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This meeting of the cedar rapids city council will come to order. Welcome to the cedar rapids city council meeting for tuesday, december 17th, 2024.

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my colleague dale todd, I believe will be here shortly.

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okay. Well, I want to welcome, as always, our city manager, our city clerk, and our city
Attorney, and thank you to our city staff for being here today and willing to answer

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questions, should we have them here afterwards? A reminder to those of you who are here, welcome, councilmember todd.

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reminder I'm like that teacher calling out the student.

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let the record show it is 4:00. You are just fine. Thank you. Thank you. A reminder to please turn off any electronic devices that might distract us
From our meetings today, and a reminder that all of our city council meeting agendas,

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minutes, and videos are available on our city's website, and regular sessions are also
Available to watch live and on replay via the city's facebook page.

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we will begin now with our invocation. Mayor pro tem ann poe will do that immediately followed by the pledge of allegiance.

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thank you, mayor. Dear god, grant us gratitude for your gift of this day for family, friends, colleagues
And community as we look

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forward to celebrating this holiday season together.

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god, please continue to bless the people of our community with hope, peace, love and joy.

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guide this council as your servant leaders to do your people's work with open hearts and
Hands now and in the new year.

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during this holiday season, god, we ask that you remind us to let compassion, kindness,
Patience and understanding lift up our hearts with

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mercy and grace. We pray, god, you keep our police and fire personnel and first responders safely in the
Palm of your hand carry them and carry with them the shield of

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blessings from a grateful community for their service. We ask god that you bless and keep our city employees and their families.

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it's not just the big things they do for our city, but the everyday little things that
May not even be noticed but have a large impact for the cedar rapids

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citizens. With a grateful heart, we ask these blessings in your heavenly name.

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amen.

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we'll begin now with a proclamation for universal human rights month.

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I'd like to invite those of you who are here for this proclamation to please join
Councilmember ashley vanorny to read the proclamation.

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whereas the universal declaration of human rights, adopted by the united nations general
Assembly on december 10th, 1948, serves as a cornerstone for the

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protection of the dignity and rights of every person, and whereas the declaration
Recognizes that the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all

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members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world

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and whereas the universal declaration of human rights remains a guiding framework for
Governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide in striving to promote,

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protect and uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms of all people, and whereas, the
City of cedar rapids recognizes the importance of continuing the work of advancing human

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and civil rights and fostering a community of welcoming, respect, understanding and
Inclusion for all, and the city of cedar rapids remains committed to ensuring the

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protection of its residents from discrimination based on age, color, creed, familial
Status, gender identity, marital status, mental disability,

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national origin, physical disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or
Association with members of these protected classes, and

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whereas, we reaffirm our commitment to upholding human rights and our collective
Responsibility to build a community where every individual can live without fear,

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oppression, or injustice, and whereas the city affirms that every, every person deserves
The chance to chart their own destiny free from

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discrimination, and that all residents should work together to ensure equality, dignity
And freedom for everyone.

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now, therefore, I ashley vanorny on behalf of tiffany o'donnell, mayor of cedar rapids
And the entire cedar rapids council, do hereby recognize december 2024 as universal human

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rights month and encourage residents to observe this month by treating all persons with
Dignity, respect and fairness, strengthening both individuals and our

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community. We unite in support of human rights, honoring the progress we've achieved
While renewing our commitment to the ongoing advancement of human dignity, equality and

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freedom for all. Thank you.

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thank you. First of all, to the mayor and the city council for your commitment to making
Cedar rapids a just and inclusive society.

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my name is stefanie munsterman. I'm the executive director of the civil rights commission.

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as ashley said, the declaration of human rights reminds us that each individual deserves
A life free of discrimination and injustice.

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it affirms the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings and serves as a
Foundation for peace, justice and freedom, and it inspires our continued

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commitment to these values, and while we honor the progress that we have made, we
Acknowledge that much work does remain.

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this is reflected in the continued rising numbers of complaints filed with the civil
Rights commission office, as well as the increase in numbers where we do find evidence of

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discrimination within our community. It is our individual and our collective responsibility to address these barriers
Affecting our fellow community members.

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by confronting these obstacles, we can work towards a more equitable and inclusive
Community.

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let's work together to cultivate a city where everybody's individual worth is recognized.

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everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Let's protect our civil and human rights, nurture empathy and compassion, and as you
Said, compassion.

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thank you for that and collaboration. This way we can ensure freedom, justice and equality for all of those who are in cedar
Rapids.

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thank you. Thank you.

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thank you all. It is now time for our public hearings. So I remind everybody who wishes to speak today, whether during a public hearing or
During the public comment or public input periods.

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a few matters we need to have to ensure an orderly meeting.

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a reminder to remain at the lectern on your right. If you have any documents you want to share with them, give them to the officer and she
Will get them to us, and comments are limited to five minutes per speaker, and

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when the light on the console turns yellow, you'll have one minute when it turns red. We do invite you to take your seat.

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a reminder that all comments must be directed to the matter of the public hearing and
That abusive, obscene, loud, threatening or irrelevant comments are not allowed, and

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finally, we need to hold an orderly hearing. So we ask for and ask for no applause, cheering, booing, other noise or disruptive
Conduct from the audience, and we thank you in advance.

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does the clerk have any written comments or objections in regard to any of the public
Hearings on our agenda today?

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your honor, there were no written comments or objections filed. No written comments. Thank you.

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item number one is a public hearing to consider a development agreement with cedar rapids
Development group, llc for the construction of a casino between f and I

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avenues and first and fifth street northwest. Scott mather and bill michael are here.

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gentlemen, I'll recognize you. Thank you. Mayor and council. Scott mather with the city manager's office.

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we the city, the cedar rapids development group, llc and linn county gaming association,
Incorporated, executed a memorandum of understanding which provides

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exclusive support of a casino by crdg. The current mou extends through october of 2029.

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on july 11th, 2023, city council authorized a resolution approving an option agreement
And term sheet.

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today, we're here to consider a public hearing and resolution approving the development
Agreement.

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on february 6th, 2025, the iowa racing and gaming commission will issue their decision.

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so here's an aerial. The red dotted line in the box there indicates the proposed location for the casino, and
Here is a site plan showing the

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layout of the building and parking, as well as indicating where the four main entrances
To the building.

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the next few slides are just renderings of the building. Here's an aerial view, and this is from the north entrance,

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and this is the fourth street and f avenue entrance.

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so the development agreement terms regarding purchase and sale, the properties to be sold
At its fair market value, as determined by an appraisal, incorporation of flood mitigation

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measures in the project to satisfy the deed restrictions. Closing conditions include the developer receiving a gaming license that they have
Conducted no less than two public open house meetings, and that city council has approved

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the design of the minimum improvements site.

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site considerations include. The developer is to pay costs to vacate and dispose of any right of way, and relocate any
Public or private utilities.

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the developers to conduct a traffic study with the city and developer to develop an agreed
Upon plan for any off site improvements, and the developers to pay any

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increased costs for the city's flood control system if the project necessitates any
Modifications.

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the minimum improvements and investment. This is a 110,000 square foot gaming facility, of which 17,000 square foot is restaurant
Space, 16,000 square foot event space, 39,000 square

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foot gaming floor and 5000 square foot cultural center.

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there'll be roughly 1100 parking spaces. This is $150 million minimum investment with a $50 million minimum assessment agreement.

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completion of construction is to occur within 24 months of commencement.

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financial considerations, the developers to make monthly community betterment payments to
The city, commencing one year after the casino was opened, and continuing in perpetuity

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while it operates as a casino. These community betterment payments shall be calculated at 2.25% of the adjusted net
Gaming win, which is the gross revenue, less any applicable

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taxes. These community betterment payments are in addition to the taxes the city would
Already receive, which is around 0.5%.

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so today, we're here to consider the development agreement. In february of 25, the state gaming and racing commission will release their decision on
The gaming license and the city would close on the property within 180 days if a license

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is issued. With that, I'll return it back to mayor and council for any questions.

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thank you. This is a time and a place for a public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

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all right. I will invite you to take the podium and just give us your name and the city
Where you live.

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hi, isaac davis, cedar rapids. Just one quick comment on the site plan here.

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this is the first time I'm seeing it. I noticed that there is quite a lot of parking, which makes sense for a facility this
Size.

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in context with the location of this casino right near our greenway parks plan, I think
That northern

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border of the parking lot in the site plan. We want to be very careful about how that how that sits adjacent to our greenway park.

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my understanding is our greenway park is going to be a celebration of the river nature,
Cedar rapids ability to create a really

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destination park, and a bit of a jewel for the city, and as such, we want to make sure
That the large parking lot directly adjacent

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to it has an extraordinary amount of, you know, be it screening, landscaping, whatever.

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creativity allows one to take a look at this parking solution and be like, this fits next
To the largest park plan in cedar

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rapids. That's the only thing I would really encourage the city to focus on and make sure
That we move forward as we continue to evolve the site

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plan, I'm sure. Thank you. Thanks, isaac. Is anyone else here wish to address council?

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all right. Let the record show a public hearing on this matter has been held with no
Objections for the matter.

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that brings us to council comments. Councilmember vanorny. Thanks. Bill, can you go back to the picture?

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right there. Perfect. So just going to share some of my thoughts on this.

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first off, I'm not a gambler. I've never bought a scratch ticket, so this isn't my cup of tea.

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that doesn't mean that it's not other people, and so I just want to try and capture some
Of the conversation that people have been having with me, because I think thus far, there

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hasn't been a lot of conversation where council could weigh in. You know, we had the memorandum that came out, but it was really just about holding that
Holding space for that land.

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you know, the last referendum that we had was really a small majority, I would say.

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so people are still pretty mixed about, should we, shouldn't we? I can't tell you if this is going to be the thing that finally gives us a vibrant
Downtown.

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I have my bets against it, but, you know, certainly there are plenty of people who like
To do this, and it would be advantageous for cedar rapids to benefit

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from the revenue that is otherwise going other places. I know there's a lot of conversation happening right now.

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certainly people have told me I have not seen them, but there's a lot of advertising
Happening.

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it seems like it's coming from interested parties who want to keep their monies where
They are in their casinos, and not necessarily people who don't have a vested interest.

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additionally, I think there is a lot of advertising from people who do have a vested
Interest that are telling us, yes, we should do this.

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so I'm just trying to capture the nature of the conversations of persons that have either
Contacted me or connected with me.

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so, you know, this space used to be residential, and we moved actual homes and families
Out of this area.

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isaac was talking about the greenway plan, which is very exciting and is very destination
Setting.

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so in my head, I'm disappointed that this doesn't utilize or activate the river.

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matter of fact, it doesn't really even face the river, and so you have this bit of parcel
That, you know, we have a lot of flooding concerns that forced people out of this

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space necessarily, because we didn't have the flood protection that we now have or are
Going to get that will allow us to leverage this bit of land

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again. So I think about, you know, what just happened with kingston over the last couple
Of years, and what I'm really looking for again is that destination.

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I don't see it in this. This looks like a big box store to me. There's nothing on the roof.

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yes, there could bring some more activities, but maybe that'll take away, I don't know,
One way or the other.

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I'm not sold on this. Pretty ambivalent about, you know, any of the sales pitches that I've heard thus far, but
I would say at a minimum, there's been a conversation about having a stem lab in there,

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and at best, I think it's out of place. I don't know anybody who said, let's go to the casino and drop the kids off for some
Science.

