPIDATED PROPERTY LIKE THAT BRICK BUILDING AND TO SEE IT HAVE NEW LIFE BREATHED BACK INTO IT.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT SAME POTENTIAL FOR CEDAR RAPIDS BECAUSE IT PUTS MORE HOUSING STOCK BACK ON LINE THAT WE'RE NOT DEVELOPING NEW.

WE CAN ACTUALLY JUST REHABILITATE WHAT'S ALREADY HERE.

SO THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I MISSED THIS PART.

I WAS THINKING, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOUSES ONCE WE GET THEM? SO DEPENDING UPON IF WE'VE DETERMINED THAT THEY'RE FEASIBLE FOR REDEVELOPMENT, WE WOULD ISSUE AN RFQ FOR NONPROFIT HOUSING DEVELOPERS TO REDEVELOP INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SO WHAT THIS IS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER POE SAID, LONG OVERDUE, LONG, EONS OVERDUE.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THE CITY IN PARTICULAR LEGAL NOT BE AFRAID TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE.

THERE'S ONE PIECE THAT'S MISSING.

AND THAT'S THE BANKS.

OKAY, BEFORE THEY GET TO THE TAX LIEN.

THERE'S ALSO THOSE HOMES THAT GET FORECLOSED AND SOME BANKS OR FEDERAL HOME LOAN, THEY CAN HOLD ON TO THOSE HOUSES FOR YEARS.

SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE A KEY PLAYER, BUT A GREAT INITIATIVE.

GOOD TO SEE. WHEN I THINK OF LIKE HOPE CDA, I MEAN, PERFECT, YOU KNOW, FOR GUYS LIKE THAT.

SCOTT. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THINGS BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS GREAT.

THE PROBLEM IS IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.

I THINK AT TIMES WE FOUND OUT WITH PROPERTIES THAT ARE NUISANCE PROPERTIES, ET CETERA.

SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE TEAM WITH THE COUNTY THEN IF WE GO THROUGH THIS, ARE THE TAXES PAID BY THE CITY OR THE DEVELOPER THAT WE MIGHT FIND WHO PAYS THE TAX BILL THAT'S DELINQUENT WITH ALL THESE LIENS? SO PART OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE WRITING OFF THAT BAD DEBT.

THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY HAS TO DO.

YEAH. AND I KNOW THEY'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.

AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WRITE OFF THE LIENS THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED ON THE PROPERTY.

RIGHT. BOTH THE TAXES AND THE LIENS ARE WRITTEN OFF TO THEN.

YES. ALLOW FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT.

NUMBER TWO, IS THAT WHAT HAPPENS THEN? A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TAX SALES AND TAX LIENS, YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT SO MANY THAT THE OWNER, WHOEVER HE IS, HAS TWO YEARS TO REDEEM.

YEP. SO DO WE HAVE TO WAIT? SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES YOU PROBABLY PRIORITIZED HAVE HAD MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF TAX LIENS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PRIORITIZING PROPERTIES THAT HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE TWO YEAR WAITING PERIOD.

YES. SO THAT WE CAN THEN WORK WITH THE COUNTY.

YEAH. AS YOU'RE MENTIONING, THERE IS A REDEMPTION PERIOD FOR TAX SALE PROCEDURES FOR THE ONES THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING.

THEY'VE GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE TAX SALES AND ARE NOW HELD BY LINN COUNTY BECAUSE.

RIGHT. THEY'VE GONE.

THAT WAY WE GET THAT FORMER DELINQUENT PROPERTY OWNER OUT OF THE WAY.

SO HE CAN'T WALK INTO COURT AND SLOW US DOWN.

THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON NUISANCES.

THEY KEEP SWITCHING OWNERS AND WE HAVE TO TRY IT AGAIN.

AND THE JUDGES ARE GIVING THEM MORE AND MORE TIME.

SO IS THERE ANY LEGAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT? THERE IS STILL AN ABBREVIATED REDEMPTION PERIOD WITH THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR ACQUIRING THESE PARCELS, BUT IT IS ABBREVIATED.

IT'S NOT TWO YEARS, IT WOULD BE A 90 DAY.

