Dec 05, 2023 City Council

THIS MEETING, THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.

[Call to Order ]

[00:00:07]

I DO ANTICIPATE AND THERE SHE IS, COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

SO WE ARE ALL IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.

I WANT TO WELCOME OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY CLERK, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR JOINING US AND BEING AVAILABLE AFTER THIS MEETING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SHOULD YOU HAVE THEM, PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT DISTRACT US FROM OUR PROCEEDINGS.

AND NOTE, AS ALWAYS, OUR COUNCIL MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND VIDEOS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE SO YOU CAN REFER TO THEM AT ANY TIME.

WE WILL NOW BEGIN, AS WE ALWAYS DO, WITH OUR INVOCATION BY PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN KEN GLANDORF TODAY, AND THAT WILL THEN BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

LET US PRAY.

GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR OUR CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER.

WE PRAY FOR THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.

AND ALSO WE WOULD REMEMBER OUR MEN AND WOMEN SERVING OVERSEAS.

WE PRAY FOR PROTECTIVE GRACE FOR THEM.

IN YOUR NAME, AMEN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

SO I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TODAY, WHETHER DURING A PUBLIC HEARING TIME OR DURING ONE OF OUR TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS, OF A FEW MATTERS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN ORDERLY MEETING.

FIRST, REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.

IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER ON YOUR RIGHT.

SHE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM.

THE OFFICER WILL TAKE THEM FROM YOU NEXT.

COMMENTS, AS ALWAYS, ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, SO YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT.

WHEN THAT TURNS TURNS ON, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING, AND WHEN IT TURNS RED, WE'LL INVITE YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT ONCE AGAIN.

AND PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, MUST BE DIRECTED TO ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA AND THAT NO ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, LOUD, THREATENING OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED.

AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY MEETING.

SO AGAIN, A REMINDER. NO APPLAUSE, CHEERING, BOOING OR OTHER NOISE OR CONDUCT FROM ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.

SO WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARDS TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY? YOUR HONOR, THERE WERE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER ONE HAS BEEN CANCELED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, SO THERE WILL BE NO PRESENTATION OR VOTE ON THAT.

HOWEVER, IT IS ANYONE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THAT MATTER.

EXCELLENT. ITEM NUMBER TWO.

[2. A public hearing will be held to consider the Resolution of Necessity (Proposed) for the 2024 Blairs Ferry Road NE from North Towne Place to Sammi Drive Sidewalk Infill project (Ken DeKeyser). CIP/DID #301878-00 ]

KEN KAISER IS HERE.

KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, KEN KAISER WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

HERE'S SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT.

THIS IS INCLUDES SOME INFILL SIDEWALK AND RAMPS ALONG BLAIRS FERRY ROAD BETWEEN I-380, EAST OF I-380, BETWEEN NORTHTOWN PLACE AND SAMI DRIVE.

SO IT'S APPROXIMATELY A MILE WORTH OF SIDEWALK.

WE ALSO INCLUDE SOME IMPROVED BUS STOPS.

THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, A NUMBER OF OTHER RIGHT OF WAY IMPROVEMENTS GRADING GOING ON IN THE PROJECT AS WELL.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROJECT IS IT'S IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

IT'S AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THIS ILLUSTRATION HERE, THIS IS PART OF THE CITY'S PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN.

AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THIS IMAGE IS A HEAT MAP THAT WAS GENERATED BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENTS, AS WELL AS PUBLIC USE OF THOSE RIGHTS OF WAY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND LONG NEEDED. SO THE AREAS HERE THAT ARE ORANGE AND PURPLE INDICATE JUST A HIGH USE AND A HIGH DEMAND FOR SIDEWALK IN THIS AREA.

AND OVERALL, THIS SUPPORTS OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR COMPLETE STREETS.

THIS IS A PROJECT LOCATION.

A LITTLE MORE DETAIL EAST OF 380.

THE SOUTH SIDE OF BLAIRS FERRY ROAD UP HERE IS.

JUST NOTICE THAT THE NORTH SIDE IS ACTUALLY IN HIAWATHA.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT DOING A SIDEWALK INITIALLY THERE.

BUT AS YOU CONTINUE EAST, YOU SEE THE SIDEWALK IS GOING TO BE INCLUDED ALONG THE FULL RIGHT OF WAY OF BLAIRS FERRY ROAD UP TO SAMI DRIVE.

JUST JUST A STREET VIEW OF WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE OUT THERE.

AND YOU WILL NOTICE MAYBE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE IMAGE THERE, THERE'S A WELL-WORN PATH.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A PEDESTRIAN DEMAND AND A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC HERE ON AN AREA THAT OTHERWISE DOESN'T HAVE VERY MUCH SIDEWALK.

THIS IS A PRELIMINARY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROJECT.

IT INCLUDES 40 PARCELS THAT ARE ALL EITHER COMMERCIAL OR MULTIFAMILY.

[00:05:04]

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK, AND NOTICES WERE SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE FINAL ASSESSED ON POST CONSTRUCTION COSTS. ONCE THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO REVIEW TODAY IS A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY THAT GIVES YOU FOUR OPTIONS.

WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY AS PROPOSED, AMEND IT WITH ANY ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE THERE, OR DEFER IT FOR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR DISCONTINUE THE PROJECT.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, KEN.

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

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE.

OH, WE DO. OKAY.

I'LL INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

OH. I'M SORRY.

HEY, FIRST TIME FIRST.

YEAH, I ADMIRE IT.

GOD, TAKE ME BY THE HAND AND LEAD ME ON.

YEAH. WE RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT I OWE 2000 $952,950 FOR IMPROVING MY.

PROPERTY OR FOR IMPROVING ON THE SIDEWALK.

WE DID. WE PAID.

TOP OUR TO HAVE SIDEWALKS PUT ALL THE WAY AROUND OUR BUILDING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.

WE. THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR IS OWNED BY A HOLDING COMPANY IN FLORIDA.

THAT'S WHERE IT'S NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES.

THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO THAT BUILDING, AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE ASSESSED WHEN WE'VE DONE ALL OUR WORK.

PAID FOR ALL THE SIDEWALKS THEIR SELF AND.

OKAY. NOW WHAT'S YOUR ADDRESS? FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. 1610 BLAIRS FERRY ROAD.

OKAY. KEN, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT MAP, PLEASE? YEAH. OKAY.

CONTINUE. IT'S MY COMPANY IS IOWA FLUID POWER.

OKAY. WE BOUGHT ONE LITTLE SECTION OF THAT LAND BACK IN 19, I'M SORRY, 1986 WAS AN EXISTING BUILDING.

WE'VE ADDED TO IT THREE TIMES.

WE NOW HAVE OVER 100,000FT².

WE HAVE.

I THINK WE'VE COMPLIED WITH ALL THE RULES IN.

IN FACT, IN ORDER TO GET CLEARANCE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAD TO PAY THIS HOLDING COMPANY IN FLORIDA A QUARTER OF $1 MILLION, SO THAT THEY WOULD SAY THEY WOULDN'T BUILD.

UH, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO MY PROPERTY.

WHICH WAS ONLY NECESSARY BECAUSE FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUIRED THAT THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THERE WOULD BE SIDEWALKS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.

I WOULD HAVE TO PAINT THE INTERIOR OF REALLY WHAT AMOUNTS TO A WAREHOUSE AND FACTORY WITH FIREPROOF PAINT, WHICH WOULD HAVE COST OVER $1 MILLION AND DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THE BUILDING.

ANYWAY. YEAH.

MAYOR. I'M OBJECTING TO 2950.

IT'S A MINOR AMOUNT.

IF ANYBODY HAS DRIVEN BY BURR'S FERRY, THEY CAN SEE WE'VE BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOREVER.

IT'S. I THINK WE GOT THE WORLD'S SLOWEST BUILDERS.

THIS. IF WE CAN PASS IT AROUND, I'D ASK THAT, TOO.

YEAH. OFFICER, WILL WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE WE SEE THOSE.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DID YOU HAVE MORE COMMENTS? YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO LET ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS.

ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH ONE OBJECTION.

FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SHOW ON THE PICTURE HERE.

IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THAT WHERE THAT BUILDING IS, I RECOGNIZE, SEE THE WORD PROJECT LOCATION AND THAT LAPS OVER ONTO HIS BUILDING.

HE'S ADDED ON TO THREE TIMES.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE SITE IS JUST FOR.

AND HE'S DOING A REMODELING OF THE FRONT RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT'S THE BUILDING.

JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY WANTED TO SEE IT.

THESE ARE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF COUNCIL.

ANY MORE COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

YEAH. THANKS, MAYOR.

SO CAN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE THE PART THAT BECOMES HIAWATHA? BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT CEDAR RAPIDS TAXPAYERS SHOULD PAY FOR THAT IN HIAWATHA.

[00:10:04]

SO ARE WE WORKING WITH THE ANN POE? IS HIAWATHA ALSO HAVING A CONCURRENT PROJECT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE'RE WORKING WITH HIAWATHA.

THEY ARE HAVING A CONCURRENT PROJECT.

OKAY, GREAT. AND THEN JUST THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT THAT I'LL SAY IS THIS IS REALLY REMINISCENT OF ADDRESSING AND IMPROVING SOME OF THE DEER PATHS THAT WERE ON SIXTH STREET.

I DO THINK THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMITMENT THAT COUNCIL HAS TO ALLOWING EVERYBODY IN CEDAR RAPIDS TO, TO LIVE IN, EXIST IN DIGNITY.

AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS MAKING SURE THAT EVEN THOSE WELL-TRAVELED DEER PATHS ACTUALLY ARE PAVED AND THEN ARE ABLE TO BE ADA ACCESSIBLE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. KEN, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE THAT PARCEL OWNER LOOKING AT KIND OF THE OVERHEAD VIEW HERE? AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE THERE IS A SIDEWALK CURRENTLY.

THERE ARE NOT MANY SIDEWALKS THERE.

ON THE NORTH SIDE THERE ARE A FEW SECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED, SO THERE ARE STILL MANY GAPS AMONG AMONG THE PROPERTIES THERE.

SO IT'S HARD TO TELL ON THE DETAIL HERE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART THERE'S VERY LITTLE SIDEWALK.

BUT IF SOMEONE HAS A SIDEWALK, THERE IS.

THERE IS A LITTLE, AS I RECALL, THERE IS A LITTLE SIDEWALK.

THERE ARE SOME SIDEWALK THERE ON THAT PROPERTY.

BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE ENTIRE LENGTH.

CAN I GET THAT? CAN I GET THAT SHEET BACK FROM? WHO HAS THE SHEET.

I GUESS IT DOESN'T HAVE THE ADDRESS ON HERE.

WHAT WAS THE ADDRESS AGAIN, SIR? HORSEFERRY ROAD. 1610.

YEAH. OKAY. OKAY, I GUESS WE'LL WE WE CAN LOOK AT THE DETAILS.

BUT IF SOMEONE, IF SOMEONE HAS A SIDEWALK, THEY WOULD NOT.

THEY'RE NOT BEING ASSESSED TWICE.

OKAY. THERE'S ONLY ONE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

MAYBE MAYBE YOU COULD ADDRESS THE CONCERN AFTER.

AFTER YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANKS. THANK YOU. KEN.

SURE I APPRECIATE THAT.

ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. MOVING ALONG THEN.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A HEARING TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY PROPOSED FOR THE CRESTWOOD DRIVE NORTHWEST ROADWAY AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

[3. A public hearing will be held to consider the Resolution of Necessity (Proposed) for the Crestwood Drive NW Roadway and Pedestrian Improvements project (Ken DeKeyser). CIP/DID #301946-00 ]

IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME PAVEMENT RECONSTRUCTION AND SOME DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A BOX CULVERT.

THIS IS THE OVERALL PROJECT LOCATION.

SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ON THE WOULD BE THE NORTHWEST CORNER HERE OF EDGEWOOD AND CRESTWOOD.

THERE IS A COMMON BOND DEVELOPMENT AND AND THEY ARE HELPING PAY FOR SOME OF THE SIDEWALK COSTS.

THE OVERALL PROJECT AREA HERE SHOWS BETWEEN EDGEWOOD AND WYLIE BOULEVARD TO THE WEST, SO THERE WILL BE PAVEMENT TO RECONSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT, AND THEN A SIDEWALK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CRESTWOOD.

THIS IS WHAT THE ROAD SECTION LOOKS LIKE NOW.

IT'S A SEAL COAT ROAD, AND THE REASON WE'RE PUTTING IT JUST ON THE NORTH SIDE IS JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY TOPOGRAPHIC AND DRAINAGE CHALLENGES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE PRELIMINARY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT INCLUDES ONE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITH AN ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT.

THE REASON WHY THAT'S JUST THE ONE IS BECAUSE IN 2020, THEY MADE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROPERTY.

AND AS A ZONING CONDITION, THEY ALSO PROVIDED AN ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT FOR FUTURE SIDEWALKS.

SO THE SIDEWALK WAS DEFERRED.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CONSTRUCT IT WITH THE PROJECT, BUT HAD TO AGREE TO BE ASSESSED LATER FOR IT.

THE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN FILED AND THEN THEY WILL BE.

LEVIED A FINAL ASSESSMENT WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE.

THIS IS THE RESOLUTION NECESSITY STEPS LIKE YOU SAW ON THE LAST PROJECT.

YOU CAN EITHER ADOPT THIS AS PROPOSED, AMEND IT, OR DEFER OR DISCONTINUE THE PROJECT.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS YOU ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY.

THANK YOU. KEN.

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

DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[4. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the 35th Street NE from Oakland Road to F Avenue Pavement Reconstruction project (estimated cost is $4,630,000) (Doug Wilson). (Paving for Progress) CIP/DID #3012336-02 ]

[00:15:01]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $4,630,000.

DOUG WILSON IS HERE. DOUG, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. DOUG WILSON, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF STORM SEWER AND SANITARY SEWER WORK.

COMPLETE PAVEMENT RECONSTRUCTION.

NEW SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET FROM OAKLAND ROAD TO F AVENUE.

NEW ADA RAMP CONSTRUCTION AND MINOR WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS.

ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE COST IS $4,630,000.

THE BID OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 13TH, 2023.

PHASE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN MARCH OF 2024, WHICH WITH COMPLETION IN THE FALL OF 2025, MAKING THIS A TWO YEAR PROJECT. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION FOR THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOUG.

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

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

FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEFFLER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. COUNSEL, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE FY 24 DRAIN TILE

[5. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the FY24 Draintile Program project (estimated cost is $280,000) (Ben Worrell). CIP/DID #304998-09 ]

WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $280,000.

BEN MOREELL IS HERE.

BEN. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR BEN.

WORLD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

SO THIS PROJECT WILL EXTEND ABOUT 4300FT OF SIX INCH SUB DRAIN AT NINE LOCATIONS SHOWN IN THE MAP THERE ON THE RIGHT, AND ALSO IN THE LIST THERE. THE INTENT OF THE PROJECT IS TO KEEP WATER OFF OF STREETS AND PREVENT PONDING AND ICING RELATED TO SUMP PUMP DISCHARGES AND GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE.

LOCATIONS GENERALLY COME FROM EITHER CITIZEN COMPLAINTS OR NOTES FROM STAFF FIELD STAFF.

ENGINEER'S OPINION, PROBABLE COST IS 280,000.

THE BID LETTING IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, WITH CONSTRUCTION ANTICIPATED JANUARY THROUGH AUGUST.

THERE ARE TWO TEMPORARY CLOSURES SHORT CLOSURES OF ABOUT TEN DAYS, UP TO TEN DAYS FOR SKYLINE DRIVE AND 10TH STREET NORTHWEST, WHICH ARE MINOR ROADS. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

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

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

FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU. MAYOR BEEN AS THESE GO IN, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT RUN THEIR SUMPS OUT INTO THESE AREAS, AND SO ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HOOK UP OR DO WE HOOK THEM UP, OR HOW DO WE DO THAT SO THAT THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, THE DOLLARS BEING SPENT? WE'RE PROVIDING STUBS AT EACH PARCEL AND THEN NOTIFYING THE RESIDENTS THAT IT'S AVAILABLE.

SO WE'RE NOT REQUIRING IT.

BUT. IT'S ENCOURAGED, AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO CONNECT BECAUSE WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN CITY CODE, THERE'S REGULATIONS ON WHERE YOU CAN DISCHARGE YOUR SUMP PUMP.

BUT IN SOME CASES, THERE AREN'T GOOD OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO DO OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO IT'S A IT'S A WAY TO GET THAT WORKED OUT.

BUT THEY ARE NOTIFIED. YEAH.

OTHER COUNCIL. SAY NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HAGER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

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

[PUBLIC COMMENT ]

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

COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, AS YOU'LL SEE, ALWAYS MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE BEFORE AND AFTER OUR MEETINGS AT THIS TIME, DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE AS A COUNCIL ARE HERE TO LISTEN.

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

REMAIN AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS TO SHARE, GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER.

WE WILL THEN GET THEM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES A PERSON.

ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTERS YOU WISH TO ADDRESS AND NO ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, IRRELEVANT COMMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED AND THERE SHOULD ALSO BE NO PARTICIPATION FROM THE AUDIENCE. IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.

TODAY WE HAD THREE PEOPLE.

I BELIEVE ONE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN.

WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THOUGH, AND I WILL CALL YOU TO THE PODIUM.

[00:20:03]

JAMES, I'LL HAVE YOU.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU, MISS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

I'M HERE REALLY WITH FOUR DIFFERENT HATS ON TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN VISIONING PROCESS AND PLAN THAT IS ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY.

FIRST OF ALL, I COME TO YOU AS PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.

SO WE KICK THIS OFF IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR WITH CONSTITUENTS FROM VARIOUS AREAS, WENT THROUGH A THOROUGH SELECTION PLAN, SELECTED PUMA WHO YOU WILL HEAR FROM LATER FOR THE DOWNTOWN VISION PLAN.

AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.

THEY WERE THOROUGH, DETAILED AND HAVE OFFERED US A GREAT VISIONING PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS.

MY SECOND HAT I'LL PUT ON IS AS THE CHAIR OF THE DOWNTOWN SCHMIDT, OUR DOWNTOWN SCHMIDT IS CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO THE DOWNTOWN AND HAS BEEN PART OF THIS VISIONING PROCESS, AND WE WANT TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY AND ACCELERATE SOME OF THESE ITEMS IN THE PLAN AS WE GO FORWARD.

THE THIRD HAT I PUT ON IS CRBT, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS BANK AND TRUST, AND CERTAINLY A DOWNTOWN, VIBRANT COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT TO US AS A COMMUNITY BANK FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.

AND THEN MY LAST AD I PUT ON IS, AS A LIFELONG CEDAR RAPIDIAN, LIVING HERE OVER 50 YEARS.

I REMEMBER COMING DOWNTOWN, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A DOWNTOWN TO A CITY IS QUITE IMPORTANT.

