September Council Meeting Summary

Fellow U-Heights residents, City Council held their regular September meeting Tuesday night, below are some highlights. For more information please look at the full agenda and attachments. Ice Cream Social U-Heights Ice Cream Social will be this Sunday, Sept. 13, from 3:30 to 5:30 at the newly renovated Tower Court Park. Eulenspiegel Puppets will perform at 4:00. Ice cream from Dane's Dairy and Kalona Bars will be served. Come greet your neighbors, and have a good time! Kid's Council Presentation Iowa City Crime Prevention/Community Service Officer R.A. Mebus presented this evening during the Kid's Council program about Safety Village. This two week long June program is available to 5 through 7 years olds. More information can be found here Safety Village. Open Space/Tree Board Ordinances Council had first readings of two ordinances. Ordinance 191 would require any developer who splits a property or increases density to set aside open space. Ordinance 190 would create a City Tree Board to help manage and watch out for trees planted in city right of way. Both ordinances passed 5-0. All ordinances require 3 approvals from council. Both ordinances can be found in the above agenda and attachments link. Driveway Issues City Engineer Josiah Bilskemper reminded everyone that a driveway permit is required whenever a new driveway apron (The portion between the sidewalk and the street) is poured.Driveway Permits forms are on the city website on the Building/Zoning/Sanitation page . Upcoming Events U-Heights Ice Cream Social Sept. 13 Tower Court Park 3:30 to 5:30 Neighborhood Watch Meeting- Kingsley Botchway will present on Cultural Competence Sept. 24th 7 PM City Office 1004 Melrose City Council Regular Meeting Oct. 13th Place TBD LEAF VACUUMING: 3 DATES: Oct. 19 Nov. 2, Nov. 19

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 © 2015 Mike Haverkamp, All rights reserved. This is information about University Heights for residents who wish to receive it. Our mailing address is: Mike Haverkamp 315 Golfview Ave. Iowa City, IA 52246

Private Lives

If you're around town this weekend or next I would highly recommend Fourth Room Theatre's performances of Noel Coward's Private Lives.

This is the third summer that Fourth Room has offered free classical theater in University Heights. The setting for the show is Dr. Flaum's spacious yard at 901 Melrose Ave.

Here is the write up from Fourth Room's Facebook page:



The 1930's comedy explores the love lives of divorced couple, Elyot and Amanda, who are shocked to run into each other while honeymooning at the same hotel in France with their respective new spouses. Their feelings for one another are rekindled, setting in motion the same cycle of love and violence that plagued their initial marriage.

Coward’s play, written in just four days when he was only 30 years old, is a perennial favorite. Coward himself starred as Elyot when the play first premiered. The show’s popularity was immediate and hasn’t waned since. It was adapted for film in 1931 and has had several radio and television productions since then, as well as numerous award-winning London and Broadway stagings.

Fourth Room will present PRIVATE LIVES at the same beautiful outdoor location as previous summers, 901 Melrose Ave, Iowa City. Limited parking is available on the grounds, with additional spots across the street at Kinnick Stadium.

PERFORMANCES:
Thursday, August 13 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 20 – 7:00 p.m.
NO FRIDAY PERFORMANCE
Saturday, August 22 – 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 23rd is reserved as a potential rain date. Please check this event, our Facebook page, or our website for weather-related updates!

Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs and picnics to enjoy the evening.

This production is FREE to the public. If you would like to donate to our Free Outdoor Classics initiative, visit our website for PayPal or mail options.
http://fourthroomtheatre.com/donation/

No reservations needed.

Housing Costs, Density and You

I don't think its an overstatement to say that the One University Place development project has always been on my mind for 6 years. It is the single issue that has occupied a majority of time in my 3 terms on city council. 

This past week council voted to refer to the Zoning Commission the developer's latest request to increase the

number of residential units and parking spaces allowed for the project. The size of the buildings remains the same however so that there will be smaller units created. This has understandably raised concern among our citizens some of whom have voiced that at our meeting, others who have contacted me directly. I wrote last month about some of my thoughts regarding this latest proposal.