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it just seems weird to me. Maybe it's an option that works.

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certainly. There's you know, I'm a big stem-focused person. I took just about every science class that the university of iowa offered other than
Organic chem.

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so certainly I'd be all for it, but I just think it seems a bit out of place here, and
Then I have a hard time accepting that while we're being told that 8% is

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generous, that's really even like dipping into anybody's bank, because if you could
Easily, so easily offer 8% and you've got wonderful companies like google coming who

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are, you know, matching and giving us these opportunities and, you know, they're not
Necessarily making that profit like a casino would.

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I just have a hard time accepting that? That's really something I should be impressed by, and we also know that we're going to go
Into another legislative session where we're going to be asked for our property taxes

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likely to be reduced. So it's conversations that we have to have about the realities of
This and things that are being considered.

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I would also just say, you know, in general, I know that there are interested parties.

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this is a big development. It would certainly create a lot of jobs. We've got the best, you know, unions here and tradespeople.

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so I'm all for getting them jobs, but I just don't think that this location and this
Particular thing is something that I'm, you know, feeling like a kid on christmas

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about because it just seems like it's missing something or it's just blasé at best, and I
Also am just generally concerned about

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you know, somebody not being able to commit to me that it would be a smoke free facility.

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you know, we were just at the national league of cities and there are smoke free
Coalitions there in casinos who are making some good progress, but I've repeatedly asked

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about that and the health care person, and me just says, if you can't commit that, this
Would be smoke free, and how does that work with having some sort of school or education

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thing on it? Because you can't just say that the smoke stops at a room that we know that
Doesn't work for years.

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it's just not a project that is going to get my support at this time. I think there's other places in cedar rapids that if we're dead set on having a casino
That we could certainly make room for.

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there is absolutely room to grow in cedar rapids, but I just don't think this is it.

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so that's my thoughts. Thanks. Councilmember.

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olson. Yeah. Thank you. You know, I think as we look at this again, I'm not a gambler either, except once in a
While, once a year, I put a penny in a slot machine and see how I do

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and represent the city in las vegas every year and have been going for 20 years, and I
Just enjoy seeing all the people that enjoy gambling, and

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I think this site was created not for them.

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it was created for development and the because of the flood, this site became available.

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we tried three other times and it was where the big grove corner was and we tried over by
Where the skogman building was, and so we have a vacant piece of ground that

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people are complaining about that's not being maintained, and we're trying to grow
Things, and one thing that this type of an operation does is create

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development. Being not being a gambler. We are having our people that live here in cedar rapids go outside.

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we try to gain revenue to nonprofits from the other casinos surrounding us, and our
Nonprofits get turned down and the money spent in those areas.

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I think gambling is changing. The form of gambling is changing.

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it's changing in las vegas. It's changing everywhere, and what's different about this concept is it's become more
Restaurant driven and other things than gaming, but

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people are going to gamble whether we like it or not. Should we gain from that?

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I think we should. Will this enable us to do other things? Yes, it will do.

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am I going to go gamble there? Probably not, but I may go to some of the entertainment events and things.

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we have a piece of ground that will take a long time to develop, and I think this is an
Opportunity that we may

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or may not see, and so they've made they've done all the steps, they've acquired all the
Ground.

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they have to meet the flood protection requirements, they have to meet, as isaac said,
Landscaping and other things, which I know they'll do a good job of because they listen

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and you can just see the trees and things that are planted here, and, like I say, as a
Buffer around the railroad tracks, but I think they've done their

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job to go and apply. They're either going to on february 6th, they'll either win or lose beyond our control.

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we're not a member of that commission, and if they win, I think then we have to jump in
And make sure that they everything they do that they've promised benefits the

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citizens, the labor unions, whoever may be using this facility

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and I think what it's going to do is encourage what we hope is that when you travel to
Other cities, as I do for

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different conventions, whether that's new orleans, las vegas, other places, when they
Have a casino, it makes a difference and it generates a lot of activity, and so

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we're not going to the casino's not going to be the only one that benefit from it. So is gambling good.

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we can all debate that. Is this project good? I hope it is. I think they're doing a nice job.

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is this something that will make a difference in cedar rapids? I'm on several nonprofit boards.

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you're darn right it will. It'll bring major money that we're not getting that the other cities are getting when
People go gambling there, and so what we need to do is make sure we protect this

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neighborhood. We protect the greenway, we create the flood protection.

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we create jobs, and the 8%, which kind of shocks me, is the highest in the state of
Iowa, and

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I think it's just going to come down to five individuals that are sitting citizens of
Iowa that are going to make a yes or a no vote on february 6th.

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nobody knows what it's going to be. If it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, we'll move on and find something else to do with this ground, and
So as a city council, I think we've developed a good development

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agreement to protect our city, to get the revenue to the city that we can share with
Others in the community

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and we have the design standards that are going to protect the neighborhood, and I'm kind
Of excited about it because it it will change the hotel,

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motel, tax, all the things that we use for nonprofits and everything else.

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does it create gambling problems? Probably, but I think that we're not going to be able to stop that whether they're
Gambling here.

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riverside. Dubuque. Waterloo gamblers or gamblers and if I decide to go in there, I'll play the penny slot.

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I'll put my $20 in and see if I win or lose whatever, and have fun watching all the
People gambling and all the crazy people in there.

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it's kind of fun. As a matter of fact, and so let's let's see what happens.

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it's out of our control. We've done everything to protect ourselves.

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february 6th, the magic date, and we'll see what happens. So that's where my thoughts and I agree.

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you know, I share ashley's concerns. We're on the same page, smoking and all of that.

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I totally agree, and we just need to say, hey, they've done everything they're supposed
To.

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they've done it. They filed. They've done it. They've communicated with us. Let's find out what happens on february 6th, win or lose, and we'll go from there and see
If something happens.

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so I'm excited about it. Councilmember todd.

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thank you, mayor. Thanks. Thanks, scott, and to staff for the background.

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in terms of the background, your site only went to 2023, and in saying that,

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I think that slide should go back a lot further because you neglected to mention the
First

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stab at this was a boat at over on the sinclair site or across from the boat harbor over
There, and I think, are we going to

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1999? You know, we're going we're going somewhere around there.

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let's talk about the location for a second, and my my thoughts on this have evolved over
Time for a host of reasons, but

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when I look at that site, I picture some of you might not remember this, but the ice
Harbor in dubuque.

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okay, that was a superfund site.

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dubuque was broke. The packet closed. There was no money in that town, and by by developing the

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casino on that site instead of riding downtown on main street, it went over to the ice
Harbor.

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it cleaned up that entire area over there, and so and over time, I, you know, I've come
To at least in terms

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of the studies, I, you know, I this is not going to be the economic savior

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that some people pretended it's going to be, but I look at it as an option for people.

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if they want to go, they can go, and while I don't gamble, I'll tell you what I do.

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this is the kind of nerd I am.

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when we go to dubuque for holidays and I have to break out of the house, I drive around
The ice harbor and I drive around the parking lot, and I look at

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the license plates of linn county, linn county, linn county, and I can do that in
Davenport, and I can do that in

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meskwaki, and I can do that in waterloo, and these are all cedar rapids residents who
Have voted twice to support

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this initiative, and so I look at it as simply an option in terms of urban planning and
Development,

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and the council, I would suggest there is no compelling developer knocking down our door
To develop this site,

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nor do we have the wherewithal to develop this site anywhere outside of a ten year
Window.

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I simply don't see anything happening at that site, and at the same time, the public has
Realized that

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by obligating that land the way you did, the public has come to realize that

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hopefully will be the outcome of what this land banking has done.

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in essence, what the city did, we land banked it, but there should be no surprise that
We were going to do something else on this site.

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it was always going to be a casino. That is if in the event that we get the license, and so I like the location.

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I last but not least, I attended the hearing the other day, and the only

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reason I have not really been, I've sort of sat on the sidelines in this whole discussion
Throughout the years.

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I haven't made any decisions one way or the other, but I was home the night before the
Meeting and

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I got a text and then there was an ad on tv while we were watching the news, and I asked
My wife, I said, can you google who's responsible for that

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ad? And it came back google. I said, dan keel, okay, and as I sat through that hearing throughout the course of that
Day, I got repulsed

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at my colleagues from other cities, whether it was waterloo or dubuque, cedar falls, who
Were

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all complaining that if we got a license here sincere that it was going to cut into their
City budget, dubuque said point blank.

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the city manager 2.5% of their property taxes are paid with cedar rapids or gaming
Revenues, and those are all a lot of

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those people are people from cedar rapids and linn county, and there's new fire trucks in
Kalona, and, you know, as the day went

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on, I just got sick, and so I, you know, I look at it as an option for people.

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if they want to go there, they can go there, they can go to kingston, they can go to
Newbo, czech village.

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it's simply another option for us as a community.

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councilmember tyler olson. Thank you, mayor. I appreciate the discussion, and, you know, councilmember todd, you
Mentioned that this project is not going to be an economic savior, and

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I agree, and the great thing is, we don't need an economic savior in cedar rapids.

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I think we all understand the strength of the economy in the community right now, and
Honestly, the strength of downtown

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in the west side you know, south of here and in particular, but also a lot of development
Along ellis boulevard

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and up towards time check, and so, you know, looking at it as a development project, you
Know, as it's been presented and councilmember olson, you know, you mentioned it this

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way too. You know, we're talking about a live music venue, we're talking about restaurants, we're
Talking about an entertainment complex very close to the heart of

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downtown, which we have supported in other areas, and I think any community, you know,
Would be excited to get now, in this case, you know,

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we have the added wrinkle of the fact that there will be gaming there will be gambling
There, but has been mentioned before, the citizens of linn county twice in

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somewhat overwhelming fashion for elections today, you know, have voted in favor in favor
Of it, and I think it's also important to point out that the northwest

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northwest neighbors, many of them, have spoken very strongly in favor of it, and they
Will, you know, be the ones that are that are closest as

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far as residences and, and businesses as well. So I think it's a good development project, just as a, as a development project
Incorporates flood control.

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00:31:34,690 --> 00:31:34,690
well obviously will incorporate the traffic has the railroad as a buffer.

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on the north side, and the, you know, the activity that will be generated there will be
Great for the community.

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so, you know, it's something that I think minus the gambling we would all be very excited
About in the community, and

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, you know, regardless of our personal feelings about gambling, the community has spoken
On multiple occasions and wants

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this, and so I'm excited that we have developers that are willing to put the extra mile
Into it.

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I mean, it'd be easy to put up a gaming hall that, you know, didn't have other amenities
And wasn't as nicely done as this one.

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so I think we've picked the right partners here and the right project. Thanks. Anyone else?

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all right. Well, it's no secret I've been for this project. This specific project, since before I was even mayor.

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as an advocate, as a citizen for this project, and I think one of the biggest
Contingencies for me to support it is openly pre mayor and certainly

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post mayor is exactly the location of the casino.

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00:32:51,690 --> 00:32:51,690
I'm reminded of and no one on this council I don't believe was was here when we put the
Ball diamond out where we put it.

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00:33:00,030 --> 00:33:00,030
it just if I could wave a magic wand pick up that stadium and put it closer to our
Downtown and closer to all of the development that's happened here,

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I would absolutely do that. I feel exactly the way about this. I'm not actually sure how much I would support a casino in the middle of nowhere.