SO WITH ALL THOSE HATS, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADOPT THE DOWNTOWN VISIONING PLAN FROM PUMA.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS TOM MARSHALL, AND I CAN'T EXACTLY TELL WHAT TOM IS HERE TO SPEAK, OH, 1.7 4 MILLION SHORTFALL. THANK YOU, MRS. MAYOR. I'M NOT SURE IF I SIGNED THE RIGHT FORM, BUT I AM CONCERNED.

JUST AN UPDATE.

IS IT REALLY TRUE? THE STATE HAS SHORTCHANGED CEDAR RAPIDS 1.74 MILLION DUE TO A HUMAN ERROR AT THE STATE LEVEL.

IF THERE ARE ANY UPDATES, PLEASE FILL ME IN, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD APPROACH THE STATE TREASURER.

THE STATE HAS A $1.83 BILLION STATE INCOME TAX SURPLUS.

THEY CANNOT MAKE UP 1.74 MILLION.

TO ME, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

EVEN OUR LOCAL STATE LOTTERY MADE AMENDS LAST WEEK.

THAT'S ALL I WANT TO ADD.

IT JUST SEEMS TO ME, SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE.

THERE SHOULD BE SOME DUE DILIGENCE.

WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO MAKE CUTS.

AND MY FEAR IS OF HIRING FREEZES WILL NOT ALLOW A HOMELESS MANAGER IN THIS CITY.

AND I'VE BECOME KIND OF A VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE FOR THE HOMELESS HERE.

SO IF I'M OUT OF ORDER, FORGIVE ME, I JUST, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

IT'S NOT RIGHT.

THE CITY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SACRIFICE COMMITTED FUNDS DUE TO HUMAN ERROR.

WHERE'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY? THANK YOU.

MR. MARSHALL, THANK YOU.

AND I BELIEVE OUR FINAL SPEAKER HAS ALREADY SPOKEN DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, DON COSS.

THAT WAS OUR SPEAKER. HE IS.

DON IS NOT HERE.

NO. I DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE ON THE SIGN UP SHEET.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.

[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ]

THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY LOEFFLER, SECONDED BY POE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

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

[CONSENT AGENDA ]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[22. Report on bids for the Edgewood Road Transit Stops and Sidewalk project (estimated cost is $764,000) (Keith Abkes). CIP/DID #3018005-02 ]

ITEM NUMBER 22 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE EDGEWOOD ROAD TRANSIT STOPS AND SIDEWALK PROJECTS.

SIDEWALK PROJECTS.

WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $764,000.

KEN DEKEYSER IS HERE.

KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT, WE'RE CONSTRUCTING SIDEWALK AND ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT STOPS ON THE WEST SIDE OF EDGEWOOD ROAD BETWEEN 12TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND O AVENUE

[00:25:07]

THIS BID, VIA THE IOWA DOT ON NOVEMBER 21ST WITH A LATE START DATE OF APRIL 1ST WITH UP NEXT YEAR WITH 70 WORKING DAYS.

THIS IS A LOCATION MAP SHOWING THE BEGINNING AND ENDING POINTS OF THE PROJECT ALONG EDGEWOOD ROAD.

THIS IS THE LIST OF BIDS STARTING BETWEEN $660,545.35, UP TO $861,730.75. THE AVERAGE OF THESE BIDS WAS ABOUT $769,000, WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ENGINEER OPINION OF PROBABLE COST.

AND WITH THAT, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO ORDER THIS CONTRACT TO THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, KEN.

WE DO NOT HAVE A RESOLUTION ON THIS ITEM, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 23.

[23. Report on bids for the Nixon Park Pedestrian Bridge Replacement project (estimated cost is $260,000) (Steve Krug). CIP/DID #PUR1023-104 ]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $260,000.

STEVE KRUG IS HERE.

STEVE, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. STEVE KRUG WITH PARKS AND REC HERE FOR A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE NIXON PARK PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECT.

AS AN OVERVIEW, THIS PROJECT WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT NIXON PARK THAT CONNECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PARK, OVER DRY CREEK TO THE NIXON SCHOOL ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK.

THE EXISTING BRIDGE WAS FAILING.

THE NEW BRIDGE WILL HAVE BE EIGHT FOOT WIDE, HAVE NEW ABUTMENTS, AND THERE WILL BE NEW ADA SIDEWALK OVER TO THE SCHOOL.

THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE WAS 260,000.

THE NINE BIDS WERE RECEIVED ON NOVEMBER 29TH, WITH A LOW BID OF 249,920, RANGING TO A HIGH BID OF $441,989.15. THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL REVIEW THE ABOVE BIDS AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD THE PROJECT TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

THANK YOU. THERE IS NO, COUNCIL, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS? OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT, STEVE.

THERE'S NO RESOLUTION HERE.

[24. Report on bids for the Cedar Lake Amenities Bid Package 1: Trail, Shoreline and Lake Improvements project (estimated cost is $1,110,000) (Brenna Fall). CIP/DID #327003-02 ]

BRENNA FALL IS HERE. BRENNA I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

BRENNA FALL, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A PREVIEW OR A REVIEW OF THE PROJECT FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE LAST MEETING.

THIS IS THE SIGNIFICANT FIRST ELEMENT OF AMENITIES AT CEDAR LAKE AND INCLUDES SHORELINE CONSTRUCTION, TRAIL PAVING, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ACCESSIBLE FISHING JETTY, AS SHOWN IN THE ORANGE SHADED AREA ON THE MAP.

CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED FOR SPRING OF 2024.

THREE BIDS WERE RECEIVED ON NOVEMBER 22ND, RANGING FROM $949,309.95 TO $1,125,904.80. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO BOOMERANG.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

BRENDA. COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

BRENNA THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU, JENNIFER PRATT, FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS.

BRENNA'S INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL BIDS COME IN BELOW THE ESTIMATE.

AND SHE'S SO FAR ON THE FIRST ONE, SHE HAS SUCCEEDED.

IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TIME, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET BACK THERE AND LOOK AT THE SIGNIFICANT WORK THAT IS GOING ON IN PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW WITH MCLEOD RUN BANK STABILIZATION, THE CHANNEL RE CONFIGURING THE CHANNEL.

SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION WORK IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THINGS ARE REALLY COMING TOGETHER WELL.

THANKS, BRENDA. COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER.

BRENNA, WE'VE GOT A SCHEDULE TO START THIS SPRING, BUT DO WE HAVE AN END DATE OR WHEN WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED ON THIS PHASE? YEAH, THE CONSTRUCTION I THINK IS SLATED TO BE FINISHED IN JULY.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, YOU LEFT AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THANK YOURSELF.

BUT I DO WANT TO, I WANT TO PROVIDE THANKS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TODD AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.

I IT'S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT.

AND WE'RE IN PARTICULAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER HAGER'S QUESTION THOUGH, BECAUSE ALL THE MOVING PARTS WITH THE ARMY CORPS AND EVERYBODY WERE BEING PRETTY CONSERVATIVE IN TERMS OF GIVING ANYBODY CONSTRUCTION AND TIMES, SIMPLY BECAUSE EVERY DAY YOU

[00:30:03]

AND SO WE THE TEAM HAS BEEN PRETTY CAREFUL.

WHILE ONE PART OF THE MACHINE IS PUSHING HARD TO GET EVERYTHING DONE AT ONCE.

THE REALITY IS THAT BECAUSE OF ALL THE MOVING PARTS, IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

SO EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HAGER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[25. Report on bids for the FY 2024 Tree & Vegetation Removal project (estimated cost is $260,000) (Ben Worrell). (Paving for Progress) CIP/DID #301990-31 ]

BEN MOREELL IS HERE. BEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. BEN MOREELL, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROJECT THAT THE CITY DOES TO CLEAR ANY TREES AHEAD OF VARIOUS PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP, CEDAR RAPIDS AND ALL OF IOWA ARE WITHIN THE HABITAT RANGE FOR ENDANGERED NORTHERN LONG EARED BAT.

AND IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE REGULATIONS, THOSE TREES HAVE TO BE CUT IN THE WINTER BEFORE MARCH 31ST.

AFTER THE TREES ARE CUT AND STUMPS REMOVED, THERE WILL BE RESEEDING OF ANY DISTURBED AREAS.

PROJECT LOCATIONS ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE MAPS.

THIS PROJECT BID. NOVEMBER 29TH.

WE GOT SIX BIDS.

LOW BIDDER WAS BOOMERANG AT $173,750.

THE HIGH BID WAS $216,583.00.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO AWARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

BEN COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[26. Presentation and resolution adopting the Downtown Vision and Action Plan and incorporating it into EnvisionCR (Jennifer Pratt). CIP/DID #CD-0092-2023 ]

JENNIFER PRATT JOINS US NOW.

JENNIFER, I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I JUST WANTED TO JUST FIRST INTRODUCE BRAD SEGAL AND AMANDA KENNARD, WHO ARE FROM PUMA CONSULTING, WHO WILL BE UP MAKING THE PRESENTATION.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO NOTE THAT THE CITY HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN SSMID ON VISIONING FOR OUR FUTURE, AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO HAVE THAT FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE.

I WILL SAY ONE THING UNIQUE ABOUT THIS PLAN IS IT DOES INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE VISION, BUT THE ACTION PLAN COMPONENT, WHICH AGAIN, WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH ENVISION CR HAS BEEN SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MOVING THESE PROJECTS FORWARD.

SO AGAIN, THAT BALANCE BETWEEN ASPIRATIONAL VISION, GETTING PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THEN THE STEPS NECESSARY TO GET US THERE.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO BRAD AND AMANDA.

THANK YOU. JENNIFER. BRAD AND AMANDA.

