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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/22/95COUNCIL WORK SESSION May 22, 1995 4:15 p.m. Large Conference Room Members present: Mayor Rooff, Jordan, Getty, Krizek, Collier, Murphy. Members absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Moved by Jordan, seconded by Collier that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Four. Absent: Anders, Murphy, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. City Planner Don Temeyer provided proposed language for the Zoning Ordinance to deal with cluttered businesses. Staff from the Planning Department, City Attorney and Black Hawk County Health Department worked together to develop language to regulate outside storage for businesses such as car repair shops, pawn shops or other retail establishments. Murphy now present at 4:16 p.m.. Don Temeyer showed a video of businesses taken by UNI interns that represent both businesses that do have a problem with cluttered storage and like businesses that don't have such a problem. The ordinance language will be presented to the Chamber of Commerce and area business for their review. Storage areas must be located in the rear yard and screened from view. Vehicles waiting to be serviced must be moved within 48 hours and stacking of items won't be permitted in front of a business. Councilperson Getty expressed his support of staff issuing citations for any zoning violations. He asked for input on how to deal with the many vacant houses through the City. Planner Don Temeyer stated that this issue needs to be addressed from more than one direction. The Fire and Housing Inspectors along with the Planning and Health Department need to work cooperatively in this area. Councilmembers stated their support of this ordinance change and requested that staff move ahead with plans to present it to the public. With no further business before the council, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Murphy that the meeting be adjourned at 4:50 p.m. Ayes: Five. Absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. Susan Fangman City Clerk COUNCIL WORK SESSION May 22, 1995 5:00 p.m. Large Conference Room Members present: Mayor Rooff, Jordan, Murphy, Getty, Krizek, Collier. Members absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Moved by Krizek, seconded by Jordan that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Five. Absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. City Engineer Eric Thorson and Associate Engineer Jim Ellis presented preliminary designs and associated costs for an access to Highway 63 from the Randall Street vicinity. Four access points were evaluated at Wellington Street, Randall Street, W. Mullan Avenue or Belmont. The Iowa Department of Transportation reported that the Belmont access wouldn't be an acceptable design as it would be too close to the intersection of Washington. Costs for access at Randall Street are estimated at $87,000; Wellington costs estimates are $109,000 and West Mullan access would run approximately $410,000. The Department of Transportation has identified approximately $80,000 in funding for this project to assist the City. It was recommended that a meeting be scheduled with citizens in the neighborhood to discuss the proposals and receive their input. A bus tour and meeting will be scheduled for June 12th in Belmont Park. With no further business before the council, it was moved by Collier, seconded by Jordan that the meeting be adjourned at 5:16 p.m. Ayes: Five. Absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. Susan Fangman City Clerk COUNCIL WORK SESSION May 22, 1995 5:30 p.m. Large Conference Room Members present: Mayor Rooff, Jordan, Murphy, Getty, Krizek, Collier. Members absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Moved by Jordan, seconded by Collier that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Five. Absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. Members of the Community Development Board that were present were: Elsie Duncan, Sally McClendon, Jack Geist, Lyle Reed, Eric Johnson and Barnie Simmons. Mayor Rooff asked for a discussion between the Community Development Board and City Council on economic development activity handled by Community Development. The Mayor asked for input by the Board on the overall plan for use of the economic development funds administered by Community Development. Jack Geist asked the council if the guidelines and policies set forth in the letter provided are adequately meeting the needs of the City. He agreed that the funds available should be put to use to promote business growth in the community. The Board has been in the position of a lender of last resort, just to fill in the gap when projects aren't fully funded by the banks or other economic development programs. There has not been a major recruitment effort as a large amount of money was tied up in the trust account and has just become available. The Board has never actively pursued lending opportunities but rather wait for other economic development agencies to bring requests to Community Development. Mark Boesen, Community Development Director or Rich Earles, Assistant Director, generally meet with the lending institutions and then make a recommendation to the Board regarding loan requests. Lyle Reed stated that there appears to be a less than adequate coordination of economic development efforts in the area. But the Community Development Board is only part of the picture in the overall community effort. Eric Johnson confirmed that there needs to be more direction to economic activities and feels the efforts to date have been more re -active than pro -active. He likened the efforts to "patching the potholes rather than replacing the streets". Johnson indicated that a plan of action should be prepared. Rich Earles, Assistant Community Development Director, reported that either he or Mark Boesen works with the staff at Cedar Valley Partnershiip or Black Hawk Economic Development but neither one sits on the boards so not all the information is shared. Sally McClendon pointed out that progress has been made with the funds that were available. She cited loans for the convention center and Logan Avenue Plaza as successful projects. Barnie Simmons suggested that the City ask for more communication between the agencies to help in improving their efforts. Councilperson Krizek suggested that a staff or Board member should sit on the other agencies' boards. Jack Geist agreed that attending meetings isn't as effective as having a representative on the board. Councilperson Getty requested that a letter be sent to the economic development agencies asking that Community Development Board members or staff sit on the agencies' boards. Council Work Session May 22, 1995 Page 2 Elsie Duncan asked for an explanation of what the Mayor sees the role of Community Development should be. Mayor Rooff responded that he feels the Board's role could be bigger with the funds available rather than just a stop -gap effort. Board members explained the purpose of Community Development Block Grant programs have been to eliminate slums, assist with ADA compliance, participate in the acquisition and demolition of property or improve the infrastructure if fifty-one percent of the area population is low to moderate income. In the past requests were handled on a first come, first serve basis until 1991 when the Gateway area was targeted for blight removal. In 1995 the Board agreed to target the neighborhood organizations. Funds were programmed to assist with the curb and gutter program, housing rehabilitation in the Gateway area and the rehabilitation of six houses in the organized neighborhoods. Lyle Reed suggested that the City could leverage funds better by starting with low interest loans and cooperating with the lending institutions to stretch the available funds. Eric Johnson stated that he understood the premise of the HOME program but proposed that funds for home improvement would be better serviced if used to provide jobs so that residents could pay for rehabilitation themselves. With no further discussion it was moved by Getty, seconded by Murphy that the meeting be adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Ayes: Five. Absent: Anders, Mollenhoff. Motion carried. Susan Fangman City Clerk