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I support this casino because of where it is, and certainly, you know, no one does any.

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00:33:25,220 --> 00:33:26,880
my opinion isn't my own alone. I certainly stand alongside a lot of other people who feel the same way that I do.

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00:33:31,350 --> 00:33:31,350
as far as the design of the casino, you know, I'm not sure if councilmembers, if this is
Your first time seeing this or the location.

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00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:41,940
I didn't think so. There's been ample opportunity to give that kind of feedback, and I would encourage that
Conversation to continue.

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00:33:48,330 --> 00:33:48,330
if we have ideas to make it make it even better and to serve more people.

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00:33:53,010 --> 00:33:53,010
I too would absolutely support a nonsmoking to make that a real differentiator.

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00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:00,000
I mean, I'm not a marketer extraordinaire, but I would think it would be a great
Differentiator to say, hey, come to this casino because it's smoke free.

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I also understand there are reasons why this developer wants to have that, and it is his
Development, so he gets to do that.

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I will also say the organization that I work for in my other life, I do a lot of events
In the only places that can house the amount of people we have are in casinos.

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00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:24,720
so I'm in a lot of casinos across the state, and you actually can put a wall up.

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00:34:29,250 --> 00:34:29,250
it's really remarkable what they've done with filters inside these facilities now.

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so to those who don't want to smell the smoke, I just suggest, you know, innovation has
Happened in that realm as well.

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so I'm a little surprised. I mean, I'm glad that the council is having this opportunity.

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00:34:46,050 --> 00:34:49,410
I'm a little surprised that we're having it today. I certainly am not here to legislate whether or not this council is for or gambling or
Not, or, frankly, for the location or not.

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00:34:58,770 --> 00:34:58,770
I'd like to say the horse has left the barn on this, and a lot of work has gone into this
Development agreement, and the 8% is absolutely a game changer

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for organizations in our community, and I look forward to helping them achieve that.

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we are here today to discuss, to have the hearing on the development agreement.

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00:35:21,390 --> 00:35:21,390
so if we don't have any other questions, I'm actually going to ask for a first and a
Second from council.

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do I have a motion? Councilmember tyler olson. Do I have a second? Second.

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00:35:32,310 --> 00:35:32,310
councilmember hoeger thank you all and let's go ahead and do a vocal vote.

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00:35:51,670 --> 00:35:51,670
okay, and then if that is it, that resolution has been passed.

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00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:58,510
the motion carries. Item number two. Moving on to a public hearing to consider a proposed amendment number
Five, to the urban renewal plan for the central consolidated urban renewal area.

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00:36:06,970 --> 00:36:10,600
scott, you stay put. I'll recognize you. Thank you. Okay. All right.

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00:36:13,570 --> 00:36:13,570
on november 19th, council authorized city financial incentives with 860 17th street, llc
For the redevelopment of the former higley mansion at

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860 17th street southeast. Their tenant, radix recovery, is to provide a voluntary substance abuse programing.

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00:36:31,150 --> 00:36:31,150
as a result, urban renewal plans are required to be updated to reflect activities to
Include new economic development projects and infrastructure improvements.

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00:36:39,490 --> 00:36:39,490
consultation with taxing agencies is also required, which was held on december 2nd with
No comments or objections.

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00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:46,280
today, we're here to consider approving the urban renewal amendment and development
Agreement.

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this is a $4.6 million capital investment. Calls for the renovation of the existing 27,000 square foot building and a 3000 square
Foot new construction addition.

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00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,610
landscaping improvements complete in august of 25. Standard incentive provides a ten year, 100% rebate of increased taxes.

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00:37:08,780 --> 00:37:08,780
it's expected to generate 525,000 new taxes in the ten year period, of which 145,000
Would be rebated.

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00:37:18,470 --> 00:37:18,470
here is a rendering of the front of the building after it's been renovated.

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here's a map showing three infrastructure projects that are incorporated into the ura
Amendment.

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00:37:31,130 --> 00:37:31,130
the one to the north is the cedar lake, and then the ones over here in czech village are
Related to the light line loop and the light line bridge.

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00:37:42,140 --> 00:37:42,140
so today we're here to or I guess my recommendations are to approve the amendment number
Five to the central consolidated urban renewal area and approve the resolution authorizing

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the development agreement with 860 17th street, llc. With that, I'll turn it back to you, mayor.

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00:37:56,350 --> 00:37:59,170
thank you. All right. This is the time and place for public hearing on this matter.

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00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:01,480
does anyone in the audience wish to address council on item number two?

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00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:07,960
let the record show a public hearing has been held with no objections for the record?

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00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,920
councilmember vanorny. Thanks, mayor. Scott. My only question is about the wall that is adjacent to the road there.

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the other day when I was driving by, it looked like it was leaning a bit. Are they planning on, I guess, kind of reaffirming that barrier, I mean, if it's damaged,
It's going to get replaced, it's going to get repaired.

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00:38:30,910 --> 00:38:30,910
I know that they've talked about needing to do significant improvements to the outside.

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00:38:35,350 --> 00:38:35,350
just there was, you know, the roof had been replaced from the derecho, but there's still
Issues as a result of the derecho.

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so that's what they also intend to do. So I'm assuming that'll be, but I can certainly follow up with them on that.

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00:38:46,630 --> 00:38:46,630
yeah, and if and if they do, let's just make sure to coordinate with our relief programs
Too.

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00:38:51,340 --> 00:38:51,340
because if they're going if it must, it just looks like it's a bit insecure and kind of
Leaning, and so if they are going to adjust that, I'd love to coordinate with them so that

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00:38:59,470 --> 00:39:02,680
we can just look at improving our tree canopy too. So thank you, councilmember todd.

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00:39:05,980 --> 00:39:09,550
just to give some background on I think that's all waiting. Part of that, they were all waiting for mount vernon road to get done, and so since that
Stretch between 21st and the hospital is done, now would be a good time.

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00:39:18,790 --> 00:39:21,180
you wouldn't do it before? No. All right.

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00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,030
anyone else? All right. Seeing no further questions, the adoption of the resolution has been moved by councilmem
Ber scott olson, seconded by councilmember todd.

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00:39:30,700 --> 00:39:32,410
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

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00:39:35,470 --> 00:39:35,470
item number three was the public hearing to consider the development agreement as a whole
At 860 17th street llc.

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00:39:42,380 --> 00:39:44,810
this is a time and a place for public hearing on that. Does anyone here wish to address council?

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00:39:49,340 --> 00:39:50,630
let the record show. A public hearing has been held with no objections for the record council.

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00:39:54,860 --> 00:39:54,860
all right. Seeing none, the adoption of the resolution has been moved by councilmember
Todd, seconded by councilmember vanorny.

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00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:01,700
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

298
00:40:04,310 --> 00:40:04,310
thank you. Item number four is a public hearing to review the status of funded activities
For single family new construction program, the roots project.

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00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:11,960
we call it at 124 meadowlark lane northwest and 164 cherry hill road northwest.

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00:40:18,710 --> 00:40:18,710
funded through the community development block grant disaster recovery program.

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00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:26,180
sara buck is here. Sara, I'll recognize you. Thank you, mayor and city council. Sara buck with, community development.

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00:40:28,700 --> 00:40:28,700
so the purpose of the public hearing today is that the disaster recovery program requires
A mid-project update that includes accomplishments and expenditures to date and any work

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00:40:37,460 --> 00:40:40,550
that's remaining, as well as any changes to the projects. So we have two projects here a single family or a single unit home.

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00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:44,120
on each of these, 124 meadowlark lane northwest and 164 cherry hill road northwest, and
Both of these are being developed by wes waters of

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00:40:53,270 --> 00:40:53,270
wwi3. So accomplishments to date you can see both homes have the same floor plan.

306
00:40:59,720 --> 00:41:02,330
exterior construction is complete on both projects. The interior work is more complete on the meadowlark lane northwest.

307
00:41:06,350 --> 00:41:10,070
the cherry hill is just slightly behind on that. Final grading has been done on meadowlark and rough grading has been done on the cherry
Hill.

308
00:41:13,670 --> 00:41:13,670
obviously the landscaping will still need to be done in the spring.

309
00:41:18,740 --> 00:41:19,760
so expenditures. To date, the total project budget is 294 on meadowlark, 289 on cherry hill.

310
00:41:26,660 --> 00:41:26,660
the cdbg-dr funding or community development block grant disaster recovery funding on
Both of these projects was 100,000 per unit and an additional $25,000 per unit for

311
00:41:36,230 --> 00:41:36,230
additional mitigation. So really making those units more resilient, more cost efficient
As far as heating and cooling.

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00:41:43,130 --> 00:41:43,130
other funding for the projects is the developer has a construction loan, and the
Expenditures to date are roughly about 70,000 for each of those projects, and

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00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:53,120
so the remaining work to complete, like I said, is that interior finish work on
Meadowlark and landscaping, and then more interior work on cherry hill and landscaping as

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00:42:02,270 --> 00:42:02,270
well. Project changes, no substantial changes again to date other than the timeline.

315
00:42:08,540 --> 00:42:08,540
the meadowlark project was due to be completed and sold at the end of this calendar year,
And that's being pushed out until january, and then the cherry hill project is going to be

316
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:20,120
pushed out until february/march timeframe. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

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00:42:23,150 --> 00:42:25,430
this is the time and place for public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

318
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:33,320
let the record show public hearing has been held with no objections for the record,
Council. Councilmember vanorny.

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00:42:34,370 --> 00:42:38,000
thanks, mayor. Sara, I just want to pass along a compliment to you and your teams. I know that my colleague, councilmember todd, had asked several years ago to bring this
Program back because he was familiar with it.

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00:42:46,310 --> 00:42:46,310
the first origination of it, but this is something that I've just heard repeatedly, and
Especially more recently, as a significant opportunity for us to get people into

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00:42:56,330 --> 00:42:58,250
homes and particularly first time homebuyers. So just really appreciate all the efforts of you and your team to keep this alive.

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00:43:02,750 --> 00:43:02,750
thank you. Anyone else?

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00:43:08,150 --> 00:43:08,150
I have a question, sara, and it's okay if you don't have the answer to this, but I'm
Wondering, what do you know what these homes will be listed for?

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00:43:13,940 --> 00:43:13,940
so the total investment in is the budget amount.

325
00:43:19,430 --> 00:43:22,820
so 294, 289 is the total investment amount. The appraisals have been coming back just slightly under that amount.

326
00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:25,640
just because the amount of money going in for those resiliency factors.

327
00:43:30,590 --> 00:43:30,590
so the higher or lower, better insulation.

328
00:43:36,530 --> 00:43:40,280
those types of things aren't something that necessarily show up on an appraisal. So that said the total cost to the actual homeowner will be $140,000 if they receive the
Full $35,000 of down payment assistance, but the actual valuation

329
00:43:50,270 --> 00:43:52,670
will be close to that 294, 289. Square footage, do you have that?

330
00:43:54,650 --> 00:43:56,090
I do not have that. I believe they're right around 1000ft², maybe a little bit more, I just but they do have
A basement that has window wells, and so yeah, prices

331
00:44:05,990 --> 00:44:05,990
are coming in close to that and other areas of the and brand new construction, of course.

332
00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:15,830
really. Yeah. Okay. Costs continue to increase.

