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Home >> Annotated Agendas >> Annotated Agenda for 11/5/2018

Annotated Agenda for 11/5/2018

This agenda has many non-controversial items on it; one item that has received some press is the rezoning of the land north of Lakeshore Drive to R-1 (Item E.4) due to stormwater runoff/drainage concerns.   We'll also be reviewing a site plan for a new Fleet Farm at Ridgeway & 58 (Item E.3).  Plus the opportunity for public comment. Also, there's no Committee of the Whole beforehand.  Hope you can join us in person at City Hall at 7pm or on Channel 15!

A.

Call to Order by the Mayor.

.

B.

Roll Call.

 
C.

Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 15, 2018.

No concerns.

D.

Agenda Revisions.

 

E.

Old Business:

 

 

1.

Pass Ordinance #2932, granting a partial property tax exemption to Standard Distribution Co. for construction of a warehouse addition at 317 Savannah Park Drive, upon its third & final consideration.

We have discussed this item in past council sessions; no new concerns.

 

2.

Pass Ordinance #2933, amending Section 29-107 of the Code of Ordinances by removing property located in the southwest corner of Highway 58 and West Ridgeway Avenue from A-1, Agricultural District, and placing the same in HWY-1, Highway Commercial District, subject to certain conditions, upon its third & final consideration.

We have discussed this item in past council sessions; no new concerns.

 

3.

Resolution approving a Highway 20 Commercial Corridor Overlay Zoning District site plan for construction of a retail and convenience store to be located in the southwest corner of Highway 58 and West Ridgeway Avenue, subject to certain conditions.

This site plan would allow Fleet Farm to build a big-box retail on the parcel on the southwest corner of Ridgeway and 58.   This does align with the 2012 Comprehensive Plan, and will serve regional needs, so I do not have concerns about the site plan.   

 

4.

Pass Ordinance #2934, amending Section 29-107 of the Code of Ordinances by removing property located at the north end of Lakeshore Drive from A-1, Agricultural District, and placing the same in R-1, Residence District, upon its third & final consideration, OR

This would allow the land north of Lakeshore Drive to be approved for residential development.  I am in favor of increasing housing in the city's northwest, in order to "balance out" the city with downtown as the center.  I'm following the drainage concerns issue closely, and would need to see that this is addressed adequately before I could approve platting this land for actual housing construction. 

 

a.

Defer final consideration of the ordinance until the Park Ridge Estates preliminary plat is presented for consideration by City Council.

I'll need to know more about this; I'm not sure what postive impacts would be gained by waiting; the Comprehensive Plan lists this area for Low-Density residential. 

F.

New Business:

 

 

1.

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.

 

 

a.

Approve the recommendation of the Mayor relative to the temporary reappointment of Brian Arntson to the Planning & Zoning Commission, term ending 11/30/2018.

This allows Mr. Artson to remain on P&Z until November 30th as the mayor vets new applicants.  No concerns.

 

b.

Receive and file the Committee of the Whole minutes of October 15, 2018 relative to the following items:

(1) Community Main Street Presentation.

(2) College Hill Partnership Presentation.

(3) Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee Presentation.

(4) Bills & Payroll.

I believe this is an accurate reflection of the meeting.  No concerns, though I hope in future years, these will actually be carried out as work session discussions (as was directed in Goal Setting), not 10-minute presentations.

 

c.

Receive and file communications from the Civil Service Commission relative to certified lists for the following positions:

(1) Land Surveyor.

(2) Maintenance Worker.

(3) Planner II.

This is a report for who scored highest in placement considerations for city positions.  No concerns.

 

d.

Receive and file Departmental Monthly Reports of September 2018.

Due to time constraints this weekend, I didn't have time to read the reports! :(   I'm so sorry, your work is very important!   Will do so this week & ask questions later.

 

e.

Receive and file the Bi-Annual Report of Community Main Street relative to FY19 Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) Funds & an FY19 Economic Development Grant.

CMS has to report on their activities twice a year in order to keep getting funds from the City. No concerns.

 

f.

Receive and file the Bi-Annual Report of College Hill Partnership relative to FY19 Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) Funds and an FY19 Economic Development Grant.

CHP has to report on their activities twice a year in order to keep getting funds from the City. No concerns.