It is impossible to also consider our project without looking at housing costs. On January 19th City Council held an affordable housing work session. I asked about "workforce housing" options at that meeting. Median household income in U-Heights has declined from $67,430 in 2000 to $59,018 in 2012, similar declines are found throughout Johnson County. Our median household income is the highest in the county. The county-wide median in 2012 was $53,993. I always benchmark these against what a first year teacher with a BA degree makes in the Iowa City Community School District. In 2014-15 that is $39,200.

While median income was dropping median household value was increasing from $216,100 to $246,800 in the same time period. By definition a person is considered "cost burdened" if they pay more than 30% of their income in housing costs. After adjusting for inflation housing costs in U-Heights have increased 14.2% from 2000 to 2012. At the same time, again adjusted for inflation, incomes have decreased 12.5%. More home owners are now considered cost burdened than in 2000. So the most important figures to me are these: 

• 20% of U-H home owners pay more than 30% of their income in housing in 2012
  Up from 16% in 2000
• 50% of U-H renters pay more than 30% of their income in housing in 2012
  Up from 29.3% in 2000

This and much more useful information can be found at the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County's website. This data above came from their Update to the 2007 Affordable Housing Market Analysis for the Iowa City Urbanized Area (published September 2014).

Given these concerns about affordable housing, I proposed at at our work session and later in a private meeting with the developer that if the City should consider an increase in the number of proposed residential units only IF 5% (6 units) were specifically marked for workforce housing.

I also continue to read and hear national stories that become filtered through my "local lens" to consider their impact here in U-Heights. Here are three that I've run across this week, that I found interesting:

Small Homes Make Better Cities
This article looks at several projects around the country (I'd already heard of the "apodments" but the others were new to me.) At 350 sq. ft. these units are half the size of the smaller units proposed for the front building. 

Walking: The Secret Ingredient for Health, Wealth, and More Exciting Neighborhoods
It's no secret one reason I've pushed for a mixed use development with commercial property is we need somewhere for people to walk to!

With Porches And Parks, A Texas Community Aims For Urban Utopia
Our older portions of town already have this and we have continued to build community among our citizens, our location near the UIHC will always make us attractive, but we do need continue to think about what else can we do to enhance our community. See also the next day's follow up regarding racial tensions in this community.

So those are a few more of my thoughts, I'm always interested in hearing other people's feedback.

Lights in the Heights!

LIGHTS IN THE HEIGHTS 

The City of University Heights is sponsoring their FIRST New Year’s Eve luminary walk: “Lights In The Heights.” The wide sidewalks on Melrose Ave and Sunset St will be lit with luminary candles. Neighbors and friends are encouraged to walk this aisle of lights and welcome in the New Year in style!

Volunteers are also needed to help set up the lights, if interested please see below.

TIME: set-up at 2 pm; 5 pm-12 pm lights on; about 1,400 luminaries involved

GOAL: Lights on both sides of SUNSET AND MELROSE

NEEDED: Sponsors & LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS to set-up kiddo-friendly volunteer tasks

COORDINATORS:

Louise From (354-1433) & Silvia Quezada (354-3854)

louise@university-heights.org 

silvia@university-heights.org

 
VOLUNTEERS PARTY: hot cocoa and goodies at Louise’s (207 Monroe St)

GG Land Group

GG Land Group made a presentation last night regarding a development they are proposing for eastern University Heights. The Press Citizen covered it here:


U-Heights Residents Speak Out About Proposed Housing Complex

I was teaching class last night until 8 PM and was only able to attend the last 30 minutes of the meeting. GG Land Group presented at the September City Council meeting and we suggested that they hold a city-wide informational meeting.

In a nutshell this project would be a 158 unit (508 bed) apartment building catering to upper level and professional students. The property site is just west of the bridge on the south side of Melrose Ave. The parcel is a right triangle shape with the hypotenuse running along the railroad tracks. Since the land comes to a point at Melrose, most of the property is nearly invisible to a casual observer.