I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TRIP.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR WELCOMING US ONCE AGAIN.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL OF COUNCIL AND MAYOR AND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.

WE ARE HAPPY TO BE BACK HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A FAIRLY BRIEF PRESENTATION OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN ACTION PLAN.

WE'VE BEEN AT IT SINCE EARLY THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

SO THIS IS OUR FOURTH TRIP TO CEDAR RAPIDS ON THIS PROJECT.

AND YOU MAY RECALL I HAD SOME INTERACTION IN CEDAR RAPIDS BACK IN 2007.

SO IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO TO COME BACK AFTER THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.

WHY NOW? WHY THE DOWNTOWN VISION AND ACTION PLAN? CEDAR RAPIDS HAS A GREAT HISTORY OF PLANNING AND ALSO TAKING CARE OF ITS DOWNTOWN AND INVESTING STRATEGICALLY IN DOWNTOWN.

AND THESE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS ARE REALLY DRIVEN BY THESE SERIES OF PLANS.

SO THIS STARTED IN ZERO SEVEN.

THE LAST PLAN WAS IN 17.

THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN IS FROM THE 2017 PLAN.

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THAT.

LOOKING AHEAD FOR THE NEXT FIVE PLUS YEARS AND REALLY RESPONDING TO A VARIETY OF INFLUENCES, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY'S PROGRESS IN INSTALLING FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS AND ALSO RESPONDING TO SOME CHANGES FROM THE PANDEMIC THAT ARE AFFECTING NOT ONLY CEDAR RAPIDS, BUT DOWNTOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THIS HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY, THE DOWNTOWN SSMID AND THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A PROJECT WORKING GROUP REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS IN THIS PROCESS, ALSO OTHER OTHER LEADERS WITHIN

[00:35:02]

I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAYOR.

OFTENTIMES, WE'LL GET THE MAYOR'S NAME, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE MAYOR.

BUT IN THIS PROJECT, WE GOT BOTH.

AND MAYOR O'DONNELL WAS WAS INVOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING, HANDS ON.

AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PLAN.

TODAY AGAIN, WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH SORT OF A RAPID FIRE SUMMARY OF KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN.

I BELIEVE COUNCIL HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

IT WAS DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE LAST TEN DAYS OR SO.

AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, AMANDA KENNARD.

YEAH. THANKS, BRAD. AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS A REALLY KEY COMPONENT OF THE PLANNING PROCESS THROUGHOUT.

SO WE INITIALLY ENGAGED DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS.

WE HAD REGULAR CHECK INS WITH OUR WORKING GROUP.

WE ALSO HELD ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS AND INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS.

WE THEN DISTRIBUTED AN ONLINE SURVEY WHICH GOT OVER 1400 RESPONSES.

AND I'LL GO THROUGH SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF FINDINGS FROM THAT ONLINE SURVEY IN JUST A MOMENT HERE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD A POP UP AT THE FIRST BLUES NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD AN OPEN HOUSE MEETING WHEN WE WERE ON SITE BACK IN AUGUST TO PRESENT SOME KEY FINDINGS FROM THE PLAN AT THAT POINT.

SO HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THAT ONLINE SURVEY.

QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHO WE HEARD FROM.

WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF GREATER CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS LIVING OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, AND ALSO A REALLY STRONG REPRESENTATION FROM EMPLOYEES.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A REASONABLE, WELL DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS BY AGE AND INCOME, BUT MORE FEMALES AND MORE WHITE RESPONDENTS.

SO WE ASKED FOLKS TODAY, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS THAT BRING THEM DOWNTOWN? FOOD AND BEVERAGE WAS WAS HIGH ON THE ON THAT LIST AT 70%, FOLLOWED BY EVENTS AND FESTIVALS AND ENTERTAINMENT.

SO THINGS LIKE THEATERS, LIVE MUSIC, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

NEXT WE ASKED FOLKS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WHAT ARE THREE WORDS THAT BEST CAPTURED THEIR VISION FOR DOWNTOWN IN 2032? SO TOP TWO PRIORITIES WERE CLEAN AND SAFE.

SO REALLY THE FUNDAMENTALS.

AND THEN FROM THERE, FOLKS REALLY WANT TO SEE A DOWNTOWN THAT'S ENTERTAINING, LIVELY, VIBRANT AND FUN.

NEXT, WE ASK FOLKS WHAT THEIR TOP PRIORITIES ARE FOR DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

LOOKING FORWARD, THIS FIRST GRAPH AND RESPONSE ILLUSTRATES WHAT PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS WERE MOST IMPORTANT TO FOLKS LOOKING FORWARD.

SO EMBRACE THE CEDAR RIVER WAS THE TOP RESPONSE.

A QUARTER OF PARTICIPANTS SELECTED THAT REDEVELOP AND REPURPOSED UNDERUTILIZED LAND IN DOWNTOWN WAS NEXT AND THEN IMPROVE.

THE PARKING EXPERIENCE WAS ALSO IN THE TOP THREE.

NEXT WE ASKED THAT SAME QUESTION BUT ABOUT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. SO WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITY? LOOKING FORWARD? CONTINUE DIVERSIFYING RESTAURANT AND BAR OFFERINGS WAS THE TOP RESPONSE, WHICH WAS TIED WITH PROVIDE MORE SERVICES TO THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.

AND THEN FINALLY IN THE TOP THREE WAS CREATE MORE FAMILY AND KID FRIENDLY FEATURES AND PLACES.

NEXT, WE ASKED FOLKS IF THEY WERE TO CONSIDER, CONSIDER LIVING DOWNTOWN WHAT KIND OF HOUSING THEY WOULD MOST LIKE TO SEE.

SO INTERESTINGLY, 60% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS INDICATED THEY WOULD CONSIDER LIVING DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS REALLY COMPELLING FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.

AND THE TOP TYPES OF HOUSING THEY WANT TO SEE ARE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

SO CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES AND THEN APARTMENT BUILDINGS.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO BRAD.

THANKS, AMANDA.

WE HAD A THIRD MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, ANDREA BUGLIONE, WHO WAS ALSO ON SITE, AND SHE PREPARED A MARKET ASSESSMENT.

AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE MARKET INFORMATION IS WE'RE BALANCING WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE SURVEY WORK, WITH SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S REALISTIC OVER THE NEXT FIVE, SIX YEARS IN TERMS OF THE DOWNTOWN MARKET.

IN SHORT, WE SEE HOUSING CONTINUE TO BE UNDER HIGH DEMAND IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

WE DO SEE SOME SORTING OUT OF OFFICE SPACE AND HOW OFFICES ARE USED, AS WE ALL ADAPT TO HYBRID AND LESS THAN FIVE DAY WORK WORK STYLES, BUT WE THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.

FORTUNATELY, CEDAR RAPIDS DOESN'T HAVE AS LARGE A CONCENTRATION OF OFFICE SPACE IN ITS DOWNTOWN AS OTHER CITIES THAT WE WORK IN, AND WE THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REPURPOSING OPTIONS FOR SOME OF THE PROPERTIES RELATED TO FLEX SPACE, CO-WORKING AND HOUSING, SHOPPING AND DINING.

MORE LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESS CONCEPTS WE THINK MAKE SENSE IN DOWNTOWN AND CONTINUING TO ADD UNIQUE BUSINESSES THAT INCLUDE RESTAURANTS, RESIDENTS SERVING RETAIL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING INTO DOWNTOWN AND OTHER CREATIVE USES.

AND THEN LASTLY, ROOM FOR MORE HOTEL ROOMS IN DOWNTOWN.

[00:40:05]

SO ALL OF THIS RESEARCH AND WHAT WE CALL DISCOVERY LED US TO THESE KEY TAKEAWAYS.

AND FROM HERE ON OUT ON THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE PLAN IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO NUMBER ONE, JUST TO COMMENT ON THE RESILIENCY OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT I HAD WORKED HERE IN ZERO SEVEN.

SO THAT WAS BEFORE THE FLOOD.

SO COMING OUT OF THE FLOOD AND THEN NOT ONLY THE PANDEMIC BUT ALSO COUPLING THAT WITH THE DERECHO, WHICH WE LEARNED ABOUT IN THIS WORK.

PRETTY ASTOUNDING HOW THIS COMMUNITY HAS BOUNCED BACK DOWNTOWN MANY ASSETS.

BUT WE FEEL THAT DOWNTOWN NEEDS MORE CONSISTENT ACTIVATION TO ATTRACT PEOPLE DOWN HERE AND MORE REASONS TO COME.

DOWNTOWN, EMBRACING THE RIVER REMAINS A PRIORITY.

THAT WAS A PRIORITY OF THE 17 PLAN.

WE BELIEVE THAT DOWNTOWN WILL BE BEST SERVED IF IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD, WITH MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN IT.

THIS PLAN DOES RECOMMEND KEY THREE KEY CATALYTIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE PUBLIC REALM.

AND THE IDEA HERE IS IF WE IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SPACES STRATEGICALLY IN DOWNTOWN, THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENT.

IT'S ALSO GOING TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO FREQUENT DOWNTOWN.

IT'S GOING TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE A REASON TO ACTUALLY COME BACK TO THE OFFICE AND WORK DOWNTOWN.

SO THESE CATALYTIC INITIATIVES ARE VERY MUCH INTERCONNECTED MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN SIXTH, WE ALSO LOOKED AT HOW SERVICES ARE DELIVERED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON OPTIMIZING THOSE SERVICES THAT I'LL TOUCH ON AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

SO THE VISION FOR DOWNTOWN MOVING FORWARD, DOWNTOWN IS THE VIBRANT HUB OF THE EASTERN IOWA REGION WHERE THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP FLOURISHES, DIVERSITY IS CELEBRATED, AND INNOVATION IS EMBRACED.