 

g.

Approve a request for a street closure on Viking Road on November 22, 2018.

City Council must approve all street closures. This is for Trekman Racing's big Turkey Trot event.  No concerns.

 

h.

Approve the following applications for beer permits and liquor licenses:

(1) Casey's General Store, 5908 Nordic Drive, Class C beer & Class B wine - renewal.

(2) Clarion Inn, 5826 University Avenue, Class B liquor - renewal.

(3) Figaro Figaro, 419 Main Street, Class C Liquor & outdoor service - renewal.

(4) Tony's La Pizzeria, 407 Main Street, Class C liquor & outdoor service - renewal.

No concerns

 

2.

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.)

 

 

a.

Resolution authorizing certification of eligible expenses for reimbursement from the Downtown, College Hill, Pinnacle Prairie and Unified Tax Increment Financing Revenues.

This document outlines what our Tax Increment Financing was spent on (typically construction and incentives) since the start of the TIF districts.    I have no concerns about the report, but I still am adamantly opposed to using Unified Industrial Park TIF funds on non-Industrial Park projects.     It was wrong for the city to use $3M from this fund on the Highway 58 / University Avenue intersection, because it wasn't releated to the Industrial Parks, which is specifically why this fund exists.

 

b.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Bond Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for the Prairie Parkway & Viking Road Signalization Project in the Pinnacle Prairie Urban Renewal Area.

Moves $2.3K in TIF money as a loan to complete a traffic light project at Viking & Prairie Parkway. No concerns.

 

c.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Bond Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for legal fees and incentive payments in the Downtown Urban Renewal Area.

Moves $42K in TIF money as a loan to carry out incentive payments for development Downtown. No concerns.

 

d.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Bond Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for Highway 58 Corridor Improvements, Industrial Park Street Patching, and administrative and legal fees related to the Unified Urban Renewal Area.

This approves the transfer of $3,947,713.58 in TIF funds as a loan to cover various construction costs.  No additional concerns beyond what I already noted in 2.a above.  I disagree with the use but appreciate we need to fulfill our obligations.

 

e.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the General Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for personnel costs to support the Unified Urban Renewal projects and planning in the Unified Urban Renewal Area.

Moves $44K in TIF money as a loan to cover personnel costs associated with the Unified TIF District. No concerns.

 

f.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the Economic Development Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for the purchase of land in the Unified Urban Renewal Area.

Moves $4,810 as a loan to for the purchase of land, which I believe has already been approved by council. I'll check.  No other concerns.

 

g.

Resolution approving and authorizing an inter-fund loan from the Street Improvement Fund to the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Fund relative to funding for the University Avenue Reconstruction Project - Phase 3 in the Unified Urban Renewal Area.

No concerns

 

h.

Resolution approving and authorizing submission of the City's FY18 Annual Urban Renewal Report.

Aside from very view of these projects being actual "urban renewal", no concerns

 

i.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a replacement Quit Claim Deed conveying title to a portion of vacated alley located in Lincoln Park Addition to Michael and Jeanette Geisler.

No concerns

 

j.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an FY19 Cooperative Agreement with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

No concerns

 

k.

Resolution renaming Cedar Falls Recreation and Community Center to Recreation and Fitness Center.

No concerns; sounds like it's long overdue!

 

l.

Resolution approving and accepting a Permanent Utility Easement, in conjunction with the University Avenue Reconstruction Project - Phase 2.

No concerns; it's an agreement for $1 that the property owner won't build on a little sliver of property so that the city can have access for utilities.

 

m.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of twenty Owner Purchase Agreements and fifteen Tenant Purchase Agreements, and approving and accepting one Warranty Deed, nineteen Owner's Temporary Grading Easements and six Public Utility Easements, in conjunction with the West 1st Street Reconstruction Project.

This is a large, comprehensive group of docuemtns for purchasing all or part of land, and getting easements for others, for the upcoming rebuild of First Street.  No concerns.

 

n.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Supplemental Agreement No. 3 to the Standard Consultant Contract with IIW, P.C. for construction engineering services relative to the West 20th Street Bridge Replacement Project.

Approves $9960 for additional work on this project.  No concerns.

 

o.

