Tonight's meeting will be held in-person (physically distanced) in the council chambers; most items on the agenda are fairly routine, but a couple of standouts are the approval of the Greenhill & South Main intersection design (Item #2), the site plan approval for the new high school (Item #18) and an increase in refuse fees to cover the cost of refuse service (Item #20). Council members and the public are welcome to pull any item from the resolution or consent calendars in order to ask questions or make comments about the item prior to the council voting on it; generally the staff won't give a full presentation on the item if the materials have already been included in the Council Packet for council and public review.
Prior to the regular council meeting, at 5:35 the council will be interviewing a Library Board candidate, hearing from staff about the Great American Rail Trail (from Washington DC to Washington State, including Cedar Falls), and hearing about a proposed ordinance change for trailers on residential streets. I hope you can join us in-person, online, or via Channel 15! As always, thanks for doing the hard work to be an informed and engaged resident.
In addition to in-person, the meeting will also be accessible via video conference and the public may access/participate in the meeting in the following ways:
a) By dialing the phone number +13126266799 or +19292056099 or +12532158782 or +13017158592 or +13462487799 or +16699006833 and when prompted, enter the meeting ID (access code) 962 7287 1738.
b) iPhone one-tap: +13126266799,,96272871738# or +19292056099,,96272871738#
c) Join via smartphone or computer using this link: https://zoom.us/j/96272871738.
d) View the live stream on Channel 15 YouTube using this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzeig5nIS-dIEYisqah1uQ (view only).
e) Watch on Cedar Falls Cable Channel 15 (view only).
To request to speak when allowed on the agenda, participants must click “Raise Hand” if connected by smartphone or computer, or press *9 if connected by telephone. All participants will be muted by the presiding officer when not actually speaking.
Call to Order by the Mayor
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
1. Regular Meeting of September 21, 2020. This action enters the minutes into the record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at the meeting; it is not an appropriate time to debate the merits of the items themselves.
Agenda Revisions
Special Order of Business
2. Public hearing on a proposal to undertake a public improvement project for the Greenhill Road and South Main Street Intersection Improvements Project and to authorize acquisition of private property for said project. This public hearing the required 'next step' after adopting the Greenhill Road Corridor Study, for determining if the intersection at Greenhill and South Main will be a roundabout or a signalized intersection when it is rebuilt. Up to this point, no action or vote has committed the city to either option, so this vote will decide.
a) Receive and file proof of publication of notice of hearing. (Notice published September 25, 2020)
b) Written communications filed with the City Clerk.
c) Staff comments.
d) Public comments.
e) Resolution approving a public improvement for the Greenhill Road and South Main Street Intersection Improvements Project and authorizing acquisition of private property for said project.
Old Business
3. Pass Ordinance #2970, amending Chapter 23, Traffic and Motor Vehicles, of the Code of Ordinances relative to establishing a 4-way stop at the intersection of West 12th Street and Walnut Street, upon its third & final consideration. Council has had some discussion in the previous meeting about this intersection; when it was designed, the corresponding study found that a four-way stop was appropriate here, and the roadway was built to accommodate this. As a frequent user of this intersection, I believe the four-way intersection approach makes sense, and the data supports this.
4. Pass Ordinance #2971, granting a partial property tax exemption to Owen 5, LLC for construction of an industrial use shop/office facility at 1325 Rail Way, upon its second consideration. I described this in my notes for the previous meeting.
5. Pass Ordinance #2972, granting a partial property tax exemption to Tjaden Properties, LLC for construction of an industrial use manufacturing/shop facility at 2800 Technology Parkway, upon its second consideration. I described this in my notes for the previous meeting.
6. Pass Ordinance #2973, granting a partial property tax exemption to Zuidberg NA, LLC for construction of an industrial use warehouse and office facility at 2700 Capital Way, upon its second consideration. I described this in my notes for the previous meeting.
New Business
Consent Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by voice vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
7. Receive and file a proclamation recognizing October 12, 2020 as Indigenous Peoples Day. In 2018, the State of Iowa (through Governor Reynolds) began recognizing Indigenous Peoples on what has traditionally been Columbus Day, and I am proud that we can follow that precedent at the City level.
8. Approve the following recommendation of the Mayor relative to the appointment of members to Boards and Commissions. These nominees were recommended to by the Selection Committees; after a personal interview, I am satisified that they serve our city well as board members. Thank you for volunteering to serve!
a) Reginald Green, Library Board of Trustees, term ending 06/30/2024.
b) Andrew Stensland, Visitors & Tourism Board, term ending 07/1/2023.