THE PLAN INCLUDES A PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK, AND AMANDA, IN A MOMENT IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THESE CATALYTIC PROJECTS THAT WE MENTIONED.

BUT WHAT WE LOOKED AT WITH THE PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK IS HOW ALL THE DIFFERENT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS, AND HOW DO WE OPTIMIZE THE EXISTING INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE WE BUILD A BUNCH OF NEW STUFF? SO WE LOOKED AT EXISTING PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATIONS, THE PARKING SYSTEM.

CEDAR RAPIDS IS BLESSED TO HAVE A ROBUST SERIES OF PARKING RAMPS AND PARKING SUPPLY.

WE IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITY SITES FOR NEW INVESTMENT, AN AREA OF DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD WORK WELL FOR LIGHT MANUFACTURING AND MAKER TYPE USES SUCH AS BREWING, BEER AND OTHER TYPES OF USES WHERE WE CREATE AND MAKE THINGS.

INTEGRATING ALL OF THIS WITH THE FLOOD RECOVERY PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.

AND THEN AGAIN, ADDING THESE CATALYTIC PROJECTS THAT AMANDA WILL RUN THROUGH.

THE PLAN IS BUILT AROUND THREE MAJOR GOALS, AND WE'LL BE REPEATING THESE A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION.

BUT NUMBER ONE, EMBRACING THE RIVER TO ENSURING THAT DOWNTOWN IS ACTIVATED AND THREE, MAKING SURE DOWNTOWN'S CONNECTED WELL TO ITS ADJACENT DISTRICTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO, AMANDA, TAKE IT AWAY ON THE CATALYTIC PROJECTS.

THANKS, BRAD.

SO I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAD AN URBAN DESIGN PARTNER ON THIS EFFORT.

CHANEY BOSTIC OF STUDIO C, WHO IS ALSO BASED OUT OF DENVER.

SHE REALLY LED THE CHARGE ON DEVELOPING THESE CATALYTIC PROJECTS AND LOOKING AT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IN DOWNTOWN AND DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS, LOOKING FORWARD FOR THAT. SO THROUGH HER WORK, WE IDENTIFIED THREE CATALYTIC PROJECTS.

THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH EACH OF THE THREE PLAN GOALS.

SO THERE'S ONE EACH FOR EMBRACE THE RIVER, ONE FOR ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN AND THEN ONE FOR CONNECT DOWNTOWN, WHICH ARE SUMMARIZED ON THIS SLIDE.

BUT I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

SO ALIGNED WITH THE FIRST GOAL IS RIVER ACTIVATION OPPORTUNITIES.

SO THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES A COUPLE OF THINGS.

IT SHOWS SOME POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY SITES FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT THAT PHYSICALLY EMBRACES THE RIVER.

YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ALL ADJACENT TO THE RIVER AND THE FLOOD RECOVERY PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, TO REALLY EMBRACE THE RIVER.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME CATALYTIC ACTIVATION PROJECTS IN THE PUBLIC REALM THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT FIRST STREET WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY AS INFILL DEVELOPMENT OCCURS.

WE'LL JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC REALM ALONG FIRST STREET CONTINUES TO BE WELCOMING NOT ONLY TO VEHICLES, BUT TO PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AS WELL.

AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MAY'S ISLAND ACTIVATION ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.

[00:45:02]

AND WE THINK THERE ARE SOME WAYS THAT IT COULD BE IMPROVED AND BETTER ACTIVATED.

LOOKING FORWARD.

SO WE DEVELOPED A MENU OF POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS HERE, INCLUDING LOOKING AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING AND MORE ACTIVE WAYS TO USE THAT, LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE PLAZA PARK AND MAKE THAT MORE OF A DESTINATION, MAYBE BY ADDING SIGNATURE ART PIECES OR BY CREATING A BANDSHELL WHERE THERE COULD BE LIVE MUSIC, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, OR EVEN OUTDOOR DINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES WORKING IN DOWNTOWN TO COME AND HAVE THEIR LUNCH ON THE RIVER.

SO WE'RE REALLY RECOMMENDING A MENU OF OPTIONS HERE.

AND THEN I JUST WANT TO NOTE, TOO, THAT SECOND AVENUE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THAT BE LOOKED AT AS ANOTHER PUBLIC REALM ASSET, REALLY TO ACTIVATE MAYS ISLAND, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT IT COULD BE LOOKED AT AS A FESTIVAL STREET, WHERE IT COULD BE CLOSED TEMPORARILY FOR EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS, OR IN THE LONGER TERM, IT COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A LINEAR PARK TO CREATE ANOTHER ASSET THAT REALLY BRINGS PEOPLE TO MAYS ISLAND.

SO OUR NEXT CATALYTIC PROJECT IS LOOKING AT THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN AND HOW TO INCREASE ACTIVATION.

SO IN THE PLAN, WE RECOMMEND THAT STOREFRONT ACTIVATION REALLY BE FOCUSED IN THE TRADITIONAL CORE OF DOWNTOWN.

SO STARTING WITH THIRD STREET AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE ADJACENT STREETS, BUT FOCUSING ACTIVATION EFFORTS THERE BEFORE EXPANDING STOREFRONT ACTIVATION EFFORTS OUT FROM THERE.

SO ONE WAY WE RECOMMEND DOING THAT IS BY RECONFIGURING THIRD STREET TO BE A FESTIVAL STREET.

SO THE PLAN PROVIDES A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S EXISTING CONDITIONS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN HERE.

OPTION ONE IS TO CREATE A CYCLE TRACK ALONG THIRD STREET.

AND ACTUALLY IN THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE CEDAR VALLEY NATURE TRAIL BE REROUTED ALONG THIRD STREET AGAIN TO JUST INCREASE TRAFFIC ALONG THIRD STREET AND CREATE MORE REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO BE THERE.

AND THEN OPTION TWO WOULD BE RECONFIGURING THE STREET AS A CURBLESS SHARED STREET, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SOME PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENTS LIKE PAVERS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, MORE LANDSCAPING TO SLOW TRAFFIC AND MAKE IT MORE OF A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.

SO OUR FINAL CATALYTIC PROJECT IS LOOKING AT RAIL TO RIVER CONNECTIVITY.

WE KNOW THAT CONNECT CR HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO INCREASE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND TO OTHER DESTINATIONS.

SO ONE KEY THING THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS IMPROVING THE CONNECTION THAT IS ACTUALLY JUST OUTSIDE OF THE SSMID BOUNDARY NORTH OF DOWNTOWN, BUT IMPROVING THE CONNECTION OF THE CEDAR VALLEY NATURE TRAIL BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND CEDAR LAKE AS THOSE CEDAR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS COME ONLINE, SO THERE ARE SOME SHORT TERM WAYS WE RECOMMEND THAT COULD BE DONE BY IMPROVING WAYFINDING OR ADDING PUBLIC ART.

AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED, SUCH AS CREATING A DESTINATION BRIDGE THAT ACTUALLY TAKES PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS OVER THE RAIL TRACKS.

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO BRAD TO TALK ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION.

SO WITH THE LAST 3 OR 4 SLIDES, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ACTUALLY GET SOME OF THESE THINGS DONE.

AND THE PLAN PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK THAT RELATES BACK TO THESE, TO THE VISION, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, THESE THREE GOALS.

THE THREE GOALS ARE EACH SUPPORTED BY A SERIES OF STRATEGIES AND THEN INITIATIVES.

AND THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES ARE SORTED INTO NEAR TERM, MID TERM AND LONGER TERM.

OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THERE ARE ABOUT 70 INITIATIVES IN THERE, AND THEN THERE IS AN ALLOCATION OF WHO WOULD TACKLE THESE.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE THREE KEY PARTNERS THE CITY, THE SMITH, THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE AND OTHER PARTNERS AS WELL TO SORT THESE THINGS OUT.

SO I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT I JUST WANT WANT THE COUNCIL AND ANYONE WHO MAY BE WATCHING THE PRESENTATION TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE STRATEGIES DO HAVE DIFFERENT TACTICS THAT ARE DETAILED ON HOW TO ACTUALLY GET THESE THINGS DONE.

SO GOAL ONE LOOKS AT THE CEDAR RIVER AND HOW WE ACHIEVE SOME OF THESE GOALS OF ACTIVATING MAYS ISLAND, AND ALSO LOOKING AT INVESTMENT AND HOW THAT CAN BE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE RIVER.

GOAL TWO GETS INTO MANY OF THE TACTICAL ACTIVATION IDEAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND THIS IS REALLY ENLIVENING DOWNTOWN AND CREATING THAT TYPE OF DESTINATION THAT WE ALL WANT TO COME DOWN TO, WHETHER WE'VE GOT A FAMILY OR NOT.

SO ENLIVENING STOREFRONTS, MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS CONSISTENTLY CLEAN AND SAFE, ATTRACTING AND RETAINING PRIMARY JOBS, NOT LOSING

[00:50:07]

PUBLIC ART, PROGRAMING, LOOKING AT INFILL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALL COVERED IN THE TACTICS RELATED TO THAT SECOND GOAL.

AND THEN THE LAST GOAL WHICH GETS INTO CONNECTIVITY, IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS ACCESSIBLE, THAT IT'S EASY TO NAVIGATE BY A VARIETY OF MODES, THAT WE'RE IMPROVING DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS WITH ADJACENT DISTRICTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT PARKING AND HOW TO ENHANCE THE PARKING EXPERIENCE WHEN FOLKS COME DOWNTOWN.

