Standing Committee Meeting

MEETING OF STANDING COMMITTEES City Hall, 220 Clay Street October 2, 2023 The meeting of Standing Committees met at City Hall at 5:15 p.m. on October 2, 2023, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Councilmembers Susan deBuhr, Kelly Dunn, Simon Harding, Daryl Kruse, Dustin Ganfield, Gil Schultz, and Dave Sires. Staff members from all City Departments and members of the community attended in person. Community Development Committee: Chair Harding called the meeting to order and introduced the first item on the Community Development Committee, Native Plantings in the City Right-Of-Way, and introduced Building Official Jamie Castle. Ms. Castle referenced a referral from April 3, 2023, to discuss Ordinance Section 19-47(b) regarding prairie, or native, plantings in City Right-Of-Way (ROW). Ms. Castle provided a brief history of past restrictions and current code; as concerns are submitted, staff researches timeframes of plantings and determines if they are subject to current code or Ordinance Section 19-47(c) prior to 2017. Ms. Castle listed current concerns expressed to the City and actions taken in recourse. Ms. Castle stated the City’s recommendation is to continue under the current requirements allowing native plantings subject to limitations on location and height. Chair Harding opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers and City staff discussed grandfathering of plantings prior to 2017; history of Ordinance; Code Enforcement Officers actively patrolling for violations versus reacting to complaints; clarification of 18” mown turf versus 24” allowed height, excluding trees; grants received by the City regarding native plantings; potential to phase out grandfathered plantings; potential of amendment to allow maintained plantings other than turf grass in the 18”; complaints about pre-2017 native planting areas versus non-native overgrowth. Councilmember Ganfield motioned to have another meeting to discuss why cleared 18” and height 24”; no second. Councilmembers reached consensus to have staff compile data on history of the ordinance creation, clarification of the 18” cleared and 24” height and how chosen, documentation of complaints received (including those received by Council members), and to determine need for another meeting once Councilmembers have received and reviewed this information. Community Development Committee: Chair Harding called the meeting to order and introduced the second item on the Community Development Committee, College Hill Vision Plan and introduced Planning & Community Services Manager Karen Howard. Ms. Howard referenced the Council referral to provide an overview of the College Hill Vision Plan adopted by Council May 3, 2021, provided a link to the original presentation, and utilized the original presentation slides. Ms. Howard provided a brief overview of the original plan including executive summary, project introduction, analysis, charette week, the vision including character areas, and next steps. Councilmembers and City staff discussed reducing the focus of the Vision Plan to character areas 1, 2, and 3; revising the boundaries of area 3 to more closely resemble the overlay; and current businesses on the Hill and how to attract new businesses. Ms. Howard stated the Vision Plan and character areas are not zoning code but will allow for code in those areas to be reviewed to determine any amendments. Councilmember Kruse motioned to refer the current College Hill Vision Plan to the next City Council meeting for repeal; Councilmember deBuhr seconded. Chair Harding opened for public discussion. Hannah Crisman, Cedar Falls, President of College Hill Partnership spoke in favor of the Vision Plan as is and urged Councilmembers to update code but not alter the Vision Plan. Danny Laudick, Cedar Falls, spoke in favor of the Vision Plan and recommended amending zones versus repealing. Frank Darrah, Cedar Falls, member of College Hill Partnership, urged Councilmembers to prioritize the Vision Plan. Adam Bolander, Cedar Falls, member of College Hill Partnership, spoke in favor of the Vision Plan and remarked on current progress on the Hill. Aaron Hawbaker, Cedar Falls, urged Councilmembers to build on the current momentum of College Hill and not repeal the Vision Plan. Chris Martin, Cedar Falls, member of College Hill Partnership, urged Councilmembers to continue to move forward with the Vision Plan and focus on areas 1, 2, & 3. Chair Harding opened for Council discussion on the motion. Councilmembers and City staff discussed: amending the Vision Plan instead of repealing; discussing areas 1, 2 & 3 at Goal Setting and revising the boundaries of area 3, with consultant or in-house; ensuring that prior to any zoning changes Council is satisfied with the area boundaries. Chair Harding called for a vote on the motion to refer to Council the College Hill Vision Plan to repeal. Aye: deBuhr, Kruse, Ganfield, Sires; Nay: Schultz, Harding, Dunn. Motion carried. Public Works Committee: Chair Schultz called the meeting to order and introduced the only item on the Public Works Committee Agenda, 12th & Clay Street Update and introduced Public Works Director Chase Schrage. Director Schrage stated City Administrator Ron Gaines sent Councilmembers an update the week of September 18th: the City has implemented painted crosswalks; added a Pedestrian in Crosswalk sign; increased speed limit signage; added a flashing light on the pedestrian crosswalk; and Public Safety has provided a before-and-after school crossing guard and increased enforcement. He stated the Police Division has made 96 traffic stops since September 18th. Director Schrage provided an aerial view of 12th St. including stop and speed signage sites and an aerial view of the City’s current construction street closures and detours; provided an overview of roadway classifications and criteria; explained the difference between speed bumps and speed humps and gave pros and cons of speed humps; explained data collected since September 21st including volume of traffic, speed, and pedestrian traffic as well as 24 months of crash history and accidents, noting the pedestrian count was similar on adjacent cross streets at similar times. Director Schrage stated that neighborhood traffic programs will be discussed at Goal Setting with intent to present to Council in 2024. He noted that as Public Safety and Public Works continue to collect data it will be provided to Councilmembers. Chair Schultz opened for Council discussion. Councilmembers and staff discussed: implementation of speed humps on Clay and 12th, if data supports; continuation of crossing guard presence, location, and hours; and determination of 4 way stops on 12th through use of 4 way stop analysis. Chair Schultz opened for public comment. John Mershon, Cedar Falls, expressed concerns with traffic speed on 12th, requested speed data of traffic stops, requested speed humps on 12th. Rachel Mershon, Cedar Falls, requested a 4 way stop and a push-button stop light. Terry Vietor, Cedar Falls expressed concern with the minor arterial label of 12th and the street incline’s impact on traffic speeds and stated the yield sign has been hit multiple times. Kate Williams, Cedar Falls, expressed concerns with crossing safely at 12th, the hill on 12th, and requested speed humps on 12th. Chair Schultz opened for additional Council discussion. Councilmembers and staff further discussed: implementation of permanent push- button stop lights; installation of speed humps; use of temporary speed humps and the City’s speed hump inventory, it would also require a study to determine placement; and continued presence of a crossing guard, staffing/volunteer of crossing guard(s), and the City’s continued utilization of paid staff. Director Schrage stated that additionally gathered data will be forwarded to Councilmembers. Meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m. Minutes by Katie Terhune, Administrative Assistant