MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
MARCH 23 AND 25, 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chairperson Jordahl called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:05 a.m. Members present were: Charles Duffy, Jonathan Jordahl, Mike Lehman, Sally Stutsman, and Carol Thompson.
Jordahl: Calling to order the informal meeting of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors for Tuesday March 23rd, 1999.
Stutsman: Good morning.
Jordahl: Review of the formal minutes of March 11th. They're in circulation and available on the computer. Does anybody have any comments? Those will be on for approval then on Thursday. Second item, 9:00 a.m., a little late.
Jordahl: Business from Linda Severson, Human Services Coordinator for Johnson County Council of Governments regarding introduction of Karen, you pronounce it for me.
Volunteer Action Center Coordinator Karen Ganiard: Ganiard.
Jordahl: Ganiard, the new Volunteer Action Center Coordinator.
Ganiard: Good morning.
Jordahl: Good morning.
JCCOG Human Services Coordinator Linda Severson: I just wanted to bring Karen in to the meet the Board because the County supports the Volunteer Action Center, I think about 75% of the budget. Carol (inaudible) who was our previous coordinator, left last fall. We were bummed about that, so was Carol. But her husband got a job in Minnesota and we have a bit of a lag time so I just thought it would be nice for the Board to meet Karen and hear a little bit about her background and some of the ideas and projects she has for the Volunteer Action Center. And then maybe Mike, if you'd like to start introducing yourselves?
Lehman: Mike Lehman. This is my first term on the Board. I don't know if you're local or not.
Ganiard: I've been hear a year.
Lehman: You're background. OK.
Stutsman: I'm Sally Stutsman.
Jordahl: Jonathan Jordahl.
Thompson: Carol Thompson.
Duffy: Charlie Duffy.
Ganiard: OK. Well thank-you for meeting me this morning. I hail from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I heard some sports talk earlier today.
Jordahl: Shocking. Not that you're from Ann Arbor...
Ganiard: Follows me around wherever I go.
Jordahl: But that there was sports talk.
Ganiard: And previously I was the volunteer coordinator and community outreach coordinator for the University of Michigan Museum of Art. The job was very challenging in that I had to recruit volunteer to come into the museum. And the museum, as many of you probably know, is sometimes a frightening place for people. They're not always sure what happens is in a museum or what one does in a museum. So I recruited over 300 volunteers for various activities. I conducted programming for children and families and adults and had that position for 5 years. And previously I started there as a volunteer. So I certainly know the value of volunteerism and have been thoroughly impressed in my visits to the agencies throughout the county with the kinds of volunteers that live here and the kinds of people that work with volunteers here. And what I've set up are sort of 3 short term goals for the Volunteer Action Center. One is that I would like to visit. I'll leave this list with you. There are over 100 non-profit agencies that use volunteers in the county and I would like to visit all of them and eventually put their information on a database so that if a volunteer comes to me or if another agency is in need of a kind of volunteer, I have that all sort of readily available. I'd like to improve the Center's visibility by building membership in what we call the Volunteer Administrators Network, which would be inviting all of the volunteer coordinators from these agencies together to talk about what works for them, what doesn't work for them. And then a long term goal would be eventually to have workshops for them, either in collaboration with the University or with Kirkwood College, but to have that sort of get together about... And have presenters about what would work well and how does one deal with managing volunteers. There's also a volunteer column in Saturday's paper of opportunities that one can find to volunteer. And I'm in the process of revamping so that has sort of a bigger punch for people. It's buried in Saturday's paper, and there's about 50 listings a week of places you can volunteer in and maybe that's a lot. So we're going to try to focus really on what the needs of each agency is on a week to week basis. And I've got the paper working with me on that. Let's see. And also we do conduct the city countywide appreciation for volunteers and I'd like to try to find new ways of doing that as well and having, not just a one shot deal, but sort of a continuing way to thank volunteers. Maybe that will be through spotlighting them in newspapers or various ways. Thank-you very much.