9. Receive and file the City Council Work Session minutes of September 21, 2020 relative to City Council Goal Setting Format. This action enters the minutes into the record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at the meeting; it is not an appropriate time to debate the merits of the items themselves. I requested several changes to the way we set up, carry out, and documents the Council Goals, and I thank the Council for its trust by supporting my recommendations. When next published in the spring, I am working to ensure that the Goal Setting Document useful to the public for understanding the city's direction, and can be a great tool for resident discussion during the Council elections.
10. Receive and file the Committee of the Whole minutes of September 21, 2020 relative to the following items: This action enters the minutes into the record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at the meeting; it is not an appropriate time to debate the merits of the items themselves.
a) Refuse Rate Study.
b) Snow Removal on Trails.
11. Receive and file Departmental Monthly Reports for August 2020. Please see the cover memo for special highlights about staff service during August.
12. Approve the following applications for beer permits and liquor licenses: The Council is the approving authority for all alcohol-related permits and licenses. No questions.
a) Aldi Inc., 6322 University Avenue, Class C beer & Class B wine - renewal.
b) Peppers Grill & Sports Pub, 620 East 18th Street, Class C liquor - renewal.
c) Casey's General Store, 601 Main Street, Class E liquor - renewal.
d) The Music Station, 1420 West 1st Street, Class E liquor - renewal.
Resolution Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by roll call vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
13. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a 28E Agreement for Tobacco, Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Product Enforcement with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. The City will be reimbursed by the State at a rate of $75 per compliance check on each business that sells tobacco. The payment is made whether or not the business is found at fault.
14. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of three Owner Purchase Agreements, approving a Claim for Non-Residential Relocation Assistance Reimbursement; and approving and accepting one Public Utility Easement and three Owner's Temporary Easements, in conjunction with the Cedar Heights Drive Reconstruction Project. These are standard agreements so that reconstruction can commence along Cedar Heights Drive.
15. Resolution approving and accepting the contract and bond of Peterson Contractors, Inc. for the Mandalay Slope Stabilization Project. There's a steep incline from the river to the properties along Mandalay Drive; this $106,600 project would help to limit erosion.
16. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Predesign Agreement for Primary Road Project with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) relative to the Highway 58 & Ridgeway Avenue Reconstruction Project. This is a significant project to improve the intersection at Ridgeway & 58, as well as the entry into the new Farm Fleet (which explains the temporary dangling traffic lights there now). This nearly $9M project would be split between IDOT ($4.97M) and the City of Cedar Falls ($1.92M).
17. Resolution approving a College Hill Neighborhood (CHN) Overlay Zoning District site plan for temporary wheat paste murals in the College Hill Business District. The council must approve all facade change requests in the CHN Overlay. These would be similar in construction to the successful temporary wheatpastes that were put up in College Hill last year. There is no cost to Cedar Falls taxpayers.
18. Resolution approving a Public Zoning District site plan for construction of a new high school located in the vicinity of West 27th Street and PE Center Drive. This is a general plan which must be approved by City Council in order for this public 305,000 square foot building on 70 acres to move forward for construction. Detailed plans are included in the packet, noting buildings, parking areas, athletic fields, connecting roadways and landscaping. It was described, and then unanimously recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission on 9/23.
19. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Release of Minimum Assessment Agreement and Agreement for Private Development; and approving and accepting a Warranty Deed, relative to an Agreement for Private Development with CRMS, L.L.C. The city deeds property to developers in the industrial parks if they will commit to constructing a building of a certain value on that land. This developer had a personal injury which prevented proceeding on with this project, and so it is being returned to city ownership.
Ordinances:
20. Pass an ordinance amending Chapter 10, Garbage and Refuse, of the Code of Ordinances relative to refuse rates, upon its first consideration. This would raise rates for trash service in Cedar Falls by a small amount in order to keep pace with the cost of services.
Allow Bills and Payroll
21. Allow Bills and Payroll of October 5, 2020. The Council is the approving authority for all expenditures since the last council meeting.
City Council Referrals
City Council Updates
Staff Update
Executive Session
22. Executive Session to discuss Property Acquisition per Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property, following Public Forum.
Public Forum. (Speakers will have one opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes on topics germane to City business.)
Adjournment
| Council Packet Link | |
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| Meeting Date | 10/04/20 |
