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2014-03-27 Info Packet
1 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org March 27, 2014 IP1 Council Tentative Meeting Schedule APRIL 1 WORK SESSION MEETING IP2 Work Session Agenda IP3 Memo from City Attorney and City Manager: Simple Misdemeanors / Municipal Infractions IP4 Pending Work Session Topics MISCELLANEOUS IP5 Memo from City Clerk: KXIC Radio Show IP6 Memo from Mayor: Mayors for the Freedom to Marry IP7 Memo from Mayor Pro tem: Questions regarding UI — Coralville PILOT IP8 Copy of email to City Manager from Transportation Dir.: Aldi Bus Shelter IP9 Copy of email to City Manager from Senior Housing Inspector: 2714 Wayne Avenue and Mary Gravitt IP10 Copy of email to Asst. City Manager from Michelle Hurd: Johnson County Plastic Bag Ban IP11 Memo to the City Manager from MPOJC Dir.: MPOJC Board plastic bag - related discussion IP12 Article from City Manager: Why Downtown Development May Be More Affordable Than The Suburbs IP13 Article from City Manager: Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage IP14 Article from City Manager: America's Shopping Malls Are Dying A Slow, Ugly Death IP15 Copy of Press Release: Iowa DOT construction on 1 -80 / Dubuque Street Interchange to begin March 31 IP16 Copy of Press Release: Iowa City residents invited to local Blue Zones kick -off IP17 Copy of letter to City Clerk from Mediacom: Non - Standard Converter Fee DRAFT MINUTES IP18 Senior Center Commission: March 20 ,► �"C' 1VL CITY OF IOWA CITY Date Tuesday, April 1, 2014 City Council Tentative Meeting Schedule �P1 Subject to change March 27, 2014 Time Me 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Location Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Monday, April 28, 2014 4:30 PM Joint Meeting /Work Session TBA / ICCSD Tuesday, May 6, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, August 5, 2014 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, May 20, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, August 19, 2014 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, June 3, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, September 2, 2014 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, June 17, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, September 16, 2014 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall Tuesday, July 1, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, July 15, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, August 5, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, August 19, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 2, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, September 16, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, October 7, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, October 21, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, November 4, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, November 18, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, December 2, 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Tuesday, December 16 2014 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00 PM Formal Meeting 1p� 00 TA CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 -11126 (319) 356 -5000 (3 19) 3$64009 FAX www.kgov.org City Council Work Session Agenda April 1, 2014 Emma J. Harvat Hall - City Hall 410 E. Washington Street ■ Questions from Council re Agenda Items ■ Board and Commission appointments [# 11] ■ Continued discussion of Gateway Project design parameters [# 8] ■ Review the ability of the City to issue municipal infractions in lieu of certain criminal charges [I P# 3 of 3/27 Info Packet] ■ Information Packet Discussion [March 27] ■ Council Time ■ Meeting Schedule ■ Pending Work Session Topics [IP# 4 of 3/27 Info Packet] ■ Upcoming Community Events /Council Invitations CITY OF IOWA CITY 1P3 MEMORANDUM DATE: 3/27/2014 TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: ELEANOR M. DILKES, CITY ATTORNE X TOM MARKUS, CITY MANAGER vim' RE: SIMPLE MISDEMEANORS /MUNICIPAL INFRACTIONS Introduction Council asked staff to research whether the City can make several City simple misdemeanor violations into municipal infractions. The City Attorney's office has done the legal research and met with the City Manager, Police Chief, Captain Wyss and Captain Steffen to discuss this matter. As background information, between January 1, 2013 and March 20, 2014 the Iowa City Police Department (ICPD) issued the following number of criminal citations: PAULA (possession of alcohol under the legal age) — 479 Public intoxication — 1,097 Under 21 after 10:00 p.m. — 136 Open container — 144 Obstruction — 17 Please note that these are only ICPD charges. The monthly bar check report that is issued each month for purposes of keeping track of an establishment's PAULA rate, which is a factor in the issuance of exceptions to the under 21 ordinance, includes both ICPD and University of Iowa charges. Simple Misdemeanor vs. Municipal Infraction It is important to understand the main differences between a criminal charge and a civil infraction. A criminal charge is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $625 and 30 days in jail. Some criminal charges are "unscheduled" and the judge sets the fine amount depending on the facts. Others are "scheduled," meaning they are established by the Code and are always the same. In the last 15 years, staff can recall the City requesting jail time as part of the sentence for a simple misdemeanor only once. In addition to the fine, the person is assessed a state surcharge of 35% of the fine amount and court costs of $60. Procedurally, the person has the right to a jury trial and the right to refuse to testify, and the City must prove the violation beyond a reasonable doubt. Filing a simple misdemeanor with the Court requires no up -front payment by the City. The City pays the court costs only when the City does not prevail. A civil wrong is enforced through a municipal infraction. Typical municipal infractions issued by the City are those for violations of the housing, building and zoning codes. Generally, the purpose of the municipal infraction is to get a party to comply with the city code after the City's efforts to get voluntary compliance have failed. Municipal infractions are punishable by a civil penalty which can be set by Council as high as $750 for the first violation and $1,000 for the second and subsequent violations. In addition to the civil penalty the person is also assessed the court costs of $85. Procedurally, the person does not have the right to a jury trial, the person can be required to testify (as long as the City agrees not to file a simple misdemeanor based on any admission made under oath), and the City only has to prove the allegation by "clear, satisfactory and convincing" evidence, which is a lower burden than beyond a reasonable doubt. See Iowa Code Section 364.22(6)(b). From a time and administrative standpoint, municipal infractions are more difficult for the City to institute (e.g., the $85 filing fee must be paid up front when the City files a municipal infraction with the Court, additional paperwork must be filed with the Court to show proof of service, the police would have to carry an additional form book and it would take them longer to write the charge). The police currently do not issue municipal infractions. The police department estimates that the issuance of a municipal infraction, including the completion of the proof of service form, would take twice as long as the issuance of a uniform criminal citation. The up -front payment of the filing fee would be substantial. For example, in 2013 the City issued 415 PAULAs. Had they all been municipal infractions, the City would have paid over $35,000 in up -front filing fees. If the judge rules in favor of the City, the person will be ordered to reimburse the City for the $85 and pay a civil penalty, but of course, not everyone pays. Disorderly Conduct Under Section 364.22(3) of the Iowa Code, a municipality may provide that a violation of an ordinance is a municipal infraction except if the violation is a felony, aggravated misdemeanor, or serious misdemeanor or is a simple misdemeanor listed in Chapters 687 through 747. This provision prevents the City from making disorderly conduct, which can be found at Section 723.4 of the Iowa Code, a municipal infraction. Under 21 and Open Container Being under 21 in a licensed establishment after 10:00 pm and open containers (except in a motor vehicle) are purely city offenses, and thus, the City could make both of them municipal infractions. blic Intoxication and PAULA Only the State prohibits public intoxication as the City has never adopted a similar provision. Both the City and the State prohibit possession of alcohol under the legal age (PAULA). The City Attorney's Office has concluded there is a good argument that the City could make both PAULAs and public intoxication a municipal infraction (i.e., would not be preempted from doing so). State law has a provision that allows PAULA and public intoxication convictions to be "expunged" after two years assuming no additional criminal convictions except for traffic tickets. When a conviction is expunged, there is no judicial record of the conviction. Criminal convictions can easily be accessed on the website for the Iowa Judicial Branch by the person's last name. On the other hand, if a civil judgment was entered in a municipal infraction for PAULA or public intoxication, that judgment could not be expunged or sealed. 