333
00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:18,080
so that's why we had to add so much additional subsidy into these units to make them
Affordable, because we could not get the developers to even be able to construct the homes

334
00:44:26,210 --> 00:44:27,470
for that dollar amount. So we had to add those additional layers of subsidy.

335
00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:32,460
to make them affordable. Okay. Yeah. Councilmember poe.

336
00:44:35,430 --> 00:44:39,150
thank you, mayor. Sara, how many bedrooms are in that? In these particular units, they are I believe they are two bedroom, one bath is what I
Recollect, but there are other floor plans throughout the other roots homes

337
00:44:49,140 --> 00:44:52,950
that have some additional, you know, two bedroom, two bath or a three bedroom, one bath. So there are different options out there for homeowners.

338
00:44:56,220 --> 00:44:56,220
you know, and I'm thinking back to the roots homes that we had done in 2000 whatever, ten
Or whatever it was after the flood, and they seem to be a lot bigger and a lot

339
00:45:05,970 --> 00:45:05,970
more spacious, and of course, inflation has a lot to do with that, but these, to the
Mayor's point, these seem awfully small.

340
00:45:14,100 --> 00:45:18,090
they are smaller, but these are also on infill lots and they're not on a new subdivision. So that is the difference here as well.

341
00:45:19,770 --> 00:45:19,770
so the lots of these are on were actually homes that were destroyed by the derecho in
2020 that were completely removed, and then so it's great to be able to fill those lots

342
00:45:28,110 --> 00:45:29,820
as well. Well, that's a really important point. Thank you. So that's included in this.

343
00:45:32,220 --> 00:45:34,770
that's okay. So these two homes were infill lots. Got it. Okay.

344
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:38,700
all right. Thank you sarah. You're welcome. Any other questions from council?

345
00:45:43,170 --> 00:45:46,980
all right then. If there are no more we're going to go on to there's no resolution for this item, so
We'll just move on.

346
00:45:52,830 --> 00:45:54,300
sarah, thank you for that. Item number five is a public hearing to consider a vacation of a 0.09 acre access
Easement adjacent to the easterly corner of the intersection of fifth street and sixth

347
00:46:03,030 --> 00:46:03,030
avenue southeast, as requested by abbe center for community mental health.

348
00:46:08,130 --> 00:46:10,500
rob davis is here. Rob, I'll recognize you. Good afternoon. Mayor, city council, rob davis with the public works department.

349
00:46:14,460 --> 00:46:17,670
this project, I'll point out a few landmarks. On the west side of fifth street is the abbe center on the east side of fifth street, and
Just near sixth street is the

350
00:46:26,940 --> 00:46:26,940
brickstone development near the location of the easement.

351
00:46:32,130 --> 00:46:32,130
vacation is near sixth avenue, running towards the alley between fifth street and sixth
Street as shown here cross-hatched.

352
00:46:41,290 --> 00:46:44,700
this is the request that's crosshatch as request to be vacated. As the mayor noted, there are two driveway locations that lead to the alley, so only one
Of those would be closed off from the parking lot.

353
00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:53,280
I've got another drawing to show how that will be differentiated with the new curb and
Gutter.

354
00:46:58,470 --> 00:46:58,470
the remainder of the access again will still provide access to the brickstone apartments
From from the parking area on the other side of the alley, and this is all in

355
00:47:08,250 --> 00:47:08,250
accordance with the memorandum of parking lease with brickstone, and soe investments back
From april.

356
00:47:14,490 --> 00:47:16,890
so this is in accordance with that. So it really shouldn't be any objections or concerns, just giving you a little better
Flavor of what's going on.

357
00:47:26,100 --> 00:47:26,100
the area that's in yellow is what would be vacated.

358
00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:30,180
so the only way to get from six down to the alley would be use the other aisle of the
Parking lot.

359
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:38,790
that would be in green. That's because the abbe center wants to have dedicated parking just for their center on
That eastern half of the parking lot.

360
00:47:47,460 --> 00:47:47,460
so they don't want as many through traffic going through, and then the parking lot again,
This is in accordance with the agreement, and there is an alternative path which would be

361
00:47:57,390 --> 00:47:57,390
the green one, and with that, we would recommend approval of the vacation as requested.

362
00:48:03,060 --> 00:48:06,150
thank you. Rob, this is a time and a place for public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

363
00:48:09,720 --> 00:48:13,680
let the record show a public hearing has been held with no objections for the record. That brings us to council.

364
00:48:17,340 --> 00:48:21,030
councilmember todd? Mayor, I just plan to abstain from this. Councilmember todd abstaining.

365
00:48:22,830 --> 00:48:22,830
councilmember vanorny? Yeah, I just want to say that this is another good opportunity,
Just like the higley mansion revision, to increase the mental health opportunities in our

366
00:48:32,490 --> 00:48:32,490
community and just really appreciate that we're going to have that access, but also have
Those improvements to this area.

367
00:48:39,660 --> 00:48:39,660
I mean, it's an aged building, but I like that it's really appreciate that it's going to
Have some new life breathed into it.

368
00:48:44,910 --> 00:48:44,910
so thank you. If there are no further questions, the adoption of the resolution has been
Moved by poe, seconded by overland.

369
00:48:51,900 --> 00:48:53,160
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

370
00:48:56,070 --> 00:48:56,070
thank you. At number six is a public hearing to consider a change of zone for property
At 6200 26th street, southwest from agriculture district to general industrial

371
00:49:06,030 --> 00:49:08,970
district, as requested by corridor developers. Seth gunnerson is here, seth.

372
00:49:10,410 --> 00:49:11,640
I'll recognize you. Thank you. Mayor seth gunnerson, zoning administrator and development services.

373
00:49:15,240 --> 00:49:15,240
as mentioned, this particular item is a request for a zone change from a-ag, which is
Agriculture zone district to I-gi, which is general

374
00:49:25,240 --> 00:49:25,240
industrial. This is a just over three acre parcel.

375
00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:29,560
the proposed use for the property now is a truck staging area for the adjacent diamond v
Mills property.

376
00:49:37,060 --> 00:49:37,060
the developers talked about future construction of a contractor shop or similar
Development on the parcel.

377
00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:43,840
here's an aerial showing the property with the city's future land use map.

378
00:49:47,950 --> 00:49:47,950
the grayish color this is in is er or employment reserve.

379
00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:54,970
this is in southwest cedar rapids. Edgewood is over here 60th avenue diamond view mills site here.

380
00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:00,640
the zoning map shows the surrounding area is generally I-gi or general industrial, so the
Requested zone fits in the context of the surrounding neighborhood.

381
00:50:10,630 --> 00:50:10,630
the properties, which are zoned ag surrounding it, are essentially undeveloped properties
That just have not been rezoned since coming into the city.

382
00:50:19,030 --> 00:50:19,030
here's another aerial view showing the property near the corner of 60th and 26th.

383
00:50:24,430 --> 00:50:24,430
here's the site plan that they provided, essentially paving the property for truck
Storage, and then a proposed cold storage building, which could be used for contractor

384
00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:35,620
condos at some point in the future. In terms of rezoning criteria, the request is consistent with the comprehensive plan.

385
00:50:41,050 --> 00:50:41,050
the zoning districts, consistent with what the future land use map says, is a permitted
Zone at this location.

386
00:50:46,990 --> 00:50:46,990
there are city services available and the rezoning is within character of the surrounding
Area.

387
00:50:52,090 --> 00:50:52,090
for that matter, or for those reasons, staff recommends approval of the request.

388
00:50:56,170 --> 00:50:56,170
this went to the city planning commission on december 5th, and was unanimously
Recommended to council for approval pending today's public hearing will do a second and

389
00:51:04,270 --> 00:51:07,360
third reading in january. With that, I'll turn it back to the mayor. Thank you, seth.

390
00:51:08,560 --> 00:51:10,660
this is a time and a place for public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

391
00:51:13,570 --> 00:51:17,110
let the record show public hearing has been held with no objections for the record. That brings us to council consideration.

392
00:51:20,500 --> 00:51:20,500
all right. Seeing no further questions, the approval of this ordinance on its first
Reading has been moved by councilmember overland, seconded by councilmember tyler olson.

393
00:51:27,970 --> 00:51:29,380
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

394
00:51:32,710 --> 00:51:32,710
item number seven is a public hearing to consider a change of zone for property at 1201
Summit avenue, southwest from suburban residential low single unit district to suburban

395
00:51:42,670 --> 00:51:46,510
residential low flex district with a planned unit development overlay. This is requested by ginkgo ridge llc and capital b, llc.

396
00:51:50,920 --> 00:51:54,190
seth, I'll recognize you again. Thank you. Mayor. As noted, this is a request to change the zone from a single unit residential district to
A residential flex district to allow

397
00:52:03,580 --> 00:52:03,580
for development of row homes and detached single unit homes.

398
00:52:09,100 --> 00:52:09,100
as noted, this comes with a pud overlay or a planned unit development overlay.

399
00:52:13,930 --> 00:52:17,010
the site is a little around three acres in size. The developer is proposing creating 29 lots for a mix of single unit detached homes and
Townhomes.

400
00:52:24,580 --> 00:52:24,580
planned unit development allows you to customize the zoning requirements within a
Specific area.

401
00:52:30,790 --> 00:52:30,790
in this case the developer's requesting reductions in setbacks minimum lot sizes.

402
00:52:36,610 --> 00:52:36,610
this would allow for them to cluster development on the site and preserve more of the
Original site, such as reducing the amount of trees that need to be cleared for the site.

403
00:52:45,220 --> 00:52:45,220
they held a neighborhood meeting on november 13th, which was attended by several adjacent
Neighbors.

404
00:52:50,950 --> 00:52:50,950
the exceptions requested by developer include a reduction in minimum lot size, so
Allowing lots to get down to 1600 square feet instead of 1800

405
00:53:00,940 --> 00:53:00,940
square foot required a reduction or an increase in the maximum lot coverage, allowing
Buildings to cover up to 80% of some lots and a reduction in front,

406
00:53:10,630 --> 00:53:13,600
side, and rear yard setbacks. Here is an aerial showing the future land use map.

407
00:53:17,140 --> 00:53:19,600
this is an urban low intensity area. The district they're going for is a multifamily district that permits multifamily
Development, but it's compatible with the low intensity land use typology area.

408
00:53:29,860 --> 00:53:29,860
here's the zoning map showing the s-rl1 district and the surrounding neighborhood.

409
00:53:35,050 --> 00:53:35,050
there's multifamily to the north as part of the tanager campus and apartments.

410
00:53:41,410 --> 00:53:41,410
as you can see, this is located along the cedar river just south of the mount trashmore
Area and north of jones park and adjacent to the

411
00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:53,200
cedar valley nature trail. Here's another aerial showing the site with summit and quarry avenues coming into the
Western side of the property.

412
00:54:00,970 --> 00:54:00,970
the proposed site plan and plat will carry summit avenue down to a cul de sac.

413
00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:07,840
there would be private, or there would be stormwater detention on the south end of the
Site.

414
00:54:13,460 --> 00:54:13,460
you can notice that there's a decent amount of trees and stuff which would be preserved
On the south end of the site.

415
00:54:20,300 --> 00:54:20,300
the proposal as it stands now, would using cdbg-dr funds that the applicant is seeking
Would have three and four

416
00:54:29,930 --> 00:54:29,930
plex attached homes and one detached home constructed with several lots developed for
Future expansion as well.