ALSO BUILDING ON THAT REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK AS WELL.

LASTLY, WE LOOKED AT THE ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW THEY'RE CURRENTLY ALIGNED.

WE DID RECOMMEND SOME POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS.

WE DO THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCES MOVING FORWARD BETWEEN THE CITY, THE SSMID AND THE ALLIANCE.

WE DO THINK THERE ARE NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONAL OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD THAT WOULD HELP ADVANCE MANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES AND GOALS.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.

WE HAVE ONE MODEL THAT LOOKS AT A MORE DISTINCT BUSINESS CENTER WITHIN THE ALLIANCE.

AS IT RELATES TO DOWNTOWN.

WE ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE COMMUNITY LOOK AT A STANDALONE, INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

YOU'VE HAD THIS IN THE PAST.

YOU HAD AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, AND IT IS THE MORE DOMINANT MODEL OF HOW THESE DOWNTOWN PROGRAMS ARE MANAGED IN MIDSIZE AND LARGE CITIES THROUGHOUT.

SO OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A TASK FORCE WILL BE FORMED, AND WE'LL BE WORKING TO SORT THESE ISSUES OUT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.

SO WITH THAT, I DON'T KNOW, JENNIFER, IF WE TOTALLY EXPLODED OUR TIME LIMIT HERE, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONS.

IS THAT HOW IT GOES? OKAY, GREAT.

YEAH. NO. IMPORTANT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COUNCIL YOU'RE UP WANTS TO START.

WHO'S GOING TO START US OFF? COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON. THANK YOU.

IT'S INTERESTING AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'VE NARROWED.

THINGS THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD, VERSUS A LOT OF PLANS JUST SO BIG AND NOTHING OR ONLY CERTAIN THINGS GET DONE OR PARTIALLY DONE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE VISION PLAN.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE AS YOU'VE STUDIED OTHER CITIES, THE BIGGEST ISSUE AS WE DO IMPROVEMENTS, HOW DO HOW DO MOST CITIES FUND KEEPING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS? BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ISSUE NOW THAT OUR DOWNTOWN HAS A LOT OF REPAIR WORK TO BE DONE, OUR DOWNTOWN HAS DECLINED.

AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOME OF THESE OLDER AREAS.

WHAT ARE COMMUNITIES DOING TO MAKE SURE, AS YOU SAW, THE TOP TWO SAFE AND CLEAN? AND WE'RE FAR FROM THAT IN MY MIND.

AND SO WHAT ARE CITIES DOING THAT YOU BUILD ALL THESE THINGS.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T MAINTAIN THEM THEN THEN YOU JUST HAVE MORE THINGS TO FIX.

SO WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUT THERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY? OH, COUNCILMAN, YOU DIDN'T THROW ME A SOFTBALL HERE TO START, DID YOU? ON THE QUESTIONS.

GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S PART OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPECIALIZE IN IS NOT JUST THE PRETTY PROJECTS, BUT THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAINTAIN ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THIS EXPERIENCE? THE QUICK ANSWER IS PUBLIC PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

IT TAKES BOTH THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND AN ONGOING COMMITMENT.

I THINK THE GOOD NEWS FOR CEDAR RAPIDS IS YOU HAVE THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT WE USUALLY LOOK FOR IN A COMMUNITY.

YOU HAVE A SSMID, WHICH IS A SELF TAXING AGENCY.

THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS ALREADY TAXED THEMSELVES AN EXTRA AMOUNT TO CONTRIBUTE TO MAINTENANCE AND MARKETING AND TAKING CARE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

I DO AGREE WITH YOU.

I THINK THERE'S SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE DOWNTOWN, AND I THINK THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE, FRANKLY, OF THE SSMID.

SO THAT GETS INTO CAPITAL REPAIR, WHERE GROUPS LIKE A SSMID WOULD WORK IN TANDEM WITH THEIR PARTNERS AT THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE DIFFERENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS MOVING FORWARD.

THAT'S THE MOST COMMON PARTNERSHIP WE SEE ON ON MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE, BOTH SOMETHING LIKE A SSMID WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

I IMAGINE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO TALK, BUT I'M READY HERE.

SO THE TLDR IS THAT CEDAR RAPIDS IS ABOUT TO GET REAL CUTE.

I'M REFLECTING TODAY ON A FEW THINGS, AND ONE OF THEM IS, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT CEDAR RAPIDS VERY SHORT TIME PERIOD, ROUGHLY ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MAJOR COMPANIES THAT ARE INVESTED IN WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES.

AND THE OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK WAS CEDAR RAPIDS SOUNDS AMAZING.

AND I HAD THE BENEFIT OF EXPLAINING TO THEM, IT IS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT I SHARED.

WE REALLY DO HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON.

SO, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS AGO I FACED A RUNOFF ELECTION.

TODAY, CEDAR RAPIDS HAS BEEN IN VARIOUS STATES OF RECOVERY FOR NEARLY HALF MY LIFE, FROM FLOODS AND WIND EVENTS.

[00:55:03]

RESILIENCY IS OPTIMIZING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND ABILITY TO INVEST IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH A BUSTLING AND VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.

CEDAR RAPIDS IS ALREADY A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CRITIQUES AND CRITICISMS, AND WE DO HARD THINGS, TOO.

EVERYTHING'S HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY CITIZEN WILL NECESSARILY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF UNDERSTANDING HOW MANY THINGS CONCURRENTLY WE ARE DOING THAT THEY REALLY SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE TAX DOLLAR AND VALUE THAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR THEIR TAX DOLLARS.

BUT WE ARE.

AND THIS IS FURTHER REINFORCED WHEN I TALK WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITIES OF OUR SIZE AND TOE TO TOE, THEY ARE JUST IN AWE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND NOT WITHOUT GOOD REASON.

BUT THIS CONTINUED ACTIVATION WILL HELP RETAIN AND CAPTURE THE 45 AND UNDER PART OF OUR POPULATION THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ENGAGE AND RETAIN.

IT WILL HELP US ALSO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO STAY AND GROW HERE AS WELL AS WE CONTINUE OUR GROWING CITY.

OUR POSSIBILITIES, I REALLY FEEL, ARE LIMITLESS.

AND THROUGH THE HARD WORK BY OUR COUNCIL, COUNCIL AND OUR INCREDIBLE CITY TEAM, WE HAVE REALLY WORKED THROUGH THE DIFFICULTIES OF CONSTANT AND OFTEN CONTIGUOUS DISASTER RECOVERY TO GET US TO A PLACE WHERE OUR FUTURE REALLY IS EXCEPTIONALLY BRIGHT.

I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, AND ALSO THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE PRIOR TO THIS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IN THE DRAFT PLANNING AND PROCESS THAT YOU CAME TO TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

I ALSO APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT THE FOLKS THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR PRESENTATION DID, AND IT WAS REALLY HEARTENING TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THE DIFFERENT MODES OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT.

AND I THINK IT WAS 1400 MAYBE ON THE ONLINE SURVEY OR AT LEAST TOTAL THAT YOU GATHERED.

AND I THOUGHT THAT A LOT OF THE DATA WAS REALLY FASCINATING.

THE ONES THAT YOU PRESENTED TODAY.

BUT THEN. I GUESS I'LL CALL HIM DEEPER CUTS SOME OF THE DEEPER CUTS THAT YOU PROVIDED AS WELL, JUST TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE LIKE ABOUT DOWNTOWN.

YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED AND, YOU KNOW, AREAS FOR INVESTMENT AND FOCUS.

SO ALL IN ALL, REALLY HELPFUL IN A LOT OF A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION.

THE CATALYTIC PROJECTS I THINK ARE REALLY EXCITING AND.

I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON THE ELDER PUT IT, PUT IT WELL WHEN HE I THINK HE SAID THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE DOABLE.

I MEAN, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT CAN GET DONE.

ALSO APPRECIATE THE.

THE WAY THAT THIS PLAN COMES TOGETHER AND THE WAY THAT PROJECTS GET DONE IN THE CORE OF THE COMMUNITY ARE TYPICALLY PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS.

AND I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT THE ONES THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED ARE THERE TO SPUR WITH, WITH SOME PUBLIC DOLLARS, SPUR A LOT OF PRIVATE ACTIVITY, BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE ARE WILLING INVESTORS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SOME SOME PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.

IT ALWAYS COMES DOWN THEN TO EXECUTION.

RIGHT. AND HOW HOW IT GETS DONE.

AND SO I THINK IT WAS THE LAST SLIDE WHERE YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF HOW DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ARE PUT TOGETHER. I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU.

YOU MENTIONED SOME OPTIONS, DIDN'T REALLY NECESSARILY RECOMMEND ONE OR ANOTHER.

I WON'T ASK YOU TO BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY DID NOT WANT TO.

SO I WON'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO DO THAT.

SO I GUESS WHAT I WILL ASK YOU IN LIEU OF THAT KIND OF WHAT DO YOU SEE AS.

I DON'T KNOW. I'M GOING TO SAY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE KIND OF WHAT ARE DIFFERENT.

HOW ARE DIFFERENT STRUCTURES USED? WELL, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT IT WHEN YOU'RE KIND OF COMPARING.

YEAH. NO, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN. I WANT TO BE CLEAR.

WE TWO POINTS, JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THIS ONE IS YOU GOT THE RIGHT PARTNERS AT THE TABLE.

SO YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, YOU'VE GOT THE SSMID, YOU'VE GOT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.

AND EVERYONE IS PASSIONATELY INVOLVED WITH DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, WE SUGGESTED THAT THERE WERE TWO OPTIONS PLUS, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE OTHER OPTIONS THAT POP OUT OF THIS.