I have some fairly large concerns about the scale and impact of this project. If you notice the large gap between the number of units and number of beds listed above, one easily sees that nearly 40% of the units would contain 4 bedrooms. As a point of interest, Iowa City no longer allows 4 bedroom units in their multi-family buildings. And while I appreciate GG Land Group's statement that most of the residents of this project would be pedestrians or bicyclists, access remains a major issue as well.

I'm certain the a majority of city council does not think this project, as proposed, is a good fit for the property or our town. Personally I don't think it could be "tweaked" to make it one either.

If you've read this far, let me also say that despite what the Press Citizen said, we DO NOT have a council meeting on October 23rd!

And let me also say I need to update this site with council meeting summaries and will do that as well as talk more about LOST in the next few days.

St. Andrew Site Concept Design

Kevin Monson presented a site concept drawing at our council meeting last night. He stated that he wanted to get a feeling from council whether this was an avenue to pursue. Here is what he had to show Download PDF.

The major changes as he listed last night:

• The front building will be commercial only, no residential. So essentially a one story building with a taller roof making it look like a two story building. This is shorter than the 3 story building proposed earlier. This eliminates the need for underground residential parking on the first building.
• A community center could be added to the far eastern portion of the front building. This is currently shown as green space. This could be built with the original construction or added later.
• The rear building will contain 6 floors of residential units plus the rooftop meeting space. This is one story taller than the earlier proposed building, but still within zoning limitations.
• The rear building has a smaller East-West length.
• The shape of the front building has been simplified.
• There is no connection between circle parking for rear building and Sunset Street exit. 
• Front building moved 2 feet further back from Melrose.

Council will have a  work session to look further at this concept. This has been scheduled for WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19TH at 7:00 PM in the IOWA ROOM of the UNIVERSITY CLUB. The public is encouraged to attend and to comment on the concept design.

I would have to say my first impression of the concept design is favorable. I think many of the changes proposed are a result of community feedback from the September focus group meetings, and seem to strike a middle ground that would satisfy many of our citizens.

After thinking about this concept today, here are some questions I sent to Mr. Monson tonight that I would like to see addressed either at the work session or soon after:

• How do the the footprints of each building compare to earlier proposals?
• Can we get a comparison overlay of current concept, the 5+/3 and St. Andrew Church?
• What would be estimated height of first building?

 I'm sure I'll have more questions by Wednesday.

How Hospitals affect University Heights

While door knocking I was speaking with a new neighbor last week when he casually dropped the fact that the new UI Children's Hospital was looking to probably hire an ADDITIONAL 100 positions when it opens, projected for March of 2016. (I've been unable to find independent verification) I had no idea that the goal of the hospital project was to increase the size of the department so dramatically. I've been mulling that over for the past week and have thought a lot about the implications that may have for our town. 

The increase in the size of the building is also dramatic. With 12 stories projected above ground, and two levels below ground, (and PARKING even below that) the building will be a prominent feature of the west side landscape.

image courtesy of http://www.uichildrens.org/

University Heights was developed immediately after the opening of the original portion of University Hospital in 1924. An advertising piece that I have from the period states touts that homes would be located "only 5 or 6 blocks from the New Hospital." It also goes on to say. "A lot in University Heights is a safe investment because the $6,000,000 building program of the UNIVERSITY on the West Side will make a big demand for West Side property and will cause values to increase very rapidly.” Their next statement is, “In a few years we predict the West Side Campus of the University will be larger than the East Side, and this will develop a residence section on the West Side of the river as large as we now have on the East Side---a business district with hotels, stores, etc. Iowa City will grow and develop as the University develops… A future vision of Iowa City must be a vision of a New City on the West Side.” At another portion of the brochure is the statement, “University Heights has ample building restriction sufficient to protect all parties. A business district has been planned.”