417
00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:37,520
the site plan does include a connection to the cedar valley nature trail, which would
Benefit this site and provide another point of access to the trail for the neighborhood in

418
00:54:47,510 --> 00:54:47,510
general. Here are a couple of renderings provided by the developer showing the proposed
Homes in terms of rezoning criteria.

419
00:54:57,170 --> 00:54:57,170
the proposed zoning district is compatible with the comprehensive plan.

420
00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:01,880
the residential density is 9.7 units per acre, which is within the range allowed within
The land use typology area.

421
00:55:10,040 --> 00:55:13,760
in terms of public facilities, services and suitability. Water and sewer is available on site.

422
00:55:15,740 --> 00:55:19,190
sewer service will be accomplished through a private lift station. This will complete connections to summit and quarry avenues, which currently don't have a
Fire turnaround on them, so it will help the overall area of development gain

423
00:55:29,120 --> 00:55:29,120
fire code compliance and will provide a connection to cedar valley nature trail, and in
Terms of overall character, the zone districts permitted by the future land use map and

424
00:55:38,390 --> 00:55:38,390
the requested modifications to the zone district are necessary, and help allow the
Development to minimize the amount of site clearance that needs to be done.

425
00:55:48,560 --> 00:55:48,560
this was also reviewed by the city planning commission on december 5th and recommended
For approval.

426
00:55:54,050 --> 00:55:57,790
staff recommends approval of the request pending today's public hearing. This will return for second and possible third readings in january.

427
00:56:01,820 --> 00:56:05,000
thank you, seth. This is a time and a place for public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

428
00:56:08,100 --> 00:56:08,100
let the record show. A public hearing has been held with no objections for the record,
Council.

429
00:56:12,230 --> 00:56:12,230
councilmember poe? Seth, can you please go back to the site map?

430
00:56:17,550 --> 00:56:19,170
thank you. How so?

431
00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:24,150
there was another another one. Go back to the one there.

432
00:56:26,430 --> 00:56:27,960
that's the one I wanted to see. So it's close proximity to the river.

433
00:56:31,110 --> 00:56:35,100
did this area flood in 2008 and 2016? No. This is well above the 100-year floodplain.

434
00:56:38,820 --> 00:56:42,660
the trail is up on the a little bit of a ledge here. Bluff, and then this property is a few feet above that.

435
00:56:45,570 --> 00:56:49,330
so it did not flood. Okay. Good. Thank you. Councilmember maier.

436
00:56:52,020 --> 00:56:54,300
thank you mayor. Thank you, mayor. Seth, you had commented that there was a meeting with the neighbors back in november.

437
00:56:59,430 --> 00:56:59,430
do you have a summary of the takeaways or the feedback from those residents?

438
00:57:03,510 --> 00:57:07,070
were they satisfied unsatisfied. Any insight you have would be appreciated. Thanks. Yeah, I think my understanding is the developer answered the questions that
Neighbors had.

439
00:57:11,810 --> 00:57:11,810
there were questions raised about, you know, traffic, construction and stuff like that.

440
00:57:18,980 --> 00:57:18,980
I think one of the what I heard, one of the big questions was would be, would this cause
You know, any upgrades to summit or quarry that would be

441
00:57:28,910 --> 00:57:28,910
assessed for, and basically the response was that if there was damage caused by
Development to the road, that the city would work with the developer to have that

442
00:57:38,180 --> 00:57:38,180
repaired, and there are no plans at this time to do upgrades of either of those streets
Or, and typically the city when assess the residents for any

443
00:57:47,810 --> 00:57:49,430
improvements there. So yeah.

444
00:57:52,670 --> 00:57:52,670
councilmember todd, we did receive some feedback from a neighbor in regards to this
Project, I believe is.

445
00:58:03,320 --> 00:58:06,650
are you aware of the one I might be referencing? Yeah, I think there was a letter from a neighbor to the south of the project.

446
00:58:10,970 --> 00:58:13,040
yeah. So here's my point. You mentioned cdbg funds.

447
00:58:16,640 --> 00:58:16,640
so what if they don't get the cdbg funds?

448
00:58:21,170 --> 00:58:21,170
I would either ask the developer or possibly sara buck could answer that.

449
00:58:26,810 --> 00:58:26,810
I'm not aware of what they would do if they weren't to receive the funds.

450
00:58:31,160 --> 00:58:33,170
I believe they've been awarded them. They have been. Okay, good, and then lift station.

451
00:58:37,850 --> 00:58:40,370
you had mentioned that. Yeah the development will have a basically there is a pretty sizable sewer line that runs
Along the cedar river and the trail, but due to the

452
00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:50,360
size of that and the drop necessary to get to that lift or to that sewer line it's not
Practical to connect.

453
00:58:59,120 --> 00:58:59,120
so the development will have a private lift station which will pump wastewater back up to
Be served by gravity from, I believe, summit, and so in

454
00:59:08,860 --> 00:59:08,860
terms of the cul de sac, the city garbage will be able to get in there.

455
00:59:14,140 --> 00:59:15,700
fine. Yeah. Yep. The design of the street and the turnaround should be sufficient for a city like
Solid waste and for fire and other vehicles.

456
00:59:25,450 --> 00:59:25,450
yeah. I appreciate it's within the guidelines, right.

457
00:59:30,910 --> 00:59:30,910
the zoning, but I my and I won't vote against it, but if you go to the top view of the
Google

458
00:59:40,480 --> 00:59:40,480
shot, I mean, basically you're looking at those are all single family homes and you're
Putting a, you know, you're putting a

459
00:59:50,290 --> 00:59:50,290
row home development in a place where historically, you know, it's simply been single
Family

460
00:59:58,120 --> 00:59:58,120
and so that's not an you know that's the concern.

461
01:00:05,550 --> 01:00:05,550
doesn't mean I'm going to vote against it, but that's what we're doing in this case, and
So okay.

462
01:00:12,060 --> 01:00:14,070
thank you. Seth councilmember vanorny. Thanks, mayor. Good conversation, councilmember todd.

463
01:00:17,550 --> 01:00:19,140
not too far from here, though. We have approved other row homes, and they're currently building kind of a second swatch
Of them over by czech village.

464
01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:25,920
so I think while it may not have been like that some time ago, it's starting to take that
As we work on this infill.

465
01:00:33,420 --> 01:00:33,420
seth, my question really is just about some of the complete streets.

466
01:00:37,650 --> 01:00:40,650
so right now there's not any sidewalks. The road looks like it's in pretty rough shape.

467
01:00:42,750 --> 01:00:46,590
maybe just patched asphalt. Is the road getting improved? Are there going to be sidewalks there or are they working on also kind of circling back
With the existing neighbors to make sure that we're putting in kind of the boulevard tree

468
01:00:55,230 --> 01:00:57,850
plantings for relief. What does that look like? So within this development there will be you can see the streets have sidewalks.

469
01:01:03,040 --> 01:01:03,040
on both sides will be street trees within the parkway, and they're providing the
Connection to the nature trail beyond

470
01:01:12,760 --> 01:01:15,250
along summit and quarry, outside of the development. That's not within the scope of this project.

471
01:01:17,380 --> 01:01:17,380
okay, and then I appreciate the fact that it's you know, adjacent to this trail that is
Quite, you know, used around as it leads to mount

472
01:01:27,280 --> 01:01:30,970
trashmore. What is the access or buffering going to be like? I just want people to have reasonable expectations then, since this is a pretty traversed
Trail.

473
01:01:36,610 --> 01:01:38,410
are they asking for buffers? Are they going to have immediate access?

474
01:01:41,230 --> 01:01:41,230
like their backyards will abut the trail and they could just access it that way.

475
01:01:46,300 --> 01:01:46,300
there will be a single sidewalk connection to the trail from the cul de sac here.

476
01:01:53,110 --> 01:01:55,420
I think there would be. You can see the contour lines. There's a pretty significant grade drop from the backyards of the homes down to the
Trail, and it's pretty wooded back there as well.

477
01:02:01,750 --> 01:02:01,750
so the street and the development in a whole will have a single sidewalk connection.

478
01:02:07,120 --> 01:02:07,120
okay. Thank you. Can you just put the picture of them up again.

479
01:02:13,720 --> 01:02:13,720
yeah. This one.

480
01:02:23,350 --> 01:02:23,350
okay. Yeah.

481
01:02:27,550 --> 01:02:29,860
I think it's great. I think it's going to be coveted. I think it's in a great location and I'm happy there's someone who's willing to invest.

482
01:02:35,560 --> 01:02:37,480
anyone else from council. All right. If there's no further questions, the approval of this ordinance on its first
Reading has been moved by councilmember tyler olson and seconded by councilmember hoeger.

483
01:02:46,030 --> 01:02:47,530
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

484
01:02:50,530 --> 01:02:50,530
item number eight is a public hearing to consider a change of zone for properties south
Of mccarran avenue, northeast and east of sunny spring drive, northeast from agriculture

485
01:02:58,930 --> 01:02:58,930
district to suburban residential low flex district, as requested by midwest development
Company.

486
01:03:04,120 --> 01:03:07,330
nisha and shanka chetry and nolan and melissa determan. Seth, I'll recognize you again.

487
01:03:09,190 --> 01:03:10,810
all right. Thank you. As mentioned, this is a request to rezone approximately 3.5 acres of land on the north
Side of town.

488
01:03:17,980 --> 01:03:17,980
these are couple strips of property that were annexed into the city earlier this year.

489
01:03:24,100 --> 01:03:27,910
land that's annexed into the city comes in as the ag zone district. So the intent here is to match the zoning of the adjacent lots.

490
01:03:31,540 --> 01:03:31,540
the property in question will be combined with adjacent existing lots and will be
Developed.

491
01:03:37,480 --> 01:03:37,480
essentially, the backyards of homes will continue to be developed as part of the prairie
Landing addition.

492
01:03:43,360 --> 01:03:43,360
the two tracts of land in question are here, kind of at the extension.

493
01:03:48,310 --> 01:03:49,870
this would be mccarran drive. It would be the street within cedar rapids that's being developed, and then here on the
Eastern side of the prairie landing property the southern portion

494
01:03:59,860 --> 01:03:59,860
of property includes two properties that you mentioned, which are lettered outlots that
Were within linn county that are essentially the backyards of homes that were

495
01:04:09,640 --> 01:04:11,590
built in cedar rapids. That created a situation where there were there are issues with the county with
Permitting, for example, building pools, sheds, things like that within a

496
01:04:21,190 --> 01:04:21,190
backyard that's actually in the county and not within the city's jurisdiction.

497
01:04:25,630 --> 01:04:25,630
as a result of that the those two properties and then any property that under state rules
Could be annexed into the city were brought into

498
01:04:35,620 --> 01:04:35,620
the city. This shows a little bit better view of those two backyards were annexed into
The city to reduce this issue coming up again in the future.

499
01:04:43,690 --> 01:04:43,690
so the request today is essentially to match the adjacent sound district, which is the
S-rlf district.

500
01:04:52,420 --> 01:04:52,420
here's another plat showing the two properties that were annexed.

501
01:04:56,860 --> 01:04:56,860
in terms of rezoning criteria, the request is consistent with the future land use map and
Is consistent with adjacent zoning.

502
01:05:04,870 --> 01:05:04,870
the land in question will essentially be the backyards of planned homes.

503
01:05:09,820 --> 01:05:09,820
there's an overall preliminary plat for the prairie landing subdivision that this will be
Incorporated into, and the zoning district matches the character and basically allows for

504
01:05:19,720 --> 01:05:19,720
the development of the homes that are already planned within the development.