2 Obstruction Obstruction is not a state code provision and therefore the City could make it a municipal infraction. Obstruction is charged when a person resists, opposes, obstructs or impedes an officer in the discharge of the officer's duties. This is typically charged when a person has been repeatedly told to do something or not do something and refuses to comply despite the multiple requests. Abilitv to Arrest Staff strongly recommends that public intoxication not be made into a municipal infraction. In almost all cases in which public intoxication is charged the person has already been exhibiting problem behavior. Nearly every person charged with public intoxication is arrested both for the safety of the person and the public. If a person would be given a municipal infraction for public intoxication, the police would not have the ability to arrest the person. Similarly, staff strongly recommends that obstruction not be made into a municipal infraction. The person charged with obstruction is not compliant with the police and poses a safety threat to the officer. Even if the others are made into municipal infractions, staff strongly suggests that the violation also remain a crime. The police need to be able to have the ability to arrest, or to threaten arrest. For example, if a 19 -year old was in a licensed establishment after 10:00 and if the violation was only a municipal infraction, the police could not require the person to leave the establishment. Without the threat of arrest, the person can continue to violate the ordinance with the only consequence being civil penalty and court costs being assessed. Summary In short: • Disorderly conduct cannot be made a municipal infraction. • PAULA and public intoxication can be made municipal infractions. Criminal convictions can be expunged after 2 years if the defendant has no additional violations. A judgment in a civil PAULA could not be expunged. • Public intoxication as a municipal infraction would put the public and the person at risk. • Obstruction as a municipal infraction would put the officer at risk and prevent the officer from carrying out the officer's duties. • Open container and under 21 can be made municipal infractions. • Administratively it is more difficult for the City to issue a municipal infraction but procedurally easier for the City to prove (and conversely, more difficult for the person to prevail) Recommendation With respect to the simple misdemeanors addressed in this memo that could be made into municipal infractions, PAULA and public intoxication account for the majority of the charges (1576 or 84% of the total charges for PAULA, public intoxication, under 21, open container and obstruction between January 1, 2013 and March 20, 2014 (1873)). Staff recommends against the creation of a civil infraction for PAULA principally because PAULA can be expunged after 2 years. Staff recommends 3 against the creation of a civil offense for public intoxication both because public intoxication can be expunged after 2 years and nearly all persons charged with public intoxication are arrested for safety reasons and a civil charge does not allow for arrest. With respect to under 21, open container and obstruction, staff recommends against the creation of a civil infraction because we cannot identify a reason to do so that would justify the additional administrative burden. You will recall that upon staff's recommendation the City Council did make disorderly house into a municipal infraction because the police could not issue a simple misdemeanor without obtaining a search warrant if the person did not open the door. The creation of a civil infraction gave the police another tool to address loud parties when a simple misdemeanor was not practically feasible. Staff is unable to identify a compelling reason for the creation of a civil infraction for the simple misdemeanors addressed in this memo, particularly in light of the availability of expunging the most frequent charges, safety concerns involved when arrest is not an option and the administrative burdens discussed above. City staff looks forward to speaking with your and answering your questions on this topic during the April 1 work session. Cc: Thomas M. Markus, City Manager Geoff Fruin, Ass't. City Manager Marian K. Karr, City Clerk Chief Hargadine Captain Wyss Captain Steffen Alec Bramel, student government liaison 11 iIN i L 1 I 1 � ��®t4� %N 06MOM CITY OF IOWA CITY PENDING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION TOPICS March 26, 2014 Pending Topics to be Scheduled 1. Discuss community business attraction and anti - piracy compact 2. Review the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education and Families report entitled, "City Leadership to Promote Black Male Achievement" (originally distributed in the 5/16/2013 Information Packet) — To be considered in context with the City's annual equity /diversity report 3. Discuss recycling opportunities for multi - family housing (UISG letter in 10/1/2013 packet)- To be considered subsequent to Fiberight related decisions 4. Discuss Council's neighborhood planning and development expectations near the new elementary school locations 5. Discuss merits of the consolidation of the City and County Assessor offices (May 2014) 6. Receive staff update on Gilbert/Highland/Kirkwood neighborhood concerns (summer 2014) 7. Discuss policy options for expanding mobile vending and /or food truck opportunities in the City 8. Discuss city related marijuana policies and potential legislative advocacy positions 9. Strategic plan update (April 2014) -fit CITY OF IOWA CITY mi IN MEMORANDUM Date: March 26, 2014 To: Mayor and City Council From: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk Plo, Re: KXIC Radio Show At your March 25 work session meeting Council Members agreed to the following schedule: March 19 — Dobyns March 26 — Botchway April 2 — Payne April 9 — Dickens April 16 - Throgmorton April 23 - Hayek April 30 — Dobyns May 7 — Mims Future commitments: June 18 — Dobyns August 6 — Dobyns September 17 — Dobyns November 12 — Dobyns U:radioshowappts.doc N-2r*'� _. CITY OF IOWA CITY 1PIS vs 1 vim %1 - MEMORANDUM Date: March 25, 2014 To: The City Council From: Mayor Matt Hayek Re: Mayors for the Freedom to Marry I wanted to let you know that recently I joined the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition. This group was launched in 2012 during the U.S. Conference of Mayors, co- chaired by the Mayors of Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Houston, and San Diego. The group has since garnered support from across the country with a total of 385 mayors representing cities in 38 States and the District of Columbia. In 2009 the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously approved a resolution stating that "The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports marriage equality for same -sex couples, and the recognition and extension of full equal rights to such unions, including family and medical leave, tax equity, and insurance and retirement benefits, and opposes the enshrinement of discrimination in the federal or state constitutions." The campaign is an effort to gather bipartisan support from mayors across the country to win the freedom to marry in more states along with full equal rights to such unions. The values of equal rights and freedom to marry are evident in the history of Iowa City. Long before the Iowa Supreme Court's 2009 decision to repeal the State's Defense of Marriage Act, there were City ordinances in place that protected rights for the LGBT community in Iowa City. For instance, in 1994 the City Code was amended to establish a chapter on domestic partnership to lend legitimacy for couples to get employment benefits for their partners. Similarly, in 1995 the City added another provision to the City Code under Human Rights that states that it is unlawful for any employer to advertise employment opportunities