Severson: Do you have any questions.
Stutsman: Welcome. Sounds like you've got off to a great start.
Ganiard: Well, we'll see.
Jordahl: It's certainly nice to have a little bit of a, a little bio, a little depth to who we're dealing with. So often we have a person and an issue but the story is kind of missing. I appreciate that.
Ganiard: OK, sure.
Lehman: Will you have a little bio in the paper for, maybe people, introduce her to...
Severson: We've done a press release and then also we're going to see if The Gazette will do like a Sunday feature.
Lehman: OK. I think that'd be nice to...
Jordahl: Yes.
Lehman: ...people know exactly how to contact you and what volunteers you're looking for and stuff. Great.
Severson: Thanks.
Ganiard: Thank-you very much.
Stutsman: You know, one seed I might plant. We at the County level haven't done a whole lot with volunteers, and maybe at some point when you have your feet on the ground we can talk about some ways that we can be using volunteers here at the County. There's a lot of work to be done but I think there's some possibilities too.
Ganiard: That'd be great.
Stutsman: Good.
Ganiard: And consider the young people too. Because that's an area that the nation is basically focusing on too.
Stutsman: Right, right. I think there's some neat opportunities to be had here with the administration. But we need to talk to department heads so we can visit about that maybe at some later tonight.
Ganiard: Thank-you. That's great.
Severson: Thanks.
Jordahl: OK. We'll we're running along close to our schedule. Business from Deborah Conger, is the next item, director of Mental Health/Developmental Disability Services of Johnson County regarding the Johnson County FY 2000 Services Management Plan. Good morning Deborah.
Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities Interim Director Deborah Conger: Good morning. All of you have a copy of the draft of the plan on the table in front of you. Since all of you are on the Planning Council you've been involved in the development of this plan over the course of the last year. And the only way that this is a different is that it has page numbers added on page 2 on the table of contents and also the public comments that were a result of the public hearings. The 2 public hearings that we held at the Iowa City Public Library. So other than that this draft is the same as the other document that we've been working with over the last couple months.
Stutsman: There were some minor changes presented at the last Planning Council, those were incorporated in this?
Conger: And those are in this draft too. Uh-huh.
Stutsman: OK.
Jordahl: Are they incorporated within the text or as amendations as an appendix?
Conger: Within the text.
Stutsman: So we need to have this into the State by April 1st.
Conger: Right.
Stutsman: So we need to put this on for formal action on Thursday.
Conger: Right. And I think it is on the agenda for Thursday for formal adoption.
Jordahl: OK. Does anyone have any questions about the document or comments? Reverend Welsh?
Reverend Bob Welsh: Deborah mentioned the comments from the public hearings. Are there also the comments from the Planning Council?
Conger: No. Just the public hearing comments.
Jordahl: The Planning Council discussed various changes that they thought they might want to see to some degree in response to comments that had been made in the public hearing as I recall.
Welsh: I made comments at the Planning Council that were included and I did not attend the public hearing because I thought those weren't just being recorded.
Conger: The only comments that are in here are the ones that were recorded at the public comments sessions. We didn't include any of the Planning Council discussion. That would be quite an addition.
Stutsman: And that's what I'm thinking. Where do you draw the line? If somebody's comments made at the Planning Council weren't included then this would be constantly revised so I do think we have to draw a line at the public hearing. And written comments could've also been submitted at the public hearing too as well as...
Conger: That's right. And they were.
Welsh: I did submit written ones I think to the Planning Council for that purpose. For what it's worth.
Jordahl: In terms of the process Bob I think the idea is that the Planning Council has an opportunity to speak, comment, interact, develop an understanding together and that the document is a product of their joint work. And so the status of things done and said at the Planning Council, these are to be in the minutes of the Planning Council or to be agreed upon for inclusion in the plan. And for the status of the public hearing is different. We're taking input from the public that do not perhaps have the same opportunity to participate in the Planning Council's meetings with a voice. I mean they can speak there but that's generally how I would draw a distinction between the 2. So we have a need for action, so we will put this on the agenda for Thursday if there's no additional discussion today? All right then. Deborah thank-you for so much that you're doing. Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Conger: Yes.