505
01:05:23,740 --> 01:05:23,740
this was recommended by the city planning commission on december 5th and like the others,
If approved, would go to second and potential third readings on january 14th, and I'll

506
01:05:32,650 --> 01:05:36,580
return to the mayor. Thank you. This is a time and a place for a public hearing on this matter. Does anyone wish to address council?

507
01:05:39,250 --> 01:05:39,250
let the record show public hearing has been held with no objections for the record
Council.

508
01:05:45,010 --> 01:05:45,010
seeing no further questions, the approval of this ordinance on its first reading has been
Moved by hoeger, seconded by maier.

509
01:05:50,440 --> 01:05:53,560
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no. This motion carries.

510
01:05:54,820 --> 01:05:54,820
thank you. Item number nine is a public hearing to consider the proposed plan
Specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the walford road from sixth street

511
01:06:03,670 --> 01:06:03,670
southwest to 1350ft west project estimated cost is $1,590,000.

512
01:06:11,560 --> 01:06:12,790
ken dekeyser is here. Ken, I'll recognize you.

513
01:06:15,910 --> 01:06:18,340
public works. Turn the microphone on. I'm sorry.

514
01:06:20,920 --> 01:06:20,920
thank you. This project will upgrade an existing gravel road to an urbanized concrete
Street.

515
01:06:27,130 --> 01:06:30,730
this is in connection with an iowa state grant. It's the rise grant that was given to us in connection with the recently constructed
Fedex facility near the corner of sixth street

516
01:06:40,690 --> 01:06:40,690
southwest and walford road, and provides a secondary paved access to that facility.

517
01:06:46,120 --> 01:06:46,120
it bids tomorrow and it will have an april 2025 start date and should be done within the
Next year's construction season.

518
01:06:55,180 --> 01:06:58,750
here is. The location is just west of sixth street southwest. We are not getting into the intersection of sixth, namely because of some of the work
Going on with the wright brothers boulevard interchange and need to maintain six as

519
01:07:08,650 --> 01:07:08,650
a detour route when needed, and here's just an overview of the construction as well,
Showing the paved limits of the project

520
01:07:18,250 --> 01:07:20,380
and the typical section. We're going to be making sure that we have local access provided to the two county
Facilities that are just on the north side of walford road shown there

521
01:07:29,110 --> 01:07:29,110
and there's also going to be a marked detour route for any other traffic.

522
01:07:34,150 --> 01:07:34,150
it's a pretty straightforward detour and again with the wright brothers boulevard work
Over near sixth street there.

523
01:07:41,500 --> 01:07:41,500
we're not going to be impacting that intersection so much that this won't work.

524
01:07:46,160 --> 01:07:49,820
so with that, public works department recommends approval of the resolution. Thank you. Ken, thank you.

525
01:07:51,620 --> 01:07:53,780
this is a time and a place for public hearing on this matter. Does anyone here wish to address council?

526
01:07:56,900 --> 01:07:56,900
let the record show. A public hearing has been held with no objections for the record
Council.

527
01:08:02,270 --> 01:08:03,410
all right. Seeing none. The adoption of this resolution has been moved by maier, seconded by hoeger.

528
01:08:06,950 --> 01:08:08,540
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

529
01:08:11,480 --> 01:08:11,480
thank you. Item number ten is a public hearing to consider the proposed plan
Specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the molecular sieve installation

530
01:08:20,300 --> 01:08:23,930
package two project with an estimated cost of $300,000. Brandon jennings is here.

531
01:08:25,040 --> 01:08:27,920
brandon, I'll recognize you. Thank you. Mayor. Good afternoon. Councilmembers, brandon jennings with the utilities department.

532
01:08:31,460 --> 01:08:31,460
the cedar rapids water pollution control facility produces high purity oxygen that is
Used in several processes for the treatment of wastewater.

533
01:08:39,800 --> 01:08:39,800
the existing system for oxygen production is complex to operate and requires annual
Maintenance to be performed, which is both expensive and time consuming.

534
01:08:49,490 --> 01:08:49,490
this project is to install a new molecular sieve that was purchased under a prior contract
To improve system efficiency and reduce system maintenance maintenance

535
01:08:58,640 --> 01:08:58,640
costs. This package, too, will install the concrete foundation and access drive and other
Miscellaneous electrical and site improvements to support the

536
01:09:08,480 --> 01:09:10,700
molecular sieve system. The engineer's opinion of construction costs for this project is $300,000.

537
01:09:15,590 --> 01:09:17,810
bids will open on january 8th. Construction will begin in march and be completed by july of 2025.

538
01:09:23,000 --> 01:09:23,000
the utilities department staff recommends approval of the resolution for this project.

539
01:09:27,320 --> 01:09:28,820
with that, I'll turn it back to you, mayor. Thank you, brandon. This is a time and a place for public hearing on this.

540
01:09:31,670 --> 01:09:34,670
does anyone wish to address council? Let the record show. A public hearing has been held with no objections for the record,
Council.

541
01:09:40,280 --> 01:09:44,150
all right. Seeing none. The adoption of this resolution has been moved by hoeger, seconded by councilmember tyler
Olson.

542
01:09:48,830 --> 01:09:52,730
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries. Thank you. We have our first of two public comment periods, and no one is signed up to
Speak.

543
01:09:59,270 --> 01:09:59,270
so I will officially close out our public comment period.

544
01:10:03,320 --> 01:10:03,320
city manager pomeranz, do you have any changes to the agenda?

545
01:10:07,700 --> 01:10:09,290
two changes, your honor. The clerk's office is requested to remove item number 23 g from the agenda.

546
01:10:15,920 --> 01:10:15,920
remove 23 g, and second, we do have a small correction, your honor.

547
01:10:22,430 --> 01:10:22,430
item number 28 h should be corrected to, say, 846 ninth avenue southeast instead of
Southwest.

548
01:10:33,950 --> 01:10:37,220
that's all, your honor. Thank you. Okay. Does the clerk have those changes recorded?

549
01:10:43,760 --> 01:10:45,050
okay. You do. That brings us for a motion to approve the agenda, as amended.

550
01:10:48,800 --> 01:10:48,800
the approval of the agenda has been moved by overland, seconded by poe.

551
01:10:53,000 --> 01:10:54,530
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

552
01:10:57,290 --> 01:11:00,320
thank you, council. That brings us to our consent agenda. The approval of the consent agenda has been moved by poe, seconded by vanorny.

553
01:11:04,910 --> 01:11:06,440
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

554
01:11:09,410 --> 01:11:12,350
thank you, council. Moving on now to our regular agenda.

555
01:11:15,020 --> 01:11:15,020
item number 29 is a report on bids for the glass road tank reconditioning project, and
Brandon, I'll recognize you once again.

556
01:11:24,500 --> 01:11:26,300
thanks again, mayor, councilmembers. Brandon jennings with utilities.

557
01:11:29,390 --> 01:11:29,390
so just as a reminder of the background of this project, this project will repaint the
Wetted interior and exterior of the glass road standpipe, which is located near the

558
01:11:38,420 --> 01:11:41,810
intersection of weneg and glass road. The city's name and logo will be added to this tank.

559
01:11:44,840 --> 01:11:44,840
a submersible mixer will also be installed to improve the quality of the stored water.

560
01:11:50,990 --> 01:11:50,990
the engineer's opinion of probable construction cost was $538,000.

561
01:11:56,150 --> 01:12:00,050
12 bids were received for this project on december 4th. The base bids, including the allowance, ranged from $452,122 to $986,000.

562
01:12:08,840 --> 01:12:08,840
clear creek coatings from new carlisle, ohio, was the apparent low bidder.

563
01:12:13,550 --> 01:12:17,000
the utility staff is still reviewing received bids. A recommendation for council action will be made at a future council meeting.

564
01:12:20,780 --> 01:12:23,990
with that, I'll turn it back to the mayor. All right. Thank you. Council.

565
01:12:25,220 --> 01:12:29,210
any questions? All right, moving on to item number 30. Report on bids for the replace ribbon board at vets stadium project.

566
01:12:32,820 --> 01:12:35,760
this has an estimated cost of $600,000. Doug nelson is here.

567
01:12:37,890 --> 01:12:41,880
doug, I'll recognize you. Sorry about my comments about the ballpark. I just wish it was downtown.

568
01:12:43,950 --> 01:12:45,420
it's a wonderful ballpark. Yes. Oh, well, again, I'm doug nelson with the cedar rapids kernels, and here to report
On the bids on the

569
01:12:54,990 --> 01:12:58,920
replacing our left field tri-visions with a ribbon board. Again, the construction would happen in fall of 2025 and would be in the area shown on
The on the image here on the screen.

570
01:13:07,890 --> 01:13:07,890
the originally we had budgeted this project to be at 600,000.

571
01:13:13,200 --> 01:13:13,200
as we got further into it we're estimating or projecting cost to be 500,000.

572
01:13:18,600 --> 01:13:20,370
we did receive two bids. One was from blackhawk construction llc for 388,683.

573
01:13:26,010 --> 01:13:26,010
the other was from daktronics for hundred and $50.

574
01:13:32,340 --> 01:13:32,340
asking for no action be taken this evening as I have several meetings scheduled with
Blackhawk construction, just to make sure that their

575
01:13:42,630 --> 01:13:45,840
bid meets our scope of work specifications. Given their price, I certainly hope it does, but just want to be on the careful side.

576
01:13:51,150 --> 01:13:53,370
just want to have those meetings first. With that, thank you very much for your continued support.

577
01:13:56,130 --> 01:13:59,910
thank you. Doug council, any questions. All right. Moving on to item number 31.

578
01:14:02,430 --> 01:14:02,430
this is a report on bids for the river wall repair and balustrade replacement and city
Hall storm sewer project.

579
01:14:08,820 --> 01:14:12,120
this has an estimated cost of $1,020,000. Rob davis is here. Rob I'll recognize you.

580
01:14:15,180 --> 01:14:18,990
good afternoon. Mayor, city council, rob davis, public works department. On november 19th, I actually presented the bid results.

581
01:14:24,750 --> 01:14:24,750
the low bid was more than $800,000 above the engineer's opinion of probable cost, and
Whereas this is an important project time

582
01:14:34,440 --> 01:14:34,440
wise, to get done in advance of the army corps coming with flood control system, staff
Thinks there is enough time and it would be

583
01:14:44,070 --> 01:14:44,070
appropriate to reject these bids and make some changes to the plans so that we can get
Closer to the engineer's cost opinion.

584
01:14:52,860 --> 01:14:55,410
these were just too high and there isn't enough time. So that is our recommendation to reject the bids, and we'll be back with revised
Documents at a future council meeting to go back out for bid.

585
01:15:04,740 --> 01:15:08,670
appreciate that rob. Thank you council. Any questions on that. All right. Appreciate that.

586
01:15:09,900 --> 01:15:09,900
if there are no further questions the adoption of this resolution has been moved by
Vanorny, seconded by todd.

587
01:15:14,730 --> 01:15:16,320
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

588
01:15:19,410 --> 01:15:19,410
item number 32 is a report on bids for the alliant energy light line bridge project.

589
01:15:24,360 --> 01:15:24,360
this has an estimated cost of $11,300,000.