When our home was built you could see the University Hospitals from the front porch:

 

Another piece of history I thought of is University Heights' historian Pat Yeggy's article about the building of the Grandview Apartments in 1950. This project was initiated due to a critical need for housing for the estimated 600 families that would be moving to the Iowa City area for the new Veteran's Hospital which was at that time under construction. There was opposition to that project too, which sounds a bit familiar today. Read the MINUTES of JAN. 18 & 30, 1950 COUNCIL MEETINGS.

So it seems that the timing of the potential One University Place would be fortuitous for the next round of Hospital expansion, as other major U-Heights development has been in the past.

Press Citizen Coverage of Council Race

Yesterday's Press Citizen featured the University Heights City Council race:

One University Place development is 'a tipping point' in U Heights
A decade ago, a typical city council race in University Heights wasn’t much of a race at all.
In each of the 2003 and 2005 city elections, for instance, just five candidates ran for five seats, meaning the only Election Day decision voters had to make was whether to write in another name.
That’s no longer the case in this enclave of about 1,100 residents, where a high-profile development proposal along Melrose Avenue has stirred up local political passions in recent years. There now are yard signs, websites and candidate forums — big-city campaigning in a small town.

On Tuesday, nine residents will vie for the council’s five spots, including all five incumbents, with the dominant issue remaining One University Place, which for nearly five years has been poised to be built on the property of the outgoing St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

While the central question in past years was whether developer Jeff Maxwell should be allowed to build a large-scale project at the site, now that the church has voted to finalize the property sale, the remaining questions include just how big One University Place should be, whether there will be a commercial component, and how much, if any, financial assistance the city should provide.

The three council members who have opposed the development — Rosanne Hopson, Jan Leff and Brennan McGrath — say their position has shifted toward compromise now that the church’s move is imminent. Although Maxwell’s vision has been for a two-building development — one five-story residential building and one three-story mixed-use building — the three opposing council members are calling for a scaled-down version.

“The three of us began our journey on this council feeling strongly that we did not want any development there, and if we did, it should be very minimal,” said Leff, who is seeking a second term. “I think over time we’ve evolved, understanding this (as) an opportunity to oversee a development that would really enhance our community both financially and aesthetically, as well. I think we’re ready to compromise with whomever else (is) on the council.”

Hopson, who has served on the council since winning a special election in January 2011 and earning re-election later that year, has taken a hard stance against the $6.5 million in tax-increment financing assistance the developer has said he would require for the project.
“When you ask for a $6.5 million TIF, that leaves us with zero bonding capacity,” Hopson said. “I really wouldn’t feel comfortable with that as a councilor. What do you do in case of an emergency?”

McGrath, who has served eight years on the council, said he would like to see the council find middle ground with a project that would be “the least disruptive” to University Heights.
“It seems like in this process it’s been what’s best for the developer or what’s best for the community — not both,” McGrath said. “That’s what I’m trying to get back to — an ‘and’ in there and not an ‘or.’ That’s the biggest challenge.”

On the other side of the issue stand incumbents Mike Haverkamp and Jim Lane, who have backed the Maxwell project during their time on the council. Haverkamp says public perception of the project has shifted in recent years, with more people — particularly younger residents — favoring walkable neighborhoods close to their workplace and amenities.

“I’m encouraged as I walk around and talk to people,” said Haverkamp, who is seeking a third term. “I think in 2008 and 2009, a five-story residential building and a three-story, mixed-use commercial building seemed pretty big. I think what’s happened in the greater Iowa City-Coralville area in those intervening years has also shaped perception in terms of other projects that people are seeing.”

Lane, who narrowly edged Rachel Stewart for the fifth and final seat in the 2011 election, said that with the church’s decision behind it, this is a key moment for University Heights. He said many longtime residents are recognizing the benefits the development could bring in the form of new amenities, as well.

“It’s young and old folks who are saying, ‘We have this opportunity, so let’s take it,’ ” Lane said. “I think the majority are speaking out and saying we want some things in there. This is a tipping point.”