EITHER ONE WORKS.

SO IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE THINK THAT EITHER OF THE OPTIONS WE LOOKED AT WORK BETTER, AND THERE COULD BE A THIRD OR FOURTH OPTION THAT WOULD WORK BETTER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE.

[01:00:09]

AND CERTAINLY THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HAS BEEN REALLY RESPONSIVE, AT LEAST IN INTENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAD RELATED TO THAT.

SO THESE DOWNTOWN ORGANIZATIONS TEND TO INCLUDE MORE DOWNTOWN CONSTITUENTS IN THESE ACTIVATIONS AND IN THE PLANNING AND IN THE GOVERNANCE OF HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE MANAGED.

SO THAT WAS ONE AREA WE HAD.

AND THEN SECONDLY, I WOULD SAY THESE ARE THE TWO PRIMARY ONES.

WE DO GO INTO PROS AND CONS WITHIN THE REPORT ITSELF.

BUT THE OTHER ONE IS LEVERAGE.

LEVERAGE OF FUNDING.

AND ACTUALLY THE..

YOU CAN CALL ME ELDER, IT'S OKAY. ARE YOU LOOKING OVER HERE.

IS THAT DISRESPECT OR WHAT'S THE DEAL OKAY? ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AS A BOOMER I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THESE ISSUES.

SO SO THE ELDER OLSON, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED DOWNTOWN, IT REQUIRES THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

SO WE DO FEEL THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

WE COULD BE RAISING MORE FUNDS FOR DOWNTOWN, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH SPONSORSHIPS OR THROUGH GRANTS OR FOR THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC AVENUES, PARTICULARLY NOW I, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY FOR DOWNTOWN AREAS AND PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF COMMUNITY BUILDING, DOWNTOWNS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED AS THE CENTRAL GATHERING PLACE FOR COMMUNITIES.

AND NATIONALLY, I YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS ISSUE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, BUT NATIONALLY, WE'RE POLARIZED AND IT'S RARE WHERE WE CAN BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER IN A PLACE TO CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND DOWNTOWN NEEDS TO BE THAT PLACE.

AND A LOT OF OUR INVESTMENT, A LOT OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY RELATED TO THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

AND THESE ARE ALL FUNDABLE, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR EARLIER POINT, THESE ARE FUNDABLE ACTIVITIES.

AND BACK TO YOUR ORGANIZATION QUESTION AND I'LL END IT THERE IS WE FEEL THAT WE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE.

YOU COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN CEDAR RAPIDS IN SECURING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MANY OF THESE IDEAS THAT ARE IN THIS PLAN.

OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK THE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SSMID BOARD IS TAKING ON THIS QUESTION.

YOU MENTIONED A TASK FORCE THAT THEY HAVE, AND THERE'S A NODDING HEAD FROM THE SSMID CHAIR, NODS BACK THERE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK THAT'S I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR THE BOARD TO ANSWER AS TO HOW THEY THINK THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED, BECAUSE I SAID, I THINK THERE'S THERE'S SOME EXCITING IDEAS HERE AND IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW.

THAT AND SOME OTHER THINGS ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW IT GETS EXECUTED.

AND SO ANSWERING THAT QUESTION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT ONE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER.

I GUESS I WOULD JUST ADD.

SO IN 2007, WHEN YOU WERE HERE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE GEOGRAPHICAL BORDERS TODAY ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE IN 2007.

SO IT EXCITES ME IS TO LOOK AT MAZE ISLAND AS A CENTERPIECE OF OUR DOWNTOWN VERSUS A BORDER, AND SEE THE GROWTH ON THE WEST SIDE.

THE SECOND THING IS THEN WHEN YOU LOOK TO THE SOUTH AND YOU LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO LIKE LOT 44, WHICH IS CROSSING OVER EIGHTH AVENUE AND INTO THE NEWBO AND THE CZECH VILLAGE DISTRICT TO KIND OF MAKE EVERYTHING ACCESSIBLE.

SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A 4 OR 5 BLOCK AREA IN THE DOWNTOWN, EVEN GOING UP INTO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT, INCORPORATING ALL OF THOSE AREAS INTO HOW DO YOU COLLABORATE, ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENT IDENTITIES.

THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS WHAT I CAUGHT INTERESTING WAS HISTORICALLY, CEDAR RAPIDS MAY HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS KIND OF A FRANCHISE RESTAURANT CITY.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT COMES, WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND AND IT'S THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE, I WOULD GUESS TO SAY THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE IS LOCALLY OWNED. AND THAT REALLY IS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE SUPPORT LOCALLY OWNED.

SO THIS IT EXCITES ME.

AND IT REALLY I DO THINK, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

I WOULD CALL IT KIND OF LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IMMEDIATELY AND THEN GO AFTER SOME OF THE BIG THINGS, TICKET ITEMS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HELP ON THIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL. YEAH.

THANK YOU MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING BRAD AND AMANDA AND JENNIFER FROM OUR TEAM.

[01:05:02]

AND I AGREE ALSO WITH THE CATALYTIC PROJECTS AND UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PROJECTS WILL HELP ENERGIZE OUR DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE ASKED YOU TO COME FORWARD WITH.

BECAUSE BECAUSE THIS IS A SSMID, IT'S APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, IT'S A COMMISSION OF THE CITY.

AND BECAUSE THE CITY HELPED PAY FOR THIS VISION PLAN, I THINK WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO SEE WHAT THE TASK FORCE COMES UP WITH.

YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF FORMAL STRUCTURE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS I LOOK AT ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL ACTION ITEMS AND GOALS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST IN THE LONG TERM, BUT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHO'S GOING TO DO THAT WORK? RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO GET DONE.

AND AND TO MARTY'S POINT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT, BUT IT STILL HAS TO BE DONE.

AND IT STILL HAS TO HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES IT'S GOING TO TAKE JUST TO GET THAT LOW HANGING FRUIT ACCOMPLISHED. GETTING SOME OF THAT ACCOMPLISHED, I THINK.

AND I'M NOT SO SURE THAT THE CURRENT STRUCTURE HAS THE ABILITY OR THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.

SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE TASK FORCE HAS TO SAY AND WHAT THEY THINK, HOW THEY THINK WE CAN GET THIS DONE, DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION. WE JUST NEED TO GET IT IMPLEMENTED RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHAT JENNIFER HAD SAID WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS CAN FIT VERY NICELY WITHIN THE CITY'S PLAN STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND SO I WANT TO GET IT DONE BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE THINGS I LOVE AND I AGREE WITH AND I CAN SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HELP.

BUT I GOT TO KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

I JUST I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED AT THIS POINT TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION WITHOUT KNOWING HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE.

AND AT THIS POINT, MAYOR, I'M KIND OF AT THE POINT WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD JUST KIND OF TABLE IT AND WAIT TO HEAR FROM WHAT THE TASK FORCE HAS TO SAY.

WE, YOU KNOW, LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THIS AND BEFORE WE PUT A FULL RESOLUTION ON OUR PLATE.

BUT I LOVE THE WORK.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE WORK.

I AGREE WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT.

YEAH. THANK YOU MAYOR.

IF I COULD RESPOND QUICKLY TO THAT.

COUNCILWOMAN I THINK THAT'S ALL LEGITIMATE.

IT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

IT IS AMBITIOUS.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THERE.

DO BE ASSURED THE PARTNERS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THESE.

AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, JENNIFER OR THE MANAGER COULD RESPOND TO THIS, BUT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITY.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE ALLIANCE ABOUT NEAR TERM.

WHAT DO WE DO? SO WE'RE NOT WAITING.

WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR A TASK FORCE REPORT THAT MIGHT BE MONTHS FROM NOW.

SO THERE ARE TO YOUR POINT, THERE ARE SEVERAL SORT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT ITEMS IN THERE THAT WE'RE HELPING THE PARTIES IDENTIFY THAT THEY COULD BE WORKING ON NOW.

AND MY SENSE IS THE PARTNERS ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD NOW WHILE THEY ALSO CONCURRENTLY FIGURE OUT THE LONGER TERM STRUCTURE ISSUE.

SO THERE'S SORT OF A DESIRE HERE TO WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

YEAH. AND I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

SO IT KIND OF BEGS THE QUESTION HOW IS THIS GOING TO GET PAID FOR? COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

AS I READ THE PLAN, AND OF COURSE, WE HAD OUR MEETINGS WITH YOU EARLIER.

MY BASIC TAKEAWAY WAS IT'S AN EXCITING PLAN AND WITHOUT REPEATING TOO MUCH WHAT SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT'S DOABLE.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S FLEXIBLE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OF THE OPINION FOR A LONG TIME THAT DOWNTOWNS ARE NEVER FINISHED, AND I'VE LIVED IN CEDAR RAPIDS LONG ENOUGH TO GO BACK TO WHEN SOME OF THE GENTLEMEN IN THIS ROOM WERE YOUNG PEOPLE, AND WE WERE TEARING DOWN AND CLEARING BLIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THAT GOES BACK TO MAYBE 1990 OR SO.

AND THE DOWNTOWNS TRADITIONALLY HAVE TO EVOLVE AS THINGS ARE THROWN AT THEM.

AND IF WE GO BACK 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO, WE NEVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT WE WOULD SEE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT, OH, THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

BUT IT IS. AND IT'S HAPPENING RAPIDLY HERE.