590
01:15:28,470 --> 01:15:32,220
brenna fall is here with that. Brenna, I'll recognize you. Thank you. Mayor. Good evening.

591
01:15:33,540 --> 01:15:37,110
council. Brenna fall, public works department. This is quite the project.

592
01:15:40,140 --> 01:15:44,130
big public private partnership with the connectcr group. A lot of private fundraising done, and I am here to report the bids, but before that,
We'll just remind you what the project is intended to look like.

593
01:15:54,030 --> 01:15:54,030
again, this is considered the alliant energy light line.

594
01:15:59,130 --> 01:15:59,130
you can see the line part of the light line.

595
01:16:03,210 --> 01:16:05,580
it will be fantastic. There's another day view of the tower and some of the images of the ornamental railing
And benches on the bridge.

596
01:16:15,720 --> 01:16:15,720
so we did receive four bids on december 12th, ranging from $14,929,902.80, all the way to
$22,913,942.45.

597
01:16:30,930 --> 01:16:30,930
so the lowest bid did come in above our estimate.

598
01:16:35,400 --> 01:16:35,400
we have been working with finance to identify additional funding to cover the project, so
We have been able to do that by allocating tifs to

599
01:16:45,420 --> 01:16:45,420
the project and then just reallocating within some projects.

600
01:16:50,940 --> 01:16:50,940
we did do that in order to not impact the scope or schedule of any other projects that
Have been programed.

601
01:16:57,720 --> 01:16:57,720
so I do want to recommend approval of the resolution to award the contract.

602
01:17:05,070 --> 01:17:05,070
general constructors is a reputable contractor who has worked with the city of cedar
Rapids on flood control projects, and we're confident in their bid.

603
01:17:14,760 --> 01:17:14,760
we do believe because of the range of the bids, if we were to rebid the project, we would
Probably not receive any more favorable bid than what

604
01:17:24,460 --> 01:17:26,530
general constructors has put forth. So with that, if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

605
01:17:31,010 --> 01:17:33,070
brenna, thank you. Council. Councilmember maier.

606
01:17:39,280 --> 01:17:41,560
thanks, brenna. Thanks, mayor. Do you happen to know with this $15 million price, the percentage breakout between public
Financing and private financing that will go for

607
01:17:51,490 --> 01:17:54,980
the light line? It's roughly half. Half, great, thank you. Yep. Yikes.

608
01:18:02,140 --> 01:18:02,140
I appreciate the dilemma, and I appreciate the work to find, you know, and I'm just, you
Know.

609
01:18:06,790 --> 01:18:10,300
councilmember todd, I'm going to look to you as an expert with connectcr. What are your just hear your thoughts on that.

610
01:18:12,700 --> 01:18:12,700
first off, I appreciate the work that the staff had done, and I mean, we've always known
That it would be more than what

611
01:18:22,030 --> 01:18:22,030
we probably had anticipate simply because of the variables.

612
01:18:26,590 --> 01:18:29,560
do you want to go back to that initial picture? The that one more you see a bunch of metal.

613
01:18:39,550 --> 01:18:39,550
it's metal, and when we asked the cost, you know, specifically you've got the cost of the
Not necessarily just the tower.

614
01:18:48,580 --> 01:18:48,580
we'd always plan for the tower, but the railings.

615
01:18:52,870 --> 01:18:56,410
there's a significant amount of metal involved in the railings. The other part to keep in mind is what what the contractor will have to do in terms of
Creating a dam across the entire river.

616
01:19:06,310 --> 01:19:09,190
you have to create a dam for the construction to go down. You have to get down to the bedrock and then you have to remove the dam

617
01:19:12,850 --> 01:19:12,850
and those are costs that we didn't necessarily figure into it, and so I would echo what
Brenna's said in terms of if we did rebid it, it's only going to

618
01:19:22,810 --> 01:19:22,810
get higher, and based on the initial inflation that we anticipated, keep in mind when we
Start it, I mean, this is like six years ago and

619
01:19:32,560 --> 01:19:34,780
so we feel good with it. The appreciate the leadership on the city manager and the finance team to help make this
This happen, and at the same

620
01:19:44,650 --> 01:19:44,650
time, without the 10 million bucks from the connectcr folks, it would be a different
Story.

621
01:19:51,790 --> 01:19:51,790
so thank you for your presentation.

622
01:19:56,200 --> 01:19:57,760
councilmember hoeger. I guess I would just like to echo what councilmember todd said and some of the comments
That I've received is, well, if it comes in that much higher, then why don't we redesign

623
01:20:07,570 --> 01:20:09,700
it and do less of a bridge? And I guess my sentiment is you go there.

624
01:20:13,030 --> 01:20:13,030
that's an easy statement to make, but then we're two years in design, and in two years,
We're probably looking at a $15 million bridge.

625
01:20:19,810 --> 01:20:19,810
that's not as nice as this one, and this is really going to be a really nice feature for
Cedar rapids for the skyline looking

626
01:20:29,350 --> 01:20:29,350
at mount trashmore even though I hate that name, but I feel I struggle with it sometimes
Too.

627
01:20:37,360 --> 01:20:41,200
you know, I mean, we look at two bedroom homes that cost $300,000 today. So to delay this project is going to mean that we're either not going to have it or we're
Going to get less for the same amount of money.

628
01:20:50,470 --> 01:20:53,620
so I would agree and move forward. Thank you. Councilmember poe.

629
01:20:55,660 --> 01:20:56,770
yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor. I what this bridge means to economic development, what it means to tourism, for
Our community,

630
01:21:06,580 --> 01:21:06,580
what it means to growth in the southern part of our city.

631
01:21:11,830 --> 01:21:14,680
in terms of czech village and new bohemia. This is. This is to me, this is a worthy investment because of all of those factors that,
You know, economic

632
01:21:24,490 --> 01:21:24,490
development and people coming and using this and staying over at the new hotel down on
12th and second street.

633
01:21:33,670 --> 01:21:33,670
people will come, they will use this, and it will be a wonderful, wonderful destination
For people to come and enjoy what cedar

634
01:21:43,420 --> 01:21:43,420
rapids has to offer and certainly will help the businesses in that thriving district of
Czech village and new bohemia.

635
01:21:52,330 --> 01:21:52,330
so for me, I agree with you, brenna, 100% that, you know, I don't think we're going to
Gain anything, and to marty's point, you know, we could be right back where we are and not

636
01:22:02,320 --> 01:22:03,370
have it be as nice. So I'm thrilled with with this project and have been from the inception.

637
01:22:08,860 --> 01:22:08,860
so I think it's well worth it and I will fully support it.

638
01:22:12,920 --> 01:22:15,320
thank you, mayor. Councilmember vanorny. Yeah. Thanks, mayor. You know, I think these conversations are accurately reflecting the fact
That when you have really specialized work, it's hard to bid.

639
01:22:22,160 --> 01:22:22,160
exactly. You know what what it's going to cost, and there are a lot of fluctuations, you
Know, we're hearing conversations about, you know, where the economy is

640
01:22:31,820 --> 01:22:31,820
going and tariffs that are going to potentially impact different things too, but, you
Know, in this project, we were just showing some homes that are going to connect roughly

641
01:22:41,780 --> 01:22:41,780
to this space, and so when we think about this from a much more holistic perspective of
Everything that's happening here, it helps to complete that story.

642
01:22:49,070 --> 01:22:49,070
I think the story we haven't yet told well enough yet is this big aerial view of of
Everything that's happening, you know, between these two parts, but

643
01:22:59,090 --> 01:23:00,920
it is a big part of that. That is an essential part and helps to connect that connectivity between, you know, newbo
And czech village that, you know, we've been investing a lot in.

644
01:23:10,130 --> 01:23:11,750
so it has my support. We end up making this up all the time with different projects.

645
01:23:14,840 --> 01:23:18,200
you know, $100,000 there, you know, 500,000 here. I know it's there big numbers, but when you come to these huge commercial projects, this
Is kind of where it ebbs and flows a little bit.

646
01:23:24,950 --> 01:23:24,950
so I'm comfortable with this project given the uniqueness of it.

647
01:23:30,380 --> 01:23:30,380
thank you. Good conversation, and councilmember hoeger had asked to leave for another a
Commitment.

648
01:23:36,950 --> 01:23:40,910
so just to be clear, he didn't get up because of your remarks. No, but brenna, thank you for that, and thanks to again the team for all of the thought
That went into that and to finding a way to.

649
01:23:48,110 --> 01:23:48,110
yes. So if there are no further questions, the adoption of this resolution has been moved
By councilmember todd, seconded by councilmember scott olson.

650
01:23:54,950 --> 01:23:56,330
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

651
01:23:59,000 --> 01:23:59,000
thank you. Item number three is a report on bids for the fy 25 sanitary sewer point
Repairs project, with an estimated cost of $220,000.

652
01:24:07,520 --> 01:24:08,570
ben worrell is here. Ben. I'll recognize you.

653
01:24:13,340 --> 01:24:13,340
thank you, mayor. Ben worrell, public works department.

654
01:24:18,380 --> 01:24:18,380
this project fixes sanitary sewer issues that are typically found during our routine
Inspections.

655
01:24:25,070 --> 01:24:25,070
this package includes the replacement of 186 linear feet of sanitary sewer, as well as
The replacement of three manholes.

656
01:24:33,200 --> 01:24:33,200
we're also correcting protruding taps as an example of one in the photo the right there.

657
01:24:38,270 --> 01:24:38,270
it's where private lateral is sticking out into the city main, which prevents our ability
To line the main.

658
01:24:44,990 --> 01:24:44,990
we're fixing 15 of those and we're replacing pavement as needed for that work.

659
01:24:50,450 --> 01:24:50,450
engineer's opinion of probable cost was 220,000.

660
01:24:55,370 --> 01:24:55,370
here's a map showing the locations around the city.

661
01:25:01,460 --> 01:25:03,230
this project bid on december 4th. We received five bids ranging from $204,953.68 to

662
01:25:11,570 --> 01:25:11,570
$274,530. Low bidder was bg brecke.

663
01:25:17,630 --> 01:25:20,240
public works department recommends approval of resolution. Thank you. Thank you.

664
01:25:22,730 --> 01:25:25,010
council questions. All right. Seeing nothing further, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by
Councilmember scott olson and seconded by councilmember todd.

665
01:25:30,980 --> 01:25:32,420
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

666
01:25:35,540 --> 01:25:35,540
item number 34 is a report on bids for the stickle drive northeast at fourth street east
Central quiet zone improvements project.

667
01:25:42,470 --> 01:25:45,470
with an estimated cost of $680,000. Ken dekeyser is here.

668
01:25:46,520 --> 01:25:47,870
ken, I'll recognize you. Thank you. This project completes our grade crossing, paving approach work and storm
Sewer over at the stickle drive.

669
01:25:55,400 --> 01:25:59,210
grade crossing is in connection with the downtown phase eight quiet zone. So when this work is done and when the canadian national signal is installed, that should
Complete the construction improvements to get the quiet zone

670
01:26:09,120 --> 01:26:09,120
established. It bid on december 4th with the $680,000 cost.

671
01:26:13,560 --> 01:26:17,190
opinion, and the late start is next june. This is the location shown.

672
01:26:19,230 --> 01:26:19,230
stickle drive intersecting with c avenue and fourth street northeast near cedar lake, and
Seven bids were received.