Welsh: She (inaudible).
Jordahl: Yes, she certainly has. I hope she'll have an opportunity to appear before us again before the end of her tenure.
Jordahl: Item 5, business from Karin Franklin, Director for Iowa City Planning and Community Development regarding the following proposed annexations: East side Scott Boulevard at Washington Street, lot 2 of Pinemeadow corner of American Legion Road and Taft Avenue, and the possibility of anything else. Good morning Karin.
Iowa City Planning and Community Development Director Karin Franklin: Good morning Jonathan.
Jordahl: Thanks for coming over.
Franklin: My pleasure. You may have already some materials on this. OK. So this what's being passed out may be redundant. The first one that I'll touch on is the, what we call the Riverview annexation. This is property owned by Bruce Glasgow of Palmgrove Acres. And it's an annexation request for 9.75 acres just east of Scott Boulevard and north of Court Street. The entire property is 14.91 acres and the remainder of that property, the difference between the 14.91 and the 9.75 is property that's already within the corporate limits of Iowa City. The intention for this annexation is to rezone the property from the county zoning to, and some of what it's owned in the city, to RS5, RM12, and a plan development 8. The RM12 is at the southeast intersection of the extension of Washington Street and Scott Boulevard. The RS5 is to the east of what would be the extension of Scott Park Drive which is a north-south road that would go through this development. And on the west side of that, immediately across from the properties that are now developed in the county along Hummingbird Lane. Basically we're not platting the Hummingbird Lane or the property immediately west of there at this point in time, but it is being annexed at this point in time. And then the planned development is for 72 units of elderly housing which would be between some single family lots to the west of Hummingbird Lane and Scott Boulevard. Are you following me on all of those points?
Jordahl: I'm not following this Hummingbird Lane.
Stutsman: Yes, I'm not either.
Franklin: OK, OK. Hummingbird Lane is the Scott Park Drive extended. It's the lane that takes you to Bob Wolf's property in the County. You know where all those houses are developed?
Jordahl: Uh-huh.
Franklin: OK. So it is on the eastern extremity of the annexation.
Jordahl: Yes, OK.
Franklin: OK?
Jordahl: So with reference to that again, the development for the senior housing is...
Franklin: Is between Scott Boulevard and Hummingbird Lane and north of the extension of Washington Street. It's closest to Scott Boulevard. There's a storm water detention basin that's just immediately east of Scott Boulevard, so as you drive down Scott you will see the storm water detention basin and just east of there would be the 72 units for elderly housing.
Jordahl: So is that outside the existing corporate limit line?
Franklin: Yes. A portion of it. A portion of it is that.
Stutsman: Is this the heavy dotted line on this map? This line here.
Franklin: OK, the heavy dotted line. The north-south heavy dotted line, that is the east property line of the property that would include the 72 units.
Stutsman: OK.
Franklin: OK?
Jordahl: Uh-huh.
Franklin: So you see where it says proposed RS5 Sally? On the lots that are configured there. Those are the single family lots.
Stutsman: Right.
Franklin: Just west of there is the larger piece, and that would be where the elderly housing would be.
Stutsman: Right, OK.
Franklin: And some of that is currently in the city and some of it is not. Right up against Scott Boulevard is in the city. The line that... Let's see, how to describe this. It runs north-south, east of Scott Boulevard, that first line, that is the existing corporate limit line.
Stutsman: OK.
Franklin: And then that takes a turn to the east and then goes south, just west of the extension of Scott Park Drive. If you can kind of follow that. And so what we're annexing is between the existing corporate limit line and the existing development in the county.
Thompson: So you're not annexing Hummingbird Lane?
Franklin: Yes we are annexing Hummingbird Lane. Yes.