Stewart, who missed winning a spot on the council by just one vote two years ago, favors a scaled-down version of the development that would require no TIF incentive from the city.
“My main concern has always been that I don’t like TIF being used for inappropriate developments,” Stewart said. “They were traditionally developed for areas of large cities that were blighted, where no one would do anything there unless they got some incentive. I can’t say the corner of Melrose and Sunset is a blighted spot.”

The other challengers are voicing support for a larger version of One University Place more in line with Maxwell’s original vision.

Zadok Nampala, a father of two young children who is running for the first time, says he and others are excited about the possibility of a market within walking distance. Local businessman Jim Mondanaro has expressed interest in opening up a location similar to downtown Iowa City’s Bread Garden in One University Place.

“I would be one of those people who would say a mixed commercial property would be ideal for us so that the young community, young families, can walk here and have that little corner store,” Nampala, a Kenya native, said at a candidate’s forum earlier this month. “I just imagine those small towns where I come from where we have a store in the corner, and everybody walks there in the evening.”

Virginia Miller, who is challenging for a council seat, also has vowed to bring a voice for younger families to the council and is stressing the importance of including a public space in the developer’s plans, be it a park or a community center.

“To me, St. Andrew functioned as a public space for our community where we’ve had our picnics, farmers markets and community meetings for a long time, so I think it’s important for us to retain that public space in our community rather than losing it to strictly residential development,” Miller said.

Silvia Quezada, who is making her first bid for the council, backs the developer’s “five-and-three” vision for One University Place. She said there are concerns that still need to be worked out, “but nothing that a city council couldn’t overcome and work together to close a chapter on a very long journey.”

“I think the vision is coming from the residents; the vision is not being driven by the developer,” Quezada said. “The developer is proposing an idea, and folks are improving on that idea. People are seeing an opportunity for adding more convenience to the quality of life in University Heights.”

Mayor Louise From, who served a dozen years on the council beginning in 1994 before taking over as mayor in 2006, also is up for re-election. Though she is running uncontested for the non-voting mayor’s seat, From said she doesn’t want to take residents’ support for granted.
“I’ve always tried to tackle the issues with honesty and respect for all,” From said.

It CAN Happen Around Here

I occasionally am chided by U-Heights residents about my frequent citation of Smart Growth ideas with the common refrain "That may work in a large city, but we're not big or dense enough for that."

Imagine my surprise when I turned to the Smart Growth America blog today and found this story:

Carlisle, IA hosts workshop on walkability

image courtesy of City of Carlisle

Carlisle is a town of 3,876 about 15 miles south and east of Des Moines. The town is bisected by highway 5. In November 2012, Carlisle was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in the free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.

I can't wait to see the results of the workshop.

More Walkability Data

I had a U-Heights resident forward this article on to me last week. I found it interesting, especially in light of tomorrow's focus group meeting. Below are a few highlights, I marked those most interesting to me in yellow.
It comes from the website Efficient Gov

Which bills itself as "an independent, unbiased information service providing innovative solutions to fiscal and operational challenges facing cities and towns around the world."

Attract New Residents to Your City: Walkable Housing

 What Happened?

A recent study analyzed housing data and survey results in five municipalities including Boise to determine what housing options are becoming more popular in the post-recession market. The survey revealed residents would pay about 12.5 percent more to live in an area that is within walking distance to important amenities such as schools, parks and restaurants.

To read the full article go here:  

Attract New Residents 

It is a short article and a very interesting read.

Walkability from the Other End of the Age Spectrum Too!

 Last week I looked at the importance of walk-ability for senior citizens. Here's yet another blogpost from the SMART GROWTH America blog feed that looks at why the millennials value walk-ability as well:

Why Young Adults are Returning to the City

The final four paragraphs really hit home with me:

This generation looked around their home towns and saw something missing. They found that something in neglected historic urban centers. After 2000, when the Millennials began to leave home, cities had hit bottom and were on the way up. Crime had peaked in the early 1990s and was dramatically falling off in many cities.

 

Moreover, the Echo Boomers went to college. Millennials are the most educated generation in history. As Christopher Leinberger has reported, Washington DC has the most educated populace in the nation, and the highest demand for walkable urban centers. The higher the education level, the greater the demand for urban living, he says.