673
01:26:29,130 --> 01:26:29,130
starting with the low bid of $549,921.20, up to the high of

674
01:26:37,530 --> 01:26:37,530
$727,559.20. So the low bid was under the cost opinion, and with that, we recommend
Approving the

675
01:26:47,520 --> 01:26:50,940
resolution to award this contract. Thank you. Thank you ken. Council. Any questions?

676
01:26:53,940 --> 01:26:53,940
all right. Seeing nothing, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by councilmem
Ber todd, seconded by councilmember vanorny.

677
01:27:00,540 --> 01:27:01,980
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

678
01:27:05,370 --> 01:27:05,370
item number 35 is a presentation and resolution authorizing city financial incentives
Under the green building economic development program for the redevelopment of property at

679
01:27:13,950 --> 01:27:13,950
1/51 avenue northeast, as proposed by 1/51, llc.

680
01:27:19,050 --> 01:27:22,020
scott mather is here. Scott, I'll recognize you. Thank you. Mayor.

681
01:27:23,100 --> 01:27:23,100
we received a request from 1/51 llc for city financial incentives for the redevelopment
Of the former wells fargo building at 1/51 street northeast.

682
01:27:32,070 --> 01:27:32,070
project qualifies under the city's green building economic development program.

683
01:27:36,600 --> 01:27:36,600
the building has been completely vacant since march of 24 and mostly vacant for several
Years.

684
01:27:42,210 --> 01:27:42,210
this will serve as headquarters for tiffany earl williams real estate group.

685
01:27:46,560 --> 01:27:46,560
this is an $11 million capital investment, including the renovation of the existing
42,000 square foot commercial building, also adding an active rooftop patio.

686
01:27:56,400 --> 01:27:56,400
this building will become leed certified, will create 15 jobs while maintaining 12.

687
01:28:02,100 --> 01:28:02,100
construction would commence here in february of 25 and complete by january of 26.

688
01:28:08,010 --> 01:28:08,010
the city would reimburse the increased taxes generated by the project to cover the
Increased cost to achieve leed certification, up to a ten year, 100% rebate

689
01:28:17,790 --> 01:28:20,220
based on the investment and estimated post-development value. The project is expected to generate roughly $900,000 in incremental costs, which would be
Eligible for reimbursement to cover the incremental lead costs.

690
01:28:30,810 --> 01:28:30,810
a couple of street photos of the existing building and its existing condition, and then a
Few renderings of

691
01:28:40,680 --> 01:28:40,680
what the building will look like when it's complete.

692
01:28:52,950 --> 01:28:55,830
so today we're here to consider the resolution of support. If approved, I would return in january to amend the urban renewal area and development
Agreement.

693
01:29:00,840 --> 01:29:04,800
with that, I'll turn it back to you, mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Council. Any questions?

694
01:29:06,900 --> 01:29:10,410
councilmember vanorny, can we go back to that? The sidewalk view?

695
01:29:14,460 --> 01:29:15,870
yep. That's great. Yeah. You know, this is a very recognizable piece of property in cedar rapids, but this is
Exactly the kind of projects that get me excited because it's repurposing something

696
01:29:25,830 --> 01:29:25,830
that wasn't being fully utilized and is adding, you know, street value.

697
01:29:31,890 --> 01:29:31,890
so, so that it's, you know, visibly pleasing, but also just adds that utility.

698
01:29:36,810 --> 01:29:36,810
we talk, you know, ad nauseam about having this, this three 60 design, but this is what
I'm talking about is it does take some love.

699
01:29:43,950 --> 01:29:43,950
it does take some investment, but you're taking an existing building and refurbishing it
And bringing it up to the highest standards, and then also giving back to the downtown in

700
01:29:52,500 --> 01:29:56,100
a way that, you know, brings people into it and helps to activate it. So I really appreciate this project.

701
01:29:57,900 --> 01:29:57,900
I appreciate what tiffany earl, she's a big player in cedar rapids in terms of real
Estate.

702
01:30:03,630 --> 01:30:03,630
so just appreciate her efforts to refurbish this building.

703
01:30:08,850 --> 01:30:10,830
councilmember overland. Yeah, I mean, it's this building has been underused, has not changed any either inside or
Out for a long

704
01:30:20,400 --> 01:30:20,400
time, and it's good to see it reinvigorated making some investment, significant
Investment, probably even get some of the dents

705
01:30:30,210 --> 01:30:31,740
out of it too, for that matter on the first floor, but it's a very highly visible location, and I'm very pleased that the
Real estate

706
01:30:41,730 --> 01:30:44,910
group is taking this on to breathe new life into it. So thank you.

707
01:30:47,700 --> 01:30:50,460
mayor. Yes, councilmember todd. Beautiful design. It's my old breton bank building.

708
01:30:52,080 --> 01:30:52,080
here's my one concern is that now there will be two tiffany's downtown.

709
01:31:00,400 --> 01:31:04,090
it's a lot. It is a lot. Thank you for acknowledging that. Yeah. No, I know I appreciate that, and I just want to say, too, we've we've given credit
To tiffany earl williams and her team.

710
01:31:12,880 --> 01:31:12,880
they do a lot of work in this community and region and frankly, across the country to
Make communities and individuals successful.

711
01:31:21,040 --> 01:31:21,040
so I feel grateful that they have chosen this project, and it is absolutely has her first
Class hallmark all over it, and

712
01:31:30,970 --> 01:31:30,970
so just really pleased to have them as neighbors, and we'll try to keep it down while the
Tiffany's, and if there are no

713
01:31:40,300 --> 01:31:40,300
other thoughts or questions from council, we'll go ahead and move this by councilmember
Poe, seconded by councilmember overland.

714
01:31:47,050 --> 01:31:48,550
all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no, and this motion carries.

715
01:31:51,340 --> 01:31:51,340
thank you, and that closes out our formal business today, and brings us to our final
Public input period.

716
01:31:56,270 --> 01:31:56,270
this is a chance for cedar rapids residents, property owners and business owners to
Address the city council on any subject pertaining to council business.

717
01:32:03,650 --> 01:32:03,650
as with the earlier public comment period at this time, we are here to listen, so I'll
Remind everybody to remain at the lectern.

718
01:32:09,920 --> 01:32:09,920
comments are limited to five minutes and there should be no abusive, loud, threatening or
Personal comments.

719
01:32:15,380 --> 01:32:15,380
if you've signed up to speak, please approach the microphone when I call your name, and
Again when the light turns yellow, you have one minute and when it's red, we'll invite you

720
01:32:23,900 --> 01:32:23,900
to take your seat, and our first person to speak is kevin wymore, who's here to speak on
Prospect meadow subsidies.

721
01:32:31,010 --> 01:32:31,010
mr. Wymore. Thank you very much.

722
01:32:41,000 --> 01:32:41,000
I have hopefully some brief comments on the coverage regarding the financing and

723
01:32:50,560 --> 01:32:50,560
the subsidies it's been in the gazette.

724
01:32:55,570 --> 01:32:55,570
two major articles on august and september, and now after doing a bit

725
01:33:05,470 --> 01:33:05,470
of digging as a private citizen, I now have an idea of the debt for the prospect meadows
Situation,

726
01:33:15,430 --> 01:33:15,430
and it it appears to be substantial.

727
01:33:19,990 --> 01:33:19,990
according to the definitive irs form 990 the outstanding debt is $5.3

728
01:33:29,380 --> 01:33:29,380
million, and I do have the copy of the form 990 that I received from prospect meadows.

729
01:33:39,370 --> 01:33:39,370
what's a bit troubling to me is that the gazette reporting and all.

730
01:33:44,500 --> 01:33:44,500
all told the gazette has done pretty good coverage on this.

731
01:33:48,940 --> 01:33:48,940
was that the debt amount has been unknown, but there it is in the public document.

732
01:33:55,930 --> 01:33:55,930
so I would just like to ask you to be a bit more careful and

733
01:34:05,110 --> 01:34:05,110
scrutinizing of, you know, nonprofit organizations who may be asking

734
01:34:14,050 --> 01:34:15,850
for public funding. Another very troubling thing about this form 990, which was from you know, 20, 23, it was
They continued to lose

735
01:34:25,690 --> 01:34:25,690
money in the amount of about $500,000, and so all I'm saying is, I don't believe
Taxpayers should be the first

736
01:34:35,650 --> 01:34:35,650
line of relief for an enterprise of this type, and I like

737
01:34:42,970 --> 01:34:42,970
baseball. In fact, I was a member of the city champion back in the 60s.

738
01:34:52,690 --> 01:34:52,690
maybe eastside dairy queen team and the, you know, perquisites after the games free ice
Cream were

739
01:35:02,470 --> 01:35:04,210
were really pretty good. So I guess that's all I have, but you know, I've talked to supervisor supervisor ben
Rogers,

740
01:35:14,530 --> 01:35:14,530
and he's, you know, cognizant of the negotiations back and forth, and I just, I just want
A

741
01:35:24,310 --> 01:35:24,310
bit of scrutiny of the form 990 and some understanding of of, you

742
01:35:34,150 --> 01:35:34,150
know, the taxpayers should not be the first line of funding, and hopefully from some of
The heavy

743
01:35:44,110 --> 01:35:47,750
hitters that may or may not be out there. You know, those folks should pay down the debt.

744
01:35:51,800 --> 01:35:55,580
thank you very much, and that's my last baseball metaphor. Thank you very much.

745
01:35:57,680 --> 01:35:57,680
doug brain is next to speak on item number six.

746
01:36:01,910 --> 01:36:03,830
doug? Gone. Okay. He is gone.

747
01:36:06,290 --> 01:36:06,290
well, that will then officially close out our second public input period.

748
01:36:10,490 --> 01:36:13,640
city manager pomeranz, do you have any communications today? No communications, your honor.

749
01:36:15,080 --> 01:36:15,080
thank you. All right. Just a point of personal privilege as we round out our final council
Meeting of 2024.

750
01:36:21,440 --> 01:36:21,440
just major, thank you to all the people in this room specifically pointing out our city
Team, our directors who make the work that we do every day

751
01:36:31,220 --> 01:36:31,220
possible. So grateful for all that you do for us, our police chief, fire chief, and the
Amazing teams that you support for keeping us safe, and

752
01:36:41,870 --> 01:36:41,870
we're really grateful for all that you do every day, very much quietly so we appreciate
You and councilmember city manager pomeranz.

753
01:36:50,510 --> 01:36:54,140
our city attorney, vanessa, and our clerk, alissa. Thank you, and then finally to council, what a privilege it is to work alongside all of
You learning every day and appreciate appreciate our conversations, and,

754
01:37:03,890 --> 01:37:03,890
and then to you out there in the gallery as well as, oh, we've already closed out public
Comment period.

755
01:37:10,280 --> 01:37:11,840
I'm sorry. I can catch you afterwards. Is that all right? I just wanted to say thanks to everybody for.

756
01:37:14,990 --> 01:37:18,560
thank you. Got it. Okay. Thank you. Got it. Thank you.

757
01:37:19,850 --> 01:37:22,760
glad you're better. Yes. Appreciate you being here. Thank you, and then just to the people out here.

758
01:37:25,070 --> 01:37:25,070
thank you. This is why we do it here, and certainly those of you watching online, we're
Grateful to serve you, and let's keep the conversation going.

759
01:37:31,700 --> 01:37:34,280
best wishes for a beautiful and safe holiday season. We'll see you here in 2025, and this meeting is adjourned.