Resolution approving the partial release of retainage funds to S.M. Hentges & Sons, Inc. for the Dry Run Creek Sanitary Sewer Improvements Project, Phase 2.

Approves the release of $167,412.14 for the Dry Run Creek Sanitary Sewer upgrade work.  No concerns.

 

p.

Resolution approving and accepting completion of public improvements in Autumn Ridge Eighth Addition.

States that the city has finished work on the roads and other infrastucture needed for this housing development.  no concerns. 

 

q.

Resolution approving the Certificate of Completion and accepting the work of Peterson Contractors, Inc. for the Greenhill Road Extension Project.

States that the new curved Greenhill Road extension is officially "done".  No concerns.

 

r.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Storm Water Maintenance and Repair Agreement with Redeemer Church relative to a post-construction stormwater management plan for 815 Orchard Drive.

No concerns about the plan, but I can't tell from the document if this work has already been done, or is pending.  I'll ask. 

 

s.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Storm Water Maintenance and Repair Agreement with FN Investors, LLC relative to a post-construction stormwater management plan for 3019 Venture Way.

Same as 2.r. above.

 

t.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Storm Water Maintenance and Repair Agreement with Cedar Brook Dental Group relative to a post-construction stormwater management plan for 9219 University Avenue.

Same as 2.r. above.

 

u.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Storm Water Maintenance and Repair Agreement with Ice Investments, LLC relative to a post-construction stormwater management plan for 3201 Venture Way.

Same as 2.r. above.

 

v.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Storm Water Maintenance and Repair Agreement with SCD Real Estate, LLC relative to a post-construction stormwater management plan for 1225 Rail Way.

Same as 2.r. above.

 

w.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Professional Service Agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for engineering services relative to the Downtown 100 Block Alley Reconstruction Project.

This approves $17.5K from Downtown TIF money as part of the reconstruction of the alley between West 1st and West 2nd Street at the 100 block of Main.  No concerns. 

 

x.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Oxbow Restoration Agreement with The Nature Conservancy relative to the Dry Run Creek Oxbow Restoration Project.

Approves the payment of $2800 year for ten years to the Nature Conservancy to restore the oxbow in the river.  I'd like to know more about what this means, and why we're doing it.  I'll ask.

 

y.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the Professional Service Agreement with Snyder & Associates, Inc. relative to the West 1st Street Reconstruction Project.

Pays the contractor $26,361.87 to cover design services not accounted for in the orginal agreement.

 

z.

Resolution approving the final plat of Autumn Ridge Eighth Addition.

Allows the development of condos in this new platted area. No concerns.

 

aa.

Resolution approving a Highway Corridor and Greenbelt (HCG) Overlay Zoning District site plan for signage on Lot 1 of East Viking Plaza.

The new Raising Cane's restaurant wants to put up a freestanding monument sign.  No concerns; I'm fine with these low signs, but would generally disfavor tall "pole" signs as an eyesore.  This one looks classy.

 

ab.

Resolution approving a Central Business District Overlay Zoning District site plan for façade improvements at 321 Main Street.

LBL has already put a sequin-based background on their storefront and is now asking for approval.   I'd be curious about the CMS design committee's opinion on this.   The reason for turning down Root's request for a pink storefront a few years back was that it didn't match the desired downtown aesthetic.  Is this different?

 

ac.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Offer to Buy Real Estate and Acceptance for 126.07 acres, more or less, of real estate owned by Lois Rieger, John Rieger, Rick Rieger, and Steven Rieger relative to expansion of the West Viking Road Industrial Park.

This is a large property purchase in order to expand the industrial park due to demand.   It conforms with the 2012 Comprehensive Plan's aims, so no concerns.

 

ad.

Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Preconstruction Agreement for Primary Road Project with the Iowa Department of Transportation relative to the West 1st Street Reconstruction Project.

Moves the City and State forward with the construction of the new First Street. The total project cost is anticipated at $15.1M, with the city's part being $8.5M.  No concerns.

G.

Allow Bills and Payroll.

No concerns.

H.

City Council Referrals.

No referrals.

I.

City Council Updates.

No updates.

J.

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.

 

K.

Public Forum. (Speakers will have one opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes on topics germane to City business.)

 

L.

Adjournment.

 
Council Packet Link
Meeting Date
11/05/18