AND SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS SET UP A GOVERNING BODY THAT REFLECTS THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE, WORK AND

[01:10:09]

AND I'M NOT HERE TO SUGGEST HOW THAT OUGHT TO WORK, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT GOVERNANCE IS NOT ONLY ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FUNDERS MAKING IT HAPPEN, BUT ALSO ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE OPERATING IN THE DOWNTOWN.

AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE GOALS, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO MEASURE ARE YOU REACHING THOSE GOALS? NOT SO MUCH ON A FIVE AND TEN YEAR BASIS, BUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, SOME OF THOSE WILL PROBABLY CHANGE AS TIME GOES BY AND NEW THINGS WILL COME UP.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WITH THE GOVERNING BODY, IT NEEDS TO BE FOLKS THAT ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THAT SEE WHAT THE GOALS ARE AND ARE DOING ACTIVE MEASUREMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING THERE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE OBSTACLES ARE.

SO IN THE LONG RUN, I'M EXTREMELY OPTIMISTIC.

I THINK AS I READ A LOT IN WALL STREET JOURNAL ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES, WE ARE NOWHERE IN A BAD SITUATION COMPARED TO A LOT OF COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THEY TALK ABOUT, WELL, THIS WILL TAKE TEN YEARS, 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS.

AND I THINK WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR DOWNTOWN AREA TO THIS POINT WHERE YEARS AGO WE WOULD NEVER HAVE DREAMT IT.

SO I THINK THE REPORT IS OUTSTANDING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF IT.

THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER.

TODD. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS.

YOU BROUGHT IN A NICE PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK IT WAS A HEALTHY REVISIT OF THE PLAN AND EXISTING PLANS. I'M LESS WORRIED ABOUT STRUCTURE.

WHEN I REVISIT.

PAST PLANS AND PAST INITIATIVES.

FOR ME, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT STRUCTURE.

AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO FUNDAMENTALLY ADDRESS, AT LEAST IN MY BELIEF.

AND I'VE BEEN SORT OF AN OUTSIDER LOOKING IN.

BUT THERE'S A THERE'S BEEN A GRADUAL DISCONNECT BETWEEN COUNCIL AND, AND DOWNTOWN IN TERMS NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF THE VISION, BUT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION.

I LOOK BACK AT CEDAR LAKE.

THAT WAS TEN YEARS.

I CAME OUT OF THE 2017 PLAN, AND SO IT TOOK TEN YEARS, ACTUALLY, TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING.

AND I'LL GO BACK TO I REMEMBER A TIME, PROBABLY 1999, WHERE THE FOURTH STREET TRACKS.

THERE WAS A PLAN.

THE PLAN HAD BEEN DONE FOR THE LANDSCAPING AND TO CREATE THE PATHWAY ALONG THE TRACKS, BUT THERE WAS NO DETERMINATION IN TERMS OF WHO WAS GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT, AND IT SAT ON THE SHELF UNTIL SOMEBODY GOT CHEWED OUT FOR IT, SITTING ON THE SHELF, AND THEN IT GOT DONE.

AND SO WHILE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON DOWNTOWN AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S STILL PRETTY FRAGILE.

IF WE IF WE REALLY WANT TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES.

AND SO I APPRECIATE TASK FORCES, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS THINGS THAT COULD BE.

DONE IN AN AFTERNOON.

BY SETTING SOME PEOPLE IN A ROOM AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO TAKE WHAT PIECE OF THIS.

ULTIMATELY, COUNCIL WERE GOING INTO A BUDGET SESSION HERE SOON, SO IT'D BE NICE AND HEALTHY TO AT LEAST HAVE SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS PRIOR. AND SO I'M SORT OF MORE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PLAN NOW AND DEALING WITH THE MINUTIAE OF WHO'S GOING TO. OPERATE IT AND ULTIMATELY DRIVE IT.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE COUNCILS CHANGE.

SO DO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.

BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT LIVING DOCUMENT AND YOU NEED TO GET THAT, YOU KNOW, ON THE BOOKS NOW AND REALLY MAKE A SOLID COMMITMENT.

AND WITH THE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHO'S GOING TO DRIVE IT.

AND SO I'M MORE IN FAVOR OF HAVING THAT DISCUSSION SOONER RATHER THAN SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES TO HAVING IT OUT OVER TIME. GETTING IT DONE NOW.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR HELP.

ALL RIGHT, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, I IT IS NOT MINUTIA.

IT MAY BE POTENTIALLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT GETTING THIS PLAN DONE.

[01:15:06]

AND I KNOW I VOICED MY, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS ON THAT IN FRONT OF MULTIPLE ROOMS. IT WILL BE A PART OF MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS COMING GOING FORWARD.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO MAKING THIS HAPPEN AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

IF YOU BELIEVE CITIES ARE FOREVER, WHICH YOU HEAR ME SAY ALL THE TIME, THEN A HEALTHY, VIBRANT, RELEVANT DOWNTOWN IS REALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CITY THAT SURVIVES AND ONE THAT JUST THRIVES.

OUR CITY RIGHT NOW IS ELECTRIC.

IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND LATELY IN EVERY QUADRANT, THERE ARE REASONS TO CELEBRATE AND REASONS FOR EVERY QUADRANT TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND SO EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE REGARDING THIS PLAN.

I WANT TO FIRST AND FOREMOST THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN ON THIS COUNCIL.

I THINK YOU'VE JUST HEARD AN EXAMPLE OF OF HOW WE THINK, HOW WE DELIBERATE.

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS PLAN.

THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GONE ON FOR MONTHS ABOUT THIS PLAN.

I AM SO PROUD TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU WITH THIS AS A PRIORITY.

YOU PUT YOUR YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.

DOWNTOWN IS A PRIORITY.

IT HAS BEEN AND IT WILL BE CONTINUING FOR THIS COUNCIL.

CITY TEAMS, MOST NOTABLY CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DIRECTOR PRATT.

THE HOURS THAT YOU SPEND ON THIS, YOUR PASSION IS CONTAGIOUS FOR THIS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS, IS YOU AND I MEAN YOU OUT THERE, NOT JUST IN THE GALLERY, YOU WATCHING, YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU DROVE THIS.

YOU SAW THE RESULTS OF THOSE SURVEYS.

THAT WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR.

THAT WAS YOU. THIS IS A PLAN THAT IS FOR YOU.

AND BY YOU.

I'M GRATEFUL THAT OUR COMMUNITY CARES THAT MUCH TO THE DOWNTOWN SCHMID IN THE 2001 DEVELOPMENT GROUP FOR THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT ALONGSIDE THE CITY TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN AND ACTUALLY GET IT IN MOTION.

IT'S BECAUSE OF THOSE ACTIONS AND STEPPING UP THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY AND AND.

IT REALLY IS EXCITING AND IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS.

THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE AND FAIRLY INVOLVED.

DOABLE, BUT YES, INVOLVED PLAN.

AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN AND WE DON'T SEE RIGHT NOW.

WHAT GOT US TO THIS POINT ISN'T GOING TO GET US, I BELIEVE, TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO, WHICH IS WHY THESE FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL, I BELIEVE, TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PLAN.

AND I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD US TO SUCCESS.

AND I'M HOPING WE'LL INCLUDE YOU, BRAD, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD.

I ALSO WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT YOU HAVE THE FULL COMMITMENT OF THIS COUNCIL, CERTAINLY OF THIS MAYOR, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS DONE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

THE TIME IS NOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, BUT CERTAINLY IN EVERY QUADRANT.

SO IF WE HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT, I'D LIKE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE, THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THAT NOW BRINGS US TO THE ORDINANCES.

[27. Ordinance granting a change of zone for property at 5104 J Street SW from I-GI, General Industrial District, to T-IM, Traditional Industrial Mixed Use District, as requested by Cedar Valley Properties, LLC. CIP/DID #RZNE-034102-2023 ]

THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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.

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

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY AND BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

[PUBLIC INPUT ]

AS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THIS TIME, WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN.

SO I REMIND EVERYBODY TO REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.

COMMENTS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES.

NO ABUSIVE, LOUD, THREATENING, IRRELEVANT PERSONAL COMMENTS.

IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER AND ONLY SPEAKER TODAY IS ALAN MURDOCH, HIS SPECIFIC CITY RELATED ISSUE, WHO OWNS THE STORY OF THE CITY, MR. MURDOCH? AND HE JUST WALKED OUT.

OKAY, WELL, THEN THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS TODAY?

[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS]

[The City Council will meet immediately following the City Council Regular Session to discuss the annual performance review of the City Manager. This meeting may be closed pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i) (2023).]

WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF OUR CITY MANAGER.

[01:20:03]

I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

FOR THE PURPOSE OF EVALUATING FOR THE PURPOSE OF EVALUATING.

WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS ONE RIGHT.

THIS IS THE CITY MANAGER'S REVIEW, THE, UH, TO DISCUSS THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE CITY MANAGER PURSUANT TO IOWA CODE SECTION 21.51I. YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT MEMORIZED? WELL, MY MY COLLEAGUE HERE CHOSE TO TAKE A BREAK AT AN INOPPORTUNE MOMENT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

WE'LL HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER.

I NEED TO ASK EVERYBODY HOW THEY VOTE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

HOW DO YOU VOTE? COUNCIL MEMBER TODD? HOW DO YOU VOTE? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

AYE. I VOTE AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER LOEFFLER.

COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

HOW DO YOU VOTE? COUNCIL MEMBER HOEGER HOW DO YOU VOTE? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.

HOW DO YOU VOTE ON THE CLOSED SESSION MOTION? COUNCIL WILL RECESS NOW AND RECONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION IN THE CULVER CONFERENCE ROOM.

I HAD TO MAKE THE MOTION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.