in a manner that discriminates on the basis of gender identity, marital status, sex, or sexual orientation. Along with these initiatives against discrimination, the city also hosts the annual Pride Fest, which attracts participants from various communities each year. Recently, the City Council identified inclusiveness as a strategic plan priority to further the efforts of the City to make the community more welcoming. The inclusive nature of our city was recently confirmed when the Des Moines Register reported Iowa City as the top- ranked place in Iowa for same -sex couples with 13.1 same -sex households per 1000. There are many issues of statewide or national importance, but in order to execute the City's business in an effective and efficient manner we have to be selective in joining alliances. I believe that my decision to join the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition is consistent with the values of the community and will provide an opportunity for our city to be recognized for its efforts to become more inclusive, dynamic, and diverse. Submitted by Mayor Pro tern Susan Mims MIP7 - :1 Questions regarding UI — Coralville PILOT 1. Typical PILOT vs property taxes. I thought a PILOT, Payment in Lieu of Taxes, was to pay for services rendered and the rate, or amount, was based on those services. For example Iowa City has an agreement with Ul for fire protection. The Ul — Coralville PILOT uses the entire property tax rate (city, school district, county, etc.) and Coralville keeps it all. Can you explain the justification for this? 2. How much would it cost to contract privately, for the services listed in the PILOT? 3. PILOT agreements are different than property taxes, so why /how should the fact that property is in a TIF district affect the terms of a PILOT? 4. Like Coralville, Iowa City has the goal of increasing our tax base in our TIF districts. Does the University of Iowa have property in any Iowa City TIF districts? If so, what properties? Do we have PILOT agreements for those properties? 5. How was the $28 million exterior building value calculated for the UIHC clinic in Coralville? Is there a way to determine if it is reasonable? 6. Where did the 28,643 multiplier come from in the PILOT? Did they just work backwards from the goal of $1,000,000 and the current tax rate to get the multiplier? 7. It would seem that the PILOT, executed in June 2010, gave Coralville money to help pay the incentives for Von Maur, whose deal was completed in 2011. On one hand, Coralville says they are trying to increase tax revenues, and on the other they gave incentives, including capping Von Maur's taxes. This seems contradictory. Am I missing something? 8. The article stated the prominent location / value of the property was the rational for the PILOT. What are the differences in the value of the UIHC clinic location and Von Maur's location which are right next to each other? ($2 million vs $10 sale prices.) 9. If you take the IRL PILOT on a per square foot basis and applied it to the Ul property in Iowa City, how much revenue would it generate? 10. Please compare the parking arrangement UIHC clinic has with Coralville vs any similar arrangements between the University and Iowa City. 11. In addition to the purchase price of the land, the PILOT agreement, and the parking agreement, were there other payments made by the University for this project? 12. Does the Board of Regents have a written policy on PILOTs? It seems that there should be consistent agreements between the Regent's institutions and the communities in which they have property. 13. We have and want to continue a good working relationship with the University. Are there ways in which this will impact that? 14. Is there other information which we should be aware of? From: Chris O'Brien Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 10:26 AM To: Tom Markus Cc: Marian Karr Subject: Aldi Bus Shelter Tom, Due to the continual cold temperatures we have experienced this winter, we have not been able to pour the concrete pad for the shelter to be located at Aldi. When weather permits, we will schedule the installation of the concrete pad which will be followed by installation of a shelter at the Aldi location. Chris From: Tom Markus Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 4:35 PM To: Marian Karr Cc: Doug Boothroy; Stan Laverman; Geoff Fruin; Simon Andrew Subject: FW: 2714 Wayne Ave & Mary Gravitt Information packet please. From: Stan Laverman Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 4:32 PM To: Tom Markus Cc: Doug Boothroy Subject: 2714 Wayne Ave & Mary Gravitt Tom - I'm following up on the complaint lodged by Ms. Gravitt in reference to the exterior drain at her residence and the lack of response by Housing Inspection. Ms. Gravitt represented that she called Housing Inspection on Friday, March 21 but she actually spoke to an inspector on Thursday, March 20. Ms. Gravitt told the inspector she had called her property manager, Keystone Property Management, on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 19. After a lengthy conversation the inspector suggested she give the property manager a chance to respond to the complaint and if it wasn't addressed by Monday, March 24 we would become more involved. Past experience has shown this management company to be responsive to tenant complaints. On Wednesday, March 26, Doug Boothroy reported Ms. Gravitt had raised this complaint at the City Council Meeting. The inspector personally verified that the drain was clear on the morning of March 26 by pouring a bucket of water down the exterior drain. He contacted the management company who reported they had also checked the exterior drain on Friday, March 21 and found it to be clear. However, this afternoon the management company informed Housing Inspection that they had received another call from Ms. Gravitt and that she had provided additional information about what she was experiencing. As a result of this new information the management company was sending a sewer contractor out to investigate. Housing Inspection will follow up with the management company on Friday, March 28 to verify that this issue has been resolved. Let me know if you have additional questions- Stan Stan Laverman City of Iowa City Senior Housing Inspector stan-laverman@iowa-city.org 356 -5135 office 530 -4076 mobile From: Marian Karr Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2014 9:30 AM To: Marian Karr Subject: FW: Johnson County Plastic Bag Ban From: Michelle Hurd [mailto:mhurd @iowagrocers.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 9:05 AM To: Geoff Fruin Subject: Johnson County Plastic Bag Ban Dear Geoff, It has come to my attention that Johnson County is considering a plastic bag ban. I'm writing you today to say that there is a better way — the answer is not to ban bags but to recycle them. That's why Iowa grocers have invested in the Build with Bags program to educate Iowans about the benefits of recycling and encourage good recycling habits in children and adults. Build with Bags is a program by Iowa grocers to combat plastic bag litter and encourage the recycling of plastic bags. It is a cooperative effort of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, Keep Iowa Beautiful, the Des Moines Area Metro Waste Authority, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources aimed at: 1) increasing the amount of plastic bags recycled; 2) reducing the consumption of plastic bags; 3) increasing the safe use of reusable bags; and 4) encouraging purchases of furniture and equipment made from recycled plastic through a grant program for parks and schools. The cornerstone of the Build with Bags program is the grant program that provides funding for schools and parks to purchase equipment made of recycled plastic. After four years, the Build with Bags recycling grant program has donated $153,676.71 to more than 100 schools and parks across the state to purchase equipment made from recycled plastic and kept more than 6 million plastic bags out of landfills. Bag bans have proven unintended negative consequences Plastic bag bans shift bag consumption to paper bags, which have a much larger environmental and carbon footprint. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, plastic bags, sacks and wraps of all kinds (not just grocery bags) make up only about 1.6 percent of all municipal solid waste materials. High- density polyethylene (HDPE) bags, which are the most common kind of plastic grocery bags, make up just 0.3 percent of this total. Compared to paper bags, plastic grocery bags produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, require 70 percent less energy to make, generate 80 percent less waste and use 4 percent less water to manufacture them. The description of plastic grocery bags as "single -use" bags is a misnomer. Statistics indicate that 90 percent of today's consumers reuse plastic bags, whether for lining trash bins or picking up after their dogs. (And still other bags are recycled.) Since banning plastic bags also means preventing their additional uses as trash bags and pooper scoopers, one unintended consequence of the plastic bag ban would likely be an increase in plastic bag purchases for these other purposes. This is just what happened in Ireland in 2002 when a 15 Euro cent ($0.20) tax imposed on plastic shopping bags led to a 77 percent increase in the sale of plastic trash can liner bags. Iowans need a way to bring goods back to their homes. A ban would punish consumers by decreasing options, increasing costs, and/or forcing them to shop other areas without bans or taxes. A better and more proactive solution includes a strong, voluntary plastic bag recycling program. Ultimately, this is more cost - effective for consumers and provides financial incentives to reduce plastic bag use and increase the safe use of reusable bags. Research has shown Iowa consumers prefer voluntary programs to mandates that end up costing them more at the checkout stand. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to consider a better way to make Iowa a cleaner, greener place to live. Could you let me know if there is a time that you plan to discuss this issue in the future? I would be happy to be a resource for information at any point. Sincerely, Michelle Hurd, CAE President Iowa Grocery Industry Association 2540 106th, Ste. 102 Urbandale, IA 50322 (515)270 -2628 (phone) (515)270 -0316 (fax) �i MP(X Metropolitan nindon of Mvison c«,q Date: March 27, 2014 To: Tom Markus, City Manager, City of Iowa City From: John Yapp, Director, MPOJC Re: MPOJC Board plastic bag - related discussion At the March 26 Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County ( MPOJC) Board meeting, we had an agenda item to discuss options related to single -use plastic bag regulations. This discussion was a follow -up to a conversation at the MPOJC Board's January meeting, at which they determined to consult within their own organizations on whether or not they would be in favor of initiatives and /or regulations to discourage use of single -use plastic bags. This issue has been promoted by the '100 Grannies' group, who have visited with many local elected bodies to advocate for tools which would reduce plastic bag use. Several MPO- member entities reported that while they currently did not support pursuing regulations related to plastic bag use, they do support increasing community -wide education and recycling efforts. One specific effort discussed by some Board members would be to distribute reusable cloth bags to residents, particularly to lower- income households who may not have the disposable income to purchase cloth bags, as a means of encouraging less use of plastic bags. Johnson County representatives reported that they would prefer to follow the lead of the larger municipalities, as most retail facilities (and plastic bag use) is within the cities. Iowa City representatives reported that while they have discussed this as a City Council in the past, they would like to discuss it again. The Board asked me to place this agenda item on the MPOJC Board's May 21 agenda for further discussion. Please contact me with any questions. � r qk 1 CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: November 29, 2012 IP5 To: Tom Markus, City Manager From: Rick Fosse, Public Works Director Re: Plastic Bag Ban Please find attached four memos dating back to 2008 regarding staff investigation of a potential plastic bag ban. These memos are intended to serve as background information for discussion at the December 4, 2012 work session. Jennifer Jordan and I will be at the meeting to discuss the topic and assess the council's interest and direction. r ,. ®a CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: October 8, 2012 To: Rick Fosse, Public Works Director COA Tom Markus, City Manager From: Jeri Jordan, Recycling Coordinator Re: Plastic Bags Introduction: On September 28, 2012, 1 met with two representatives from the group 100 Grannies regarding the plastic bag ban they have proposed. We discussed areas of common interest and goals, those being to reduce the use of single -use plastic bags and to increase recycling of all recyclable materials in Iowa City. History/Backcuound: Several groups have approached the City over the past few years with the request to implement a plastic bag ban. Staff has been a proponent of education and expanded recycling opportunities rather than a ban and has worked to improve both areas over the past few years. Staff has provided updates on that position in the past and have continued to pursue efforts consistent with that approach. Efforts have included: • giving out free totes at events through ECO Iowa City and others, • including plastic bag recycling information in all staff outreach efforts, • working with the Parks and Recreation Department to apply for and receive a $2,000 grant from the "Build with Bags" program, securing benches for our local parks that are made from recycled plastic bags. Education about bag recycling is part of the grant requirements, and • placing a plastic bag recycling container at the East Side Recycling Center (in progress). Discussion of Solutions: If a ban is to be considered, staff suggests that the effort be a comprehensive effort by the larger community to include Coralville and North Liberty. By focusing on the broader community, economic disparity between the communities would be limited. Further, staff agrees that a broader coalition of stakeholders will help inform the discussion and develop a understanding of the issue between businesses, residents, and those actively pursuing legislation. Financial Impact: The financial impact to the City would be significant staff time (Recycling Coordinator, Environmental Coordinator, City Attorney's Office). If a ban were to be considered, Staff would need to be prepared to move forward with legislation to implement a ban. In addition, there will time required both for education to local businesses and enforcement. Recommendations: Staff recommends continued education and improved recycling opportunities consistent with past practice and recommendations. r -,�,� CITY OF IOWA CITY ®�n MEMORANDUM Date: September 12, 2012 ^ To: Rick Fosse, Public Works Director From: Jen Jordan, Recycling Coordinator OOP Re: update on plastic bags Introduction: Every couple of years, City Council and staff are approached by community groups or individuals with the idea of implementing a plastic bag ban to reduce litter in our community. Staff agrees that plastic bags are an environmental and aesthetic issue but do not feel that a regulator solution is necessary. In short, with increasing use of totes and numerous recycling options for plastic bags, staff does not feel a plastic bag ban is necessary. History/Background: In late 2008 the City was approached with the idea of implementing a plastic bag ban. Staff researched options and prepared a memo (attached, December 22, 2008). Council agreed that an educational campaign to reduce the use of single -use grocery bags would be a better step than implementing a ban. Staff reported back to Council in a memo (attached, June 24, 2009) recommending continued education and litter abatement, but no ban, Since then, the following steps have been taken: • ECO Iowa City, an 18 -month grant- funded environmental action outreach program with the Iowa City Public Library, reached 11,000 people in 2009 and 2010. Waste reduction was one of the key areas of outreach and included giving out 250 totes. • The ICPL continues to sell the ECO Iowa City totes. • Rummage in the Ramp 2012 gave out 300 totes to customers (the totes were donated by the University of Iowa Community Credit Union). Interestingly, many shoppers refused the totes because they already had more than they used at home. • The following locations have plastic bag recycling receptacles: • Hy -Vee o Target • Fareway o Lowe's • New Pioneer Co -op o JC Penney • Wal -Mart o City Carton Recycling • Plans are underway to add a recycling bin for grocery bags at the East Side Recycling Center. • The City has hosted approximately 12 stream clean -ups annually through the Stormwater Utility fund. Interestingly, most of the plastic bags found in the creeks are within 50 feet of bridges and contain dog feces. • The City is organizing its second annual Iowa River clean -up for October. • Most recycling advertising that has gone out since 2009 has had a section about plastic bag recycling. This includes multiple ads in