OKAY. SO AGAIN, IT'S I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHAT'S THE FRUSTRATING PART ABOUT NUISANCE PROPERTIES AND THE CALLS I GET IN MY DISTRICT AND WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER, WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE TENANT AND THEN IT GETS INTO THE COURT THING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE DOWN TO SLOW DOWN TIME.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND ENOUGH PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING LONG ENOUGH SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT RATHER THAN WAIT FOR A COURT PROCESS.

[01:25:05]

SO I THINK HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE OUR TOP PRIORITY SO WE CAN SHOW PEOPLE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER TODD YOU HAD SOMETHING? COUNCIL. GOOD POINTS.

THE CITY LIEN THAT DOESN'T GET I MEAN, NOBODY RECOUPS THOSE FUNDS.

THE TREASURER DOESN'T.

BUT JUST TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER TO IT, I THINK AS A COUNCIL WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND MAYBE THIS IS WHERE NEIGHBORHOOD FINANCE COMES IN OR US IN TERMS OF BUDGETING.

NO, NO NONPROFIT IS GOING TO TAKE THESE HOUSES BASED ON THE CONDITION THAT SOME OF THESE ARE IN.

UNLESS THERE'S SOME TYPE OF INCENTIVE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK THAT THROUGH SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE IF WE WANT TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT IT.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THESE ARE BASICALLY BE HOUSES WHERE THE WHOLE LEGAL PROCESS IS EXHAUSTED ITSELF AND THEY JUST END UP SITTING THERE UNTIL SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER THEY CAN EITHER BE TORN DOWN OR FIND ANOTHER USE FOR THEM.

AND SO PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVEN'T HAD A TOOL FOR THAT IN ORDER.

YEAH, THESE ARE PROPERTIES WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY MOWING THE LAWN, SHOVELING THE SIDEWALK IN THE MOST.

THE WORST CASES IS WHEN WE HAVE TO DO AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION ON A GARAGE OR IN SOME CASES THE STRUCTURE THEMSELVES.

WELL, AND WE PROBABLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THOSE PROPERTIES ABOUT ILLEGAL ENTRY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TOO.

SO GREAT. I THINK, AS COUNCILMAN TODD SAID, WORKING WITH ENTITIES TO TRY TO GET THESE BACK INTO USABLE CONDITION OR ELIMINATED MAKES ALL THE SENSE.

THANK YOU. FANTASTIC.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY WORK TOGETHER, THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST RECENT SHINING EXAMPLES.

AND I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FIRST STEP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THE MINDS THAT CAME TOGETHER AND THE ENTITIES THAT CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT INFILL AND MAKING OUR CITY A PLACE FOR EVERYBODY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS AS A WAY TO DO THAT.

SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WAS A PART OF THAT.

IF WE HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THIS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE ORDINANCES.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[27. Ordinance granting a change of zone for properties at 1003 and 1007 6th Street SE from T-R1, Traditional Residential Single Unit District, to T-RF, Traditional Residential Flex District, as requested by Butterfield Holdings, LLC. CIP/DID #RZNE-033815-2023]

SO ORDINANCE NUMBER 27, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTIES AT 1003 AND 1007 6TH STREET SOUTHEAST FROM TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL SINGLE UNIT DISTRICT TO TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL FLEX DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY BUTTERFIELD HOLDINGS, LLC.

THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HOEGER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LOEFFLER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE THE RULE REQUIRING THREE READINGS ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS BE SUSPENDED AND THE ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

[28. Ordinance granting a change of zone for property at 521 8th Avenue SE from U-NG, Urban Neighborhood General District, to U-MF, Urban Medical Flex District, as requested by Williams Synergy Group, LLC. CIP/DID #RZNE-033846-2023]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I NEGLECTED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM NUMBER 28 WHEN YOU ORIGINALLY ASKED, SO I NEED TO DO THAT NOW.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON RECUSING FROM ITEM NUMBER 28.

THIS IS AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY AT 521 8TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST FROM URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD GENERAL DISTRICT TO URBAN MEDICAL FLEX DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY WILLIAMS SYNERGY GROUP, LLC.

THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I MOVE THE RULE REQUIRING THREE READINGS ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS BE SUSPENDED AND THE ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.