Jordahl: Is it going to be called Scott Park Drive when it gets annexed.
Franklin: We're putting that little decision off for some time. That's why it's not being platted now. There's been some debate between the property owner and ourselves. As to the logic of whatever name, and obviously the people who are in the county would prefer to have Hummingbird Lane since that's been there address.
Jordahl: It's pretty too.
Franklin: It is. It's sort of a quaint term. There's only one residence right now on Scott Park Drive north of Court Street that has a Scott Park Drive address. However, Scott Park Drive continues south of Court Street, so changing the name as you cross the street is another issue, whether that makes sense or not. So it's just one of those things that we're going to put off for another day.
Jordahl: Maybe the residence south of Court Street would like to have pretty name like Hummingbird too.
Franklin: Like Hummingbird Lane?
Jordahl: Yes.
Franklin: Who knows?
Jordahl: I guess you'll find out later.
Franklin: We will find out later. But it's as I say this is not being platted east of the elderly housing unit at this point in time. It is being annexed but it's not being subdivided.
Thompson: And is the annexation acceptable to all those people who live on Hummingbird Lane?
Franklin: There is some debate that's going on at the Planning and Zoning Commission now and they have been part of that discussion. I think what they are most concerned about at this point is that there be, they would like to see the single family occur more expeditiously than as planned. So that the single family houses would be kind of a visual buffer between their residential development and the 72 units of the elderly housing. They also have some concern about being assessed for that road. We have indicated to them that any improvement of that to city standards would be at the developer's cost. He would like to, he evidently has made some statements to them that he expects that they would pay some amount. And these have been private conversations so I haven't been privy to them, but they have expressed that concern to us, and we have assured them that the city will not be requiring such an assessment, that that road would be done at the developer's cost for those single family lots.
Jordahl: And the developer has no way of assessing people who have already purchased the property.
Franklin: That's right. Oh, he has no assessment powers whatsoever. It would have to be voluntary.
Jordahl: Rick?
Planning and Zoning Administrator Rick Dvorak: Karin, them doing north, the northwest branch road, is it twice that division or what is the subdivision? They're not annexation at this time or are they already annexed?
Franklin: They are not already annexed. They have not expressed a desire to be annexed at this time.
Duffy: Well we talked about (inaudible)...
Franklin: I don't know what their sentiments are Rick.
Duffy: We talked about Washington Street for quite a while, and it looks like we're finally going to get that resolved. I do like the idea of voluntary annexation, because I was in Des Moines last week and some of it's a little hairy. Annex property say they're going to have to pay strangers what your assessment is so I'm glad a developer has some input.
Franklin: Yes that would be the developer's.
Duffy: It's good use for the lay of it.
Lehman: Whose maintaining Scott Boulevard now? The city takes care of that?
Franklin: Yes, that is a city street. Yes.
Jordahl: Go ahead.
Stutsman: Well I was going to say I really appreciate the City coming in and bringing the Board up to date on this annexation. It just helps so much for communication and coordination. I appreciate you taking the time, or I don't know who started, if Rick encouraged you to come in or whatever.
Franklin: I think it's a good idea too that we just keep that communication open. We do have one other. The Knights of Columbus annexation on American Legion Road. Do you have copies of that?
Stutsman: Is this is (inaudible).
Franklin: OK.
Stutsman: (inaudible) Pinemeadow and stuff.
Franklin: Yes, Pinemeadow. This is a small one and it's off of American Legion Road. It's 5.55 acres. The zoning here would by RR1 which is our lowest density zoning. And we chose the RR1 because of it's low density, the fact that it will be right at the edge of our growth area and that that particular zoning category does allow clubs as special exceptions. We have looked at the access issues, which is the only thing that we had concerns about. We have limited the access to one point on Taft, for this property, one point on Taft Avenue and one point on American Legion Road. The intention of the Knight, I think that you have seen, I don't know whether it got to the Board or it was done administratively, I site planned for their building of a clubhouse there. I think that you've seen that. That access is from American Legion Road and their intention at this point is just to put the clubhouse as you have seen it on the west end of this property.