local newspapers, the curbside recycling flyer that went to all 15,000 curbside customers in April 2011 and other assorted smaller advertising efforts such as Facebook or the City website. Discussion of Solutions: Staff has not fully researched plastic bag usage, recycling rates or national bag ban trends since 2008. Based on the number of totes that the City has handed out in the past few years and the feedback we have received that people are inundated with totes, a good next step would be to September 12, 2012 Page 2 (C o PC) encourage people to regularly use their totes (i.e., remember to take them into the store). Partnering with local grocery stores to advertise this concept would be beneficial to all parties as this would decrease the cost that grocery stores spend on plastic or paper bags and reduce the waste associated with single -use bags. The number of locations at which residents can recycle bags has increased . in the past few years. This not only gives residents more options for recycling —the visibility of the containers also raises the expectation of recycling plastic bags. Financial Impact: The financial impact of the City's efforts to educate about plastic bag use and recycling are mainly staff time and some advertising costs. Advertising costs have primarily been funded by the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center enterprise fund and the Stormwater Utility fund. Recommendations: Without another in -depth study similar to what was done in late 2008, staff can offer the following recommendations: 1. Continue including plastic bag recycling locations in appropriate advertising. 2. Continue creek and Iowa River clean -up program. 3. Ensure that plans to place a plastic bag recycling bin materialize at the East Side Recycling Center. 4. Organize campaign with local grocers to decrease use of single -use bags and increase use of totes. This effort can be tied in to educational efforts in progress through the East Side Recycling Center. 5. If Council is interested in discussing a bag ban, staff will need to do further research before recommendations regarding the type of ban can be provided. 6. If the City is going to enact any sort of ban regarding waste reduction and recycling, more effective bans would be either for cardboard or electronics at the Iowa City Landfill. � r CITY OF IOWA CITY O4A @k' MEMORANDUM CITY OF IOWA CITY Date: June 24, 2009 To: Rick Fosse, Director of Public Works From: Jen Jordan, Recycling Coordinator co Q Re: Plastic grocery bag follow -up City Council directed staff to report back in June regarding plastic grocery bags to determine if a ban was necessary. Based on conversations with grocers, recyclers and state -wide non - profit organizations, as well as the trends surrounding this topic, it is staff's opinion that a ban is not needed at this time. Instead, continued education, partnerships and litter abatement will enhance the trends of reduced plastic bag use, increased recycling and more organized litter pick -up events. Positive trends Over the past six months, staff has discussed plastic bag use, recycling and bans with grocers, recycles and the executive directors of Keep Iowa Beautiful and the Iowa Recycling Association. The trends that they have seen in the past year are encouraging. 1. Reduced plastic grocery bag use. The sales and use of totes is increasing across the state. While it is difficult for stores to track exact numbers on plastic grocery bag use, Hy -Vee estimates that they have seen an estimated five to ten percent decrease in plastic bag use over the past year. Faraway and Wal -Mart speculate that the number of plastic bags they use has decreased since they have seen an increase in the number of totes sold and used. Some local stores have taken the initiative to charge for bags. For instance, Aldi Food Stores have been charging $0.10 for heavy -duty plastic bags for many years.. Customers bring their own totes, bags or boxes for groceries and the manager of the Iowa City Aldi Food Stores stated that they see customers reusing the Aldi -brand plastic bags repeatedly until they are worn past reuse. In addition, the New Pioneer Co -op began charging customers $0.05 per bag on Earth Day 2009. All proceeds are being donated to the Crisis Center. 2. Increase in plastic bag recycling rates. Informal surveys and observations indicate that all or almost all local grocery stores offer plastic bag recycling. According to Mike Smith, Hy -Vee's Director of Real Estate and Sustainability, Hy -Vee saw a 25% increase in plastic bag recycling across the state in FY08. City Carton Recycling offers plastic bag recycling at their drop -off facility and works with local stores to take the plastic bags the retailers collect through their plastic bag recycling programs. An increase in plastic bag recycling locally mirrors a national trend; Waste News recently reported that plastic bag and film recycling reached an all time high in 2006 and continues to increase. In April 2009, the four major bag manufacturers in the US announced a goal of using 40% recycled content by 2015. This will significantly increase the demand for plastic bag recycling and reduce the consumption of natural gas in bag making. June 26, 2009 Page 2 Next steps T r While the trends discussed above are encouraging, ongoing efforts will be necessary. Public education will be important, as will working with local grocers to support and inform the public about their programs. 1. Public education. City and ECICOG staff includes education about reuse, including totes, in all outreach programs offered to local schools, civic groups and public libraries in the corridor. On average, the education programs reach about 3,000 students and residents per year. Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) received a Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Alternative Program grant to study the views of the public across the state regarding this topic. Based on this information, the public does not feel that they are well - informed about recycling or what programs stores have in place. KIB plans to work with the Iowa Grocers Association on a campaign to provide a common message to the public about recycling grocery bags, such as common signage in store parking lots to remind shoppers to take their totes into the store and education for store employees to encourage shoppers to purchase totes and remind shoppers to use them. Locally, staff will work with local retailers and City Carton Recycling to advertise locations of plastic bag recycling drop -offs. A stronger reuse message will be incorporated into outreach and advertising, such as newspaper ads and outreach at local events. 2. Litter abatement. While Johnson County is not an affiliate of Keep Iowa Beautiful, we have a strong volunteer litter collection system. • The Adopt -a- Highway program covers Highways 218, 1 and 6, as well as Interstate 80 and 380. Most sections in Johnson County have been adopted and are picked up at least twice annually. • The Stormwater Utility organizes numerous creek clean -ups annually and has extended that in 2009 to Iowa River clean -ups. • The Aerohawks Flying Club has four clean -ups on IWV Road annually in a partnership with the landfill. • The landfill plans to initiate an annual fall clean -up of Highway 218 in 2009. Summary Staff does not feel that a ban is needed at this time. Expanded education programs and partnerships with local retailers will encourage more residents to use totes and recycle their plastic bags. Additional litter clean -up activities will help residents see the problems that bags pose in the environment and further encourage them to use totes and recycle their plastic bags, With these initiatives, the use of plastic bags is likely to continue its downward trend. The purchase and use of totes as well as plastic bag recycling is likely to increase as we have seen over the past year. r CITY OF IOWA CITY -�-� MEMORANDUM CITY OF IOWA CITY Date: December 22 , 2008 COP To: Rick Fosse, Director of Public Works From: Jen Jordan, Recycling Coordinator Re: Plastic Grocery Bags Plastic grocery bags are becoming a significant environmental issue in the United States. The bags are made from petroleum and are energy intensive to produce and transport. Because American use about one billion bags per year (about 300 bags per person) and less than one percent of the bags get recycled, they have become a major litter issue. With exposure to sunlight, plastic bags photodegrade into smaller, more toxic polymers that pollute our land and water resources. Background Many cities in the US and an increasing number of countries are addressing this issue by either taxing or banning petroleum -based plastic grocery bags. These