 

Millennials grew up in far suburbs in the 1980s and 1990s, and then lived in walkable college neighborhoods for four years. Along with a taste for urban living, they also had acquired the highest levels of student debt in history, which puts a damper on their appetite for car and house loans.

 

But the biggest incentive may be their peers. They want to go to walkable places, because that’s where their friends are. The tide has shifted and it’s carrying 80 million people inward. This generation doesn’t want to go back to the ‘burbs.

Robert Steuteville is editor and publisher of Better! Cities & Towns. This article appears in the August print issue.

The two points I highlighted above are very pertinent. University Heights has the highest level of education attainment in Johnson County, we are seeing more younger citizens move into our town, and with them come a greater desire for walkable amenities. I was struck at last Tuesday's Farmer's Market how many young people where present and how many of them stayed beyond shopping to socialize and have dinner. It seemed to me that many had walked or biked to the market.

Walkability for Seniors

Yesterday I got a link from my SMART GROWTH America blog feed about the Illinois Prairie Path celebrating its 50th anniversary.

 The article they referenced was from the AARP Blog about one of the very first rails to trails projects ever built. The article talked about how this provides a safe and convenient way for senior citizens to easily get to nearby destinations without having to drive. I was struck by this because U-Heights still has the oldest average aged population in the county (despite our average age dropping dramatically from 2000 census to 2010 census). While we don't have rails to trails nearby, our wide sidewalk projects provide greater access for more citizens of all ages to easily get to our own local destinations (Stella, University Club, City Office, dental office, Horn Elementary) as well as connect to mass transit stops and Iowa City destinations.

A Magical Night in U-Heights!

Lisa and I went to Fourth Room Theatre's performance of Shakespeare's Cymbeline last night. The company was amazingly talented and the performance was professional and intense. I've never been to a Shakespeare production before where I didn't have ANY idea what the plot was prior to the start of the play.

 

photos from Fourth Room Theatre's Facebook Page

What truly made the evening magical was the VENUE. Michael Flaum hosted the performance at his home, on Melrose Ave. at the very eastern edge of U-Heights. Watching in a beautiful setting made the play an exquisite experience. Walking there down the gravel lane transported us back to medieval Britain. Having our picnic dinner while watching the show was an added bonus.

Kudos to Fourth Room Theatre and Michael Flaum. I certainly hope this can become an annual event!

West Side IC Co-Housing

Now here is something that should really make you go hmmm...

Here is the webpage of the Iowa City Co-Housing Group:

http://www.iowacitycohousing.org/

Here is what they have to say, this is the text of their welcome page:

Welcome

We are a group of local folks interested in creating a new housing alternative in Iowa City. We want to build a neighborhood based on the "cohousing" model which started in Denmark and has now spread worldwide. There are hundreds of cohousing communities in the U.S, Canada, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and elsewhere. We want the next one to be here in Iowa City.

Iowa Millenials, What it Means for U-Heights

From today's Press Citizen, a thoughtful guest opinion:

State leaders must recognize the 'driving boom' is over

Guest Opinion

Between World War II and 2004, drivers consistently traveled more vehicle miles virtually every year — so it’s no surprise that our policymakers expect that trend to continue about as much as they expect the sun to rise in morning, and act accordingly.
But hold onto your seatbelt — I’m here to announce that the Driving Boom is over.
A new study by Iowa Public Interest Research Group (Iowa PIRG) confirms that our driving is in decline, particularly among younger age groups. As a country, we now drive fewer total miles today than we did eight years ago, and fewer per person miles than we did at the end of Bill Clinton’s first term.
Have no fear. The sun will still rise. But our political leaders need to re-assess our transportation priorities to reflect changing trends. When policy views are out of touch with reality, it is policy that must change.
Why the change now? Simply, the Millennial generation.
Millennials, people born between 1983 and 2000, are already the largest generation in the United States and their choices will play a crucial role in determining future transportation infrastructure needs.