Stutsman: I haven't seen that site plan.
Franklin: OK. Maybe Rick, you can tell me the process then.
Dvorak: We did that about 2 years ago Sally. It's been a long, long time. And basically, as Karin explained to you, that primarily this is a clubhouse and I think we've got one building out there now and there's a softball, baseball diamond and (inaudible). The main reason they wanted annexation, my understanding is that the wasteland, added to the septic tanks welled up here, reduced the ability to then expand the facilities. And I did run this by Mike Gardener, as Karin alluded today I'm taking everything up to the side of the road (inaudible) support.
Stutsman: OK, that was going to be my next question...
Franklin: Yes, yes.
Stutsman: ...about the road and how that was...
Franklin: Yes, yes. We're requiring an additional dedication of 45 feet along Taft and American Legion Road so we'll have enough right of way for urban design streets in the future. We will be annexing to the center line.
Dvorak: Karin, did you mention... I don't see it on here. Did you say you are going to allow them to have one access to Taft?
Franklin: Yes, for their future development that they would have no more than one access. I don't know if they're ever going to want to exercise that but we wanted to certainly have a limitation on the number.
Dvorak: Where's there's still one residence left on Taft Avenue, that basically has not been annexed, it's an existing residence, that's on (inaudible).
Lehman: Is it creating problems? Apparently they...
Franklin: Not yet.
Jordahl: You're just looking towards the future.
Franklin: you just never know. No, there's that one and there's also one that's farther north on Taft...
Lehman: An older home?
Franklin: ...that was there before Windsor Ridge developed, yes.
Stutsman: But this does become a problem if it becomes an island. If the annexation is on the other side of Taft...
Franklin: That would occur if annexations were to occur on the east side of Taft Avenue. Right now our growth area boundary, our urban service boundary, falls on the east side of Taft Avenue, however it falls in the midst of property as opposed to incorporating an entire area by property line. So the likelihood of us annexing east of Taft is fairly slim. That's probably going to be our urban limit for some time. We can't sewer any farther east without doing lift stations.
Jordahl: If it's permissible to creep forward to other... we have discussed reopening the Fringe Area Agreement as its term is running out here.
Franklin: Uh-huh.
Jordahl: This seems (inaudible) of that... to talk about the future of Taft Avenue in Iowa City limits and so forth.
Franklin: Sure, sure.
Jordahl: I just wanted to raise a question of a time table for the Fringe Area talks.
Franklin: Well, it's in this pile.
Jordahl: You have a pile that small, that's good.
Franklin: It's about an inch from the top.
Jordahl: Uh-huh.
Franklin: That probably is next...
Jordahl: That's in July then?
Franklin: Well it's probably next month to start doing some staff work on it. My staff working with Rick and RJ and then probably to the Council and Board at some kind of joint committee in June, I would guess.
Jordahl: Great. We were running out of meetings on the calendar.
Franklin: Really, were you? I'm sure we can make some for you.
Jordahl: You could find a couple.
Franklin: You have a joint meeting April 27th with all the... it's the Multi-jurisdiction Meeting on the 22nd.
Jordahl: Maybe we aren't running out of them.
Franklin: We should have a firm schedule then.
Jordahl: Good.
Franklin: OK.
Jordahl: April 22nd. Usually 4, 4:30?
Franklin: Yes. I don't' know who has it this time.
Stutsman: I think we do.
Franklin: Yes, it was North Liberty the last time.
Stutsman: Yes, she mentioned it was our turn.
Jordahl: OK.
Dvorak: I have a question. Karin, on your annexation, what's your notification policy? (Inaudible) Coralville annexation (inaudible).
Franklin: We send out certified letters, which we goofed on the Riverview one. You'll have a certified letter within the next day.
Dvorak: (Inaudible) property owners.