actions have been both widely applauded and hotly contested. Some bans have been overturned due to the fact that other alternatives are not necessarily better for the environment. Both biodegradable plastic bags and paper bags have major drawbacks. Biodegradable plastic bags • Are energy intensive to produce and ship • Are more expensive than petroleum -based plastic bags • Are often not as strong as petroleum -based plastic bags • Are a blowing litter issue • Take long periods of time to biodegrade in a landfill due to the lack of oxygen and sunlight. Paper bags • Are more energy intensive to produce • Are much more energy intensive to ship because of the added bulk • Are four to five times more expensive than petroleum -based plastic bags • Are less convenient than petroleum -based plastic bags • Are recyclable but oftentimes do not get recycled Goal: Reduce the use of all disposable grocery bags The best alternative to any type of disposable grocery bag is a durable reusable tote bag. Totes have become popular in the past year and many local retailers now sell branded totes for their customers' use. Some retailers (Hy -Vee, New Pioneer) give a five -cent credit per reusable bag used at checkout but many people are unaware of this service. In addition, many people view them as a major inconvenience or expense. Others simply forget to take their totes to the store or choose not to use them. January 6, 2009 Page 2 Some retailers such as IKEA and Aldi Food charge a small fee (generally $0.05) to help people consider alternatives and reduce the need to add the cost of bags into prices for products. Several options exist for reducing the use of disposable plastic bags. With any option, education and outreach to consumers and retailers will play a major role. Option 1: Organize disposable grocery bag reduction campaign involving the cities of Iowa City and Coraiville, Johnson County Public Health, local environmental groups and retailers. • Write DNR Solid Waste Alternatives Program (SWAP) grant to hire intern to assist with advertising and education regarding the environmental issues associated with all disposable grocery bags • Encourage. people to use totes • Encourage more retailers to advertise and give $0.05 credit per reusable bag used • Encourage retailers to sell or give away cloth bag with branding • Advertise locations for recycling plastic bags and encourage more retailers to accept bags for recycling • Work with City Carton Recycling to take more types of film plastic Pros: Cons: Gives consumers opportunity to make educated choices Does not burden retailers Assists all sizes of retailers Shows public that campaign partners are concerned about the issue and need the public's help May not reduce disposable bags use as much as tax or ban Option 2: Via City ordinance, ban FREE plastic or paper grocery bags from grocery stores, pharmacies, and big box retailers. • Retailers must charge set fee for bags (to be retained by retailer) • Retailers must show separate line on receipt with cost of bags to shopper • Can offer any type of bag for sale • Encourage use of totes Pros: Cons: Gives retailers flexibility about which type of bag to sell Gives consumers the choice to purchase a bag or bring their own May not reduce disposable bag use as much as tax or ban Additional burden on retailers Options 3: Via City ordinance, implement tax on disposable petroleum -based plastic grocery bags. • Require retailers to put fee on grocery bags • Fee retained by City for environmental programs or to cover cost of program administration Pros: Effective way to reduce plastic grocery bag use January 6, 2009 C(D#DY Page 3 Cons: Other disposable alternatives often replace plastic bags Publicly unpopular Additional burden on retailers City staff time required to maintain and enforce Option 4: Via City ordinance, ban disposable petroleum -based plastic grocery bags at grocery stores, pharmacies, and big_ box retailers. • Retailers must offer biodegradable bags and /or recycled content paper bags Pros: Cons: Effective way to reduce plastic grocery bag use Other disposable alternatives not better than plastic bags Publicly unpopular Additional burden on retailers City staff time required to maintain and enforce Staff Recommendation Staff recommends option one because this option puts a positive spin on the issue and encourages people to do the "right thing" rather than burden retailers and consumers with an additional tax or ordinance. A disposable grocery bag reduction campaign partnership among the cities of Iowa City and Coralville, Johnson County Public Health, local environmental groups and retailers would benefit all parties involved without antagonizing potential partners or the public. A "waste reduction intern" funded with a Solid Waste Alternative Program grant would do the majority of the work involved with the campaign. The backbone of the campaign would involve outreach to the public to use alternatives to disposable. The second task would be to work with local retailers to encourage them to sell totes and to give a $0.05 credit per reusable bag used at checkout and encourage them to accept plastic bags for recycling at their store. Encouraging people to use totes would benefit the local retailers in two ways. First, it would reduce their bag costs since fewer bags will be used. Second, it would likely increase sales of cloth totes through local retailers. Using a positive approach to address the disposable grocery bag issue may not have as large as an effect as would a ban or tax. However, the impact can still be significant and it will help citizens and retailers understand that the City needs their help to make environmental programs work. M IP12 From the City Manager Why Downtown Development May Be More Affordable Than The Suburbs MCiti's Cont r' buto r , Citi By Darren Dahl It's become an all- too - common story across the U.S.: the residents and businesses in a once - thriving downtown have fled to suburbs and strip malls, leaving only the bones of their old lives behind. But while populations and services may have retreated to the outskirts, the neglected facades of downtown could be due for a revival. Downtowns throughout the country rarely get the respect they deserve, especially when it comes to the economic impact they have on their communities. There is a growing awareness that suburban development patterns — also known as "sprawl" — may be environmentally unsustainable. Meanwhile, the work done by Joe Minicozzi, a planner and founder of the consulting firm Urban3, has begun to shed new light on how suburban expansion could be economically unsustainable as well. The Cost Of Suburbs "Cities are human inventions that are thousands of years old," said Minicozzi, who has worked in dozens of communities around the country to help educate planners and community members about the value of their downtowns. "The creation of suburbs is a recent phenomenon and we're struggling with how to pay for them." Minicozzi's work focuses on showing how most communities unintentionally subsidize suburban development because they don't calculate the true cost of expanding infrastructure like water and sewage, and services like police and fire to the fringes of a community's corporate boundary. Some municipalities opt to make up the difference through new tax policies, but property tax increases are decidedly unpopular in most communities. As an alternative, many communities turn to luring large retailers that offer the promise of jobs and additional sales tax, which they hope will plug the holes in their budgets. But when the cost of maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support these businesses isn't offset by increased sales tax revenue, the situation can become even worse. As a result, these communities can find themselves unable to pay for sprawl, despite growing populations and increasing demand. The Downtown Champion Armed with an impressive array of PowerPoint slides, computer models and property tax data, Minicozzi travels around the country to encourage municipalities to see that their downtowns, no matter how neglected, often contribute far more value in terms of tax revenue — property and sales tax combined — than even the biggest big -box store. One of the key components of his research has been to break down the economic impact of land on a per acre basis, allowing him to make apples -to- apples comparisons between, for example, a six - story, mixed -use building (a combination of residential and commercial uses) and a single massive retail store, in the same way you might use miles - per - gallon to evaluate the fuel efficiency of a car. Take the city of Asheville, North Carolina, where Minicozzi is based, as an example. The city, which has a population of about 83,000, realizes an astounding 1,000 percent greater return on downtown mixed -use development projects on a per acre basis compared to when ground is broken near the city limits for a sprawling retail center. Put a different way: a typical mixed -use acre of downtown Asheville yields $150,000 more in annual tax revenue to the local government than an acre of strip malls or big -box stores. "If you were a city facing a budget crisis, shouldn't this serve as an eye- opener, both in terms of your policies and your development priorities ?" asked Minicozzi. For several cities around the country, the answer is a resounding "yes." Asheville's efforts to develop its downtown has become a model for cities like Fresno, California; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Mountain View, California, all of whom have also begun to apply Minicozzi's lessons to their own downtowns. Only time will tell whether Minicozzi's work will have a lasting impact on the relationship between cities and suburbs. But one thing is immediately evident: his work is leading policy makers to ask tough questions about creating truly sustainable growth in their communities. Don't call it a revolution yet — but it's a start. Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage - NYTimes.com Page 1 of 4 { http: / /nyti.ms /NM3gfT BUSINESS DAY From the City Manager Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage By TODD WOODY MARCH 25, 2014 DAVIS, Calif. — As more homeowners generate their own electricity from solar panels, they still need power from a utility after the sun goes down. Now, automakers say they may have an answer, by storing that carbon -free energy in electric car batteries for later use. Honda on Tuesday is introducing an experimental house in this environmentally conscious community to showcase technologies that allow the dwelling to generate more electricity than it consumes. It is one example of the way solar companies and carmakers are converging on a common goal: to create the self - sufficient home, with a car's battery as the linchpin. With buildings and transportation accounting for 44 percent of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, car companies increasingly view all - electric and hydrogen fuel -cell cars as vehicles that will meet environmental mandates and lead to development of new energy services and products beyond the garage. Ford, Tesla Motors and Toyota are pursuing strategies similar to that. "It's a new world in terms of vehicles operating not as isolated artifacts but as being part of a larger energy system, and I think the greatest opportunity for automakers is figuring out how their vehicles become part of that system," said Daniel Sperling, director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, which provided the building site and the heating and lighting technology for the Honda Smart Home. http: / /www.nytime s.com /2014/03 /25/business/ car - companies- take - expertise -in- battery- power- bey... 3/25/2014 Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage - NYTimes.com Page 2 of 4 The heart of Honda's 1,944-square -foot home is a room off the spotless garage that contains a 10 kilowatt -hour lithium -ion battery pack housed in a black box. The battery is a smaller version of the one that powers the all- electric Honda Fit parked nearby. Next to the battery pack sits a bigger white box called the Home Energy Management System. It is the brains of the house, deciding when to tap renewable electricity generated by a 9.5- kilowatt solar panel array installed on the home's roof to charge the car's battery or store the solar energy. The rooftop solar array is about twice the size of one typically found on a comparable suburban home. The amount of electricity generated by the solar panels and stored in the battery pack allows the home to operate independent of the power grid, if necessary. The home sends excess electricity to the grid. And if the utilities become overloaded, say, in the summer when temperatures spike and everyone turns on their air - conditioners, the local electricity provider can send a signal directing the home to send solar electricity to the grid to help avert blackouts. A similar size home would consume 13.3 megawatt -hours of electricity a year while the smart home would generate an estimated surplus of 2.6 megawatt-hours annually, according to Honda. "We can get our carbon footprint below zero," said Michael Koenig, the project leader for the Honda Smart Home, as he stood in the living room of the airy, light -filled house while a rerun of "McHale's Navy" played on a large flat - screen television embedded in a wall. He held an iPad that wirelessly controlled all the home's functions, from lighting to the power systems, and that showed the house generating 4.2 kilowatts of electricity on a partly sunny morning while consuming 0.84 kilowatt. "The system will calculate the household electricity load for the day based on the home's history as well as the expected solar output and it'll only buy power at the lowest price," Mr. Koenig said. The Honda Fit EV in the garage has been modified to accept energy directly from the solar array, too. To minimize electricity consumption, Honda and the university have installed several energy - saving technologies. A geothermal system taps heat in the ground below the house to provide heating and cooling while an energy - efficient http:// www. nytimes .coml2014 /03l251businessl car - companies- take - expertise -in- battery- power- bey... 3/25/2014 Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage - NYTimes.com Page 3 of 4 automated lighting adjusts the hue of LEDs to mimic natural daylight. In the early evening, for instance, the lights cease to emit blue hues, which have been found to interfere with sleep. Making concrete is a carbon - intensive process, so Honda replaced half the concrete in the foundation with pozzolan, a volcanic ash. Steve Center, vice president for American Honda's Environmental Business Development Office, said the company did not expect to sell green - building innovations like that. Instead, Honda will focus on the potential to sell home energy management technology and battery systems to homeowners, builders and utilities. "We see a lot of things converging," Mr. Center said. "There will be new business models like home energy sharing and energy storage, using your car's batteries." He said one way into the home was through alliances with solar panel installers like SolarCity. In 2013, Honda and SolarCity created a $65 million fund to finance the installation of solar arrays for Honda customers. Ford struck a deal with SunPower to give buyers of its electric cars a discount on the company's solar panels. A prototype of Ford's C -Max Energi plug -in hybrid electric car uses 16 square feet of SunPower's solar panels on its roof to charge the car's battery. No utility needed. "There's clearly a business case for the home market if battery prices continue to fall," said Mike Tinskey, Ford's director of global vehicle electrification and infrastructure. "You could charge the battery" of the car "at night using lower -cost, potentially cleaner electrons than you could use during the day when rates are higher." That, of course, would threaten the revenues of utilities, which have emerged as an obstacle to such systems. In California, SolarCity has offered some customers 10 kilowatt -hour lithium - ion battery packs made by Tesla Motors to store electricity generated by solar panels. But the state's three big utilities have been slow to connect such systems to the grid, arguing that homeowners could use batteries to store electricity when rates are low and sell it back to them when rates are high. Regulators have so far sided with solar companies. The California Public Utilities Commission in October ordered the utilities to obtain 1,325 megawatts of http: / /www.nytimes.coml20l 4 /03l251businessl car - companies- take - expertise -in- battery- power- bey... 3/25/2014 Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage - NYTimes.com Page 4 of 4 energy storage by 2020 to help balance the grid as more sources of renewable but intermittent electricity come online. The utilities commission also issued a preliminary ruling in October that directed the utilities to plug homeowners' battery storage systems into the grid at no extra cost. But the ruling allowed homeowners to be charged connection fees if their batteries could store more electricity than their solar panels produced. With solar installations in the United States soaring and state subsidies paying 6o percent of the cost of home energy systems installed in California, automakers expect more homeowners to view their