October Council Meeting Update

University Heights Municipal website Dear U-Heights residents, City Council held their October regular meeting tonight, below are a few highlights. For more detailed information please see the October 11 Agenda & attachments. Go here to view a webstream of the September meeting.   Conflict of Interest Ordinance Passed Ordinance 193 version B (see the above agenda and attachments) passed its first reading tonight by a 4-1 margin, Quezada voted no. Second consideration will be at the Nov. 15 Council Meeting   Special Meeting Set Council will hold a special meeting on Monday Oct. 17 to consider a public information request policy.  Policy will be posted on the city website later this week. This meeting is to resolve a complaint filed with the Iowa Public Information Board. For more information (see the above agenda and attachments). Football Game Day Forum Don't forget next week's forum discussing football game day issues. That meeting will be held Tuesday October 18 at the University Club at 7 PM. Notice here, Questions here. Oct. 17 Council Special Meeting 6 PM City Office Oct. 18 Game Day Forum, 7 PM U-Club October 27, Leaf Vacuuming Nov. 8 Election Day, U-Heights votes at UI Athletic Hall of Fame       Early voting schedule: Johnson County Auditor November 10, Leaf Vacuuming November 15 City Council meeting Horn School November 17, Leaf Vacuuming Follow University Heights on Twitter Consider contributing to the University Heights Community Fund I also write a blog covering U-H and other timely topics, with my opinions expressed UHForward.blogspot.com Join the community at Nextdoor University Heights! As always it is a pleasure to serve as your city councilor. -Mike Copyright © 2016 Mike Haverkamp, All rights reserved.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Council Webstream/ Construction Update 10

Two posts for the price of one!

Thanks to the folks at Iowa City Cable City Channel 4  U-Heights council meetings are broadcast Thursday evenings at 9:00 PM on Channel 4 AND are available as webcasts. Here is the link to July Council meeting:

Here is a link to the July Agenda and attachments

At our August meeting this week we also heard updates on the One University Place construction project:

OUP Construction Page Index

One University Place Construction Update 10

8/11/16

The One University Place South building is nearing completion. Landscaping for the South Building facing Melrose is underway and will be completed in next two weeks. Pavement for parking on the north side of the South Building for commercial businesses is being installed along with some of the internal roadways for the project. Initial occupancy by residents of the South Building is expected to begin in September. Commercial business announcements are expected in the next two months.

The Sunset/Melrose intersection traffic lights are being installed this week. The City will be working with MPOJC on the timing for the street lights which will take about a month.  The North Sunset road is expected to be open late August before school starts.

 A model unit on 3rd floor of the South building is open for prospective buyers to inspect, through Blank/McCune realtors. U-Heights resident, Clayton Hargrave will coordinate interior design and furnishing for the community space at no charge to the City. 

Excavation of the foundation on the North Building has begun. Footings will be installed in the next few weeks and the foundation for the two tier parking garage will begin after the footings are in place.

Attached is the August City Engineer’s report detailing the upcoming work schedule, and other OUP related items.

Independent Project manager Glen Siders sent council an amended report detailing site work.

 

Construction Update #10

 

  

May Council Meeting Webstream

Thanks to the folks at City Channel 4 in Iowa City U-Heights council meetings are broadcast Thursday evenings at 9:00 PM on Channel 4 AND are available as webcasts. Here is the link to

Here is a link to the May Agenda and attachments

Melrose LANE CLOSURE!

This is a public notice posted on the University Heights City webpage

PUBLIC NOTICE

Weather permitting, beginning Wednesday, April 13, 2016 the westbound lane of Melrose Avenue will be closed between Sunset Street and Birkdale Court so crews can begin work on roadway widening and pavement repair work. This means that westbound traffic on Melrose Avenue will not be allowed to continue past the Sunset Street intersection. Westbound traffic will be detoured south on Sunset Street to Benton Street, west on Benton Street to Mormon Trek Blvd, and north on Mormon Trek Blvd back to Melrose Avenue.

Eastbound traffic on Melrose Avenue will continue through the work area on the remaining open lane. There will be no detour for eastbound traffic.

This is the first stage of work for a project that will widen Melrose Avenue in this location to construct a left-turn lane, rebuild and realign the north leg of the Melrose and Sunset intersection, and replace the existing traffic signals at the intersection. This first stage of work, and the associated detour describe above, is anticipated to be in place for approximately 1-week.

Drivers are asked to use caution around the work site, allow extra travel time, and find alternative routes when possible.

HF 161

An almost overlooked issue at last night's city council meeting was the announcement of the passage of  HF161, a bill in the Iowa House of Representatives that would eliminate the ability of cities to limit occupancy of homes based on family status. Most of U-Heights is zoned single family meaning a family of related individuals, regardless of size, may live in a house. By our zoning definition, however, no more than two unrelated adults comprise a family. As our city attorney observed last night, this is the bedrock of all of our zoning and housing regulations. I wrote about this two years ago when the same bill was in the Iowa House HF184 Do Something?

Check this story in this morning's Press Citizen for details.

Bill would end some single-home roommate restrictions

I would urge all of you to consider writing to our senators to express your feelings on this topic. A similar bill SF458 has the important difference of NOT eliminating the non-related standard for zoning. Here is information I shared with people at the council meeting last night:

Local Senators

joe@joebolkcom.org                   Johnson

robert.dvorsky@legis.iowa.gov     Johnson

Kevin.Kinney@legis.iowa.gov        Johnson/Washington

rob.hogg@legis.iowa.gov             Linn

liz.mathis@legis.iowa.gov             Linn

wally.horn@legis.iowa.gov           Linn

Ask senators to oppose SSB1218, or SF458 or similar bills to HF161. The key is not to limit the ability of cities to restrict, via zoning, the number of unrelated adults that can occupy a property.

Points to mention: As a community of small homes (2 bedrooms, many under 1600 square feet) and narrow streets we would simply not be able to accommodate the amount of pressure this would put on our town. Street storage of autos, problems with garbage collection, and general wear on property are all problems exacerbated by increasing the number of adults living in a single property.

Other senators

Majority leader         mike.gronstal@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Majority Leader:    bill.dotzler@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Majority Leader:    matt.mccoy@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Majority Leader:    amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Majority Leader:    mary.jo.wilhelm@legis.iowa.gov

Republican Leader:    bill.dix@legis.iowa.gov

Republican Whip:      jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Republican Leader: rick.bertrand@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Republican Leader: randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Republican Leader: tim.kapucian@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Republican Leader: charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov

Assistant Republican Leader: dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov

Find all Iowa Senators:

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/senate