Franklin: For adjoining property owners?
Dvorak: Yes.
Franklin: Oh, 200 feet.
Dvorak: So these people in (inaudible) have been notified about this?
Franklin: Oh yes, and they have been active.
Dvorak: They are becoming active.
Franklin: Yes, they have been active.
Jordahl: Great.
Thompson: Why do you call it Riverview? Is there a river there I don't know about?
Franklin: Well this is a project that started out on Taft Speedway in Iowa City and did not get its rezoning. Taft Speedway is right on the river. So when they put in their application for tax credits to the State, they name of the project was Riverview so they had to keep that name as they went through the process with the State. So yes, it does seem rather out of place, shall we say.
Thompson: Now I understand. Thank you.
Duffy: Yes, one thing... this one here at the Knights of Columbus...
Franklin: Yes?
Duffy: They purchased this land what 10, 12 years ago, Rick?
Dvorak: I think right after I started about 10 years ago.
Duffy: Another good use of the land... and I like the idea you were saving 45 feet on American Legion Road and Taft Avenue. That's OK.
Franklin: Good.
Duffy: Good way to do it.
Franklin: OK. Anything else? Thanks.
Jordahl: No, thank you. It's great to see you here. I like this. Thanks. Well let's see here. There we go. Next item on the agenda... let's see here, we don't have a County Engineer here. It's 9:45. Let's go on County Auditor. Didn't Carol go to call Tom, do you know?
Stutsman: She's in her office now. I kind of doubt that.
Jordahl: Business from Carol...
Parkins: You need Kit for this one. I can call him.
Jordahl: Do you have a phone there?
Parkins: No, I could walk over there.
Jordahl: That'd be OK.
Stutsman: Good, Casie.
Parkins: Do you want Kit up here for this?
Jordahl: It said call Tom so if we need to call Kit, that'd be fine.
Stutsman: Well do we really need him? This is pretty much a routine thing that we do.
Parkins: He said it was routine business and I said I'd call him.
Jordahl: Carol said that Tom wanted to be called when the item came up.
Parkins: Tom did, oh.
Stutsman: Oh OK.
Jordahl: We have more annexations on here under business from the Board.
Stutsman: Did we want Tom Kriz? Oh, I bet it was Tom Kriz instead of Tom Slockett.
Jordahl: Oh, it said Auditor, so I was assuming Slockett. Maybe we need Tom Kriz.
Stutsman: Does it say Tom Slockett?
Jordahl: No, Carol said Tom.
Stutsman: Oh, I bet it's Tom Kriz because there's a lot of changes on these depositors and things.
Parkins: Do you want me to call him?
Stutsman: Because from what I saw with the other resolution, it just looked like it was pretty routine, just what we always do.
Duffy: I talked to Tom yesterday. Yes, it's Tom Kriz. Are you going to make it down to the meeting, Jonathan, at 10 o'clock?
Jordahl: Well, we really hit the bump here.
Duffy: Yes.
Stutsman: Maybe call Lora too. Where is Carol? See what happens when Carol leaves the room.
Jordahl: Yes, Carol, what are we doing?
Stutsman: Well we found out again, you're invaluable, Carol.
Jordahl: The meeting just skidded to a halt here.
Lehman: She left on purpose.
Duffy: We didn't know what to do.
Jordahl: Now we know you're invaluable.
Duffy: You better shape up now.
Jordahl: We might want to go ahead and call Lora too. I think this is going to be fairly routine business here.
Peters: Did Tom Kriz get called?
Jordahl: That was the thing we misunderstood.
Stutsman: That was the confusion.
Jordahl: So did you call Tom Kriz?
Parkins: Yes. He had somebody in his office so I don't know.
Jordahl: So we don't know whether he actually got the message yet or not. Why don't we...
Stutsman: Kit's here.
Jordahl: I imagine Kit could go ahead with the resolution appropriating amounts and so forth, item 7a. Then we'll go on with the depositories when Tom gets here.