October City Council Meeting Summary

City Council met for their regular October meeting Tuesday night. Here are some highlights.

• MPOjc Reported on Community Focus Meeting and the Online Feedback results. See full story below.
• Developer Jeff Maxwell announced that Jim Mondonaro is very interested in putting a Bread Garden type facility in a potential mixed use development.
• Sunset wide side is completed except for several more trees plantings.

Community Focus Group Report

A summary report from the Sept. 18th Community Focus Group meeting regarding three possible re-development proposals at St. Andrew property was presented by the MPOjc (Municipal Planning Organization of Johnson County). The report includes each table group summary from those attending the meeting. Also presented were the results of the online feedback form.
MPOjc highlighted the  online question that asked if participants preferred one of the three concepts submitted by the developer or if they preferred something else.
50% of respondents prefer the 5+/3 concept
17% prefer the 5+/Park concept
10% prefer the 4+/2 concept
23% prefer something other than what was shown in the proposed concepts.
Over 100 people attended the meeting and 125 gave online feedback. There were 40 people who attended and gave online feedback. So roughly 185 people participated in the process.
Read the Summary Report HERE

Candidate Forum

Monday October 14th 7:00 PM
St. Andrew Church Fellowship Hall
1300 Melrose Ave.
Candidates for the office of City Councilor will participate in a forum at St. Andrew Fellowship Hall. The public is invited to attend this event. See questions candidates will answer HERE.

 

Trunk or Treat

Sunday, Oct. 27th from 3:00 -4:30 in the parking lot of St. Andrew Church. UHeights kids will 'trunk or treat' from car to car. People (most likely those of us beyond the trick or treating years) will decorate our trunks and hand out treats. If  anyone is interested in decorating their car contact Rosanne Hopson. There will be a prize for the best decorated trunk - if that entices you at all! Refreshments will be served and there will be an area where the kids can have their photos taken.

Leaf Raking

Tippie College of Business students are available to rake lawns to earn money for the house they build for Habitat for Humanity. You give a donation for the work - whatever you want to give. The students did an outstanding job last year. The date is Sunday, Nov. 3rd from noon to 5:00 so if you are interested, please email Rosanne Hopson. ( The vacuum pick up date is Thursday, Nov. 7th). 

I'm Mike Haverkamp, for the past 3 years I've provided city council meeting summaries to all interested citizens. It is a privilege to serve as your city councilor.  If you have a question or concern please don't hesitate to contact me. My email is mikehaverkamp1960@gmail.com

More Media Coverage

The Community Focus Group meeting from September 18 is still generating news. A piece appeared in today's Cedar Rapids Gazette:

Discussion on University Heights Development Resumes

The link above to the story has a good write up. 

Remember that online feedback is still being collected by MPOjc (Metropoliton Planning Organization of Johnson County) staff until midnight Tuesday October 1st.

Here is a link to the Focus Group page along with footprint images of each scenario and a webcast of the presentation of each scenario from the meeting:

Focus Group Feeback

The fiercely  debated Melrose Ave. development project that divided the University Heights community several years ago has resurfaced following a series of new proposals by the developer.
Plans for One University Place, 1300 Melrose Ave., to be a mix of residential and commercial development stalled in 2011 after vocal opposition from residents and a city council unwilling to support the project with tax increment financing.
Developer Jeff Maxwell released two additional proposals, along with his original plan, for the 5.3 acres of land where St. Andrew Presbyterian Church currently stands. The church has agreed allow Maxwell to purchase the land for $4.3 million, which the city council rezoned for development in 2010.
Maxwell said the residential-only designs are alternatives for those concerned about commercial space.
- See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpuf

The fiercely  debated Melrose Ave. development project that divided the University Heights community several years ago has resurfaced following a series of new proposals by the developer.
Plans for One University Place, 1300 Melrose Ave., to be a mix of residential and commercial development stalled in 2011 after vocal opposition from residents and a city council unwilling to support the project with tax increment financing.
Developer Jeff Maxwell released two additional proposals, along with his original plan, for the 5.3 acres of land where St. Andrew Presbyterian Church currently stands. The church has agreed allow Maxwell to purchase the land for $4.3 million, which the city council rezoned for development in 2010.
Maxwell said the residential-only designs are alternatives for those concerned about commercial space.
- See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpuf

e fiercely  debated Melrose Ave. development project that divided the University Heights community several years ago has resurfaced following a series of new proposals by the developer.
Plans for One University Place, 1300 Melrose Ave., to be a mix of residential and commercial development stalled in 2011 after vocal opposition from residents and a city council unwilling to support the project with tax increment financing.
Developer Jeff Maxwell released two additional proposals, along with his original plan, for the 5.3 acres of land where St. Andrew Presbyterian Church currently stands. The church has agreed allow Maxwell to purchase the land for $4.3 million, which the city council rezoned for development in 2010.
Maxwell said the residential-only designs are alternatives for those concerned about commercial space.
- See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpufDiscussion

Discussion on University Heights development resumes - See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpufDis

Discussion on University Heights development resumes - See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpuf

Discussion on University Heights development resumes - See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dpuf

Discussion on University Heights development resumes - See more at: http://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/#sthash.9ZxtIi2y.dphttp://thegazette.com/2013/09/27/discussion-on-university-heights-development-resumes/

St. Andrew Challenge

The focus group session on Wednesday, September 18, was a lively and energetic forum. While there was not overwhelming consensus on any one scenario, it was obvious University Heights residents want to take advantage of the opportunity to have a development on the St. Andrew property that offers more than just an expansion our city’s tax base.

The diversity of opinions about the type of development will require active listening and leadership from the next city council. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our town to control how a large property will be developed. The council must work to develop a vision of the future for University Heights that residents can understand and adopt. I suspect we will develop a hybrid of the three scenarios we discussed at the meeting in order to meet the needs of a majority of the residents.

The St.Andrew project has been and will continue to be a challenge for our community. I am optimistic that we can come together and agree on a development that will meet the long term needs of the residents of University Heights.