electric car as a backup power source in the event of disruptions in the grid. Both electric cars and the hydrogen fuel -cell cars can be modified to return electricity to the home or grid, though that technology has yet to be deployed outside pilot projects. The Honda Fit EV has a 20 kilowatt -hour battery while the most expensive Tesla Model S electric sports sedan has an 85 kilowatt-hour battery. And the hydrogen fuel cell cars that Hyundai, Honda and Toyota are introducing over the next year can generate at least loo kilowatts. The average home in the United States consumes about 3o kilowatt -hours of electricity a day, the United States Energy Information Agency says. "There's an enormous potential for fuel -cell vehicles to serve as a power source for the home," Mr. Center said. A version of this article appears in print on March 25, 2014, on page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage. © 2014 The New York Times Company http:// www. nytimes .coml20l4 /03l251businessl car - companies -take- expertise -in- battery - power- bey... 3/25/2014 E I14 From the City Manager America's Shopping Malls Are Dying A Slow, Ugly Death Hayley Peterson Jan. 31, 2014, 12:01 PM65,31366 The Canton Centre Mall in Canton, Ohio is boarded up and vacant. All across America, once - vibrant shopping malls are boarded up and decaying. Traffic- driving anchors like Sears and JCPenney are shutting down stores, and mall owners are having a hard time finding retailers large enough to replace them. With a fresh wave of closures on the horizon, the problem is set to accelerate, according to retail and real estate analysts. About 15% of U.S. malls will fail or be converted into non - retail space within the next 10 years, according to Green Street Advisors, a real estate and REIT analytics firm. That's an increase from less than two years ago, when the firm predicted 10% of malls would fail or be converted. "The risk of failure for a mall increases dramatically once you see anchor closures," said Cedric Lachance, managing director of Green Street Advisors. "Their health is very important ... and most of them are highly likely to continue closing stores." Within 15 to 20 years, retail consultant Howard Davidowitz expects as many as half of America's shopping malls to fail. He predicts that only upscale shopping centers with anchors like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus will survive. "Middle -level stores in middle -level malls are going to be extinct because they don't make sense," said Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates, Inc., a retail consulting and investment banking firm. "That's why we haven't built a major enclosed mall since 2006." Of the roughly 1,000 malls in the U.S., about 400 cater to upper- income shoppers, he said. For those higher -end malls, business is improving, according to data from Green Street Advisors. It's the lower - end malls that are being hit by store closures. JCPenney, Macy's, and Sears have all recently announced fresh rounds of closures and layoffs. JCPenney is closing 33 stores, Macy's is closing five, and Sears is closing its is flagship in Chicago the latest of about 300 closures Sears has made since 2010. As those retailers vacate their hulking, multi -story spaces, mall owners are aiming to replace them with movie theaters, restaurants, and discount retailers like TJ Maxx, Ross Stores, and Marshalls, analysts said. But if a mall is hit by two or more anchor closures at once, it's harder to stay afloat. That's typically the beginning of a downward spiral leading to ultimate extinction, Lachance said. Most struggling malls don't go down without a long, drawn -out fight, however — the evidence of which exists in hundreds of communities across the country where vacant wings of various shopping centers are beginning to crumble and decay. States hit particularly badly include Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Illinois, according to Deadmalls.com, which tracks mall closures. "Malls will go broke, will go dark, will get closed — and it will take eight years for something to be redeveloped," Davidowitz said. Don Wood, the CEO of Federal Reality Investment Trust, has said the process of knocking down or converting a mall could take as long as two decades. "It's really going to be hard in the next 10 years to knock down that mall and rebuild it into something better because the economics just don't work," Wood said at a conference in June 2012, according to The Wall Street Journal. A failing mall in a non - affluent market "most likely will just stay there and get worse and worse over the next 20 years." What will eventually replace these ghost malls are community colleges, business offices, and health care facilities, according to Green Street Advisors. Until then, many of these former shopping hubs will continue the gradual process of boarding up windows and turning out the lights, one store after another. IP1'Li Marian Karr From: City of Iowa City <webmaster @iowa - city.org> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2014 10:47 AM To: Marian Karr Subject: Iowa DOT construction on 1 -80 /Dubuque Street Interchange to begin March 31 19, Contact: Hugh Holak Contact Phone: 319 - 927 -2397 Iowa DOT construction on I- 80/Dubuque Street Interchange to begin March 31 Issued by: Communications Office Mailing List(s): Construction & Street Closures - General City News Originally Posted 3/21/2014 10:45:41 AM The Iowa Department of Transportation will resume construction of the I -80 Interchange at Dubuque Street (Exit 244) beginning the week of March 31. This will be a continuation of the project that was stopped in August 2013. On Tuesday, April 8, weather permitting, traffic on Dubuque Street will be shifted to the southbound lanes with one lane of traffic in each direction between Linder Road and Foster Road. At this time, the westbound exit ramp will also close. All other ramp movements will remain open. Westbound traffic wishing to exit on Dubuque Street will be detoured to 1 st Ave (Exit 242). The detour will provide for traffic to return to Dubuque Street on the eastbound lanes to the Dubuque Street exit. Work to be completed includes paving the northbound lanes on Dubuque Street and removals of the old northbound to westbound entrance ramp and of the old northbound to eastbound entrance ramp. It is anticipated that construction will be completed by early June. View this article on the ICGov Web Site: http: / /www.ic og_ vorg /apps /news / ?newsID =9478 This media release was sent to: marian- kaffgiowa- city.org Do not reply directly to this e-mail! It is produced from an automated system, and is not monitored for replies. If you have a question or comment about this information, please contact the individual(s) listed in the release. • Unsubscribe or edit your subscription details. IP16 Marian Karr From: City of Iowa City <webmaster @iowa - city.org> Sent: Monday, March 24, 2014 4:56 PM To: Marian Karr Subject: Iowa City residents invited to local Blue Zones kick -off IN! Contact: Blue Zones Contact Phone: (319) 337 -0523 Iowa City residents invited to local Blue Zones kick -off Issued by: Communications Office Mailing List(s): Classes, Programs & Events - General City News Originally Posted 3/24/2014 4:55:48 PM Iowa City residents are invited to join Dan Buettner, National Geographic explorer and author of the best- selling book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from People Who've Lived the Longest, at the kick- off rally for the local Blue Zones project on Thursday, April 17. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Sheraton Hotel at 210 S. Dubuque Street in downtown Iowa City. Doors open at 5 p.m. In addition to a wide variety of entertainment and activities, the kick -off will provide an opportunity to sign up as a Blue Zones participant, explore local plans, and weigh in on the project's local priorities. Planned activities include a performance by local youth percussionists, activities for children in the KidsZone, drawings for gift certificates from local businesses, and numerous freebies and give - aways, ranging from healthy snacks and water bottles to t- shirts, drawstring bags, magnets, and other items. Attendees will be offered free parking in the Dubuque Street and Court Street Transportation Center parking ramps. Iowa City's acceptance as a Blue Zones community provides a team of experts to help guide residents toward lifestyle changes that have been proven to result in healthier, happier, longer lives. Initiatives are guided by nine basic Blue Zones principles that were identified in Buettner's 2008 book, which profiled common characteristics of people in different parts of the world who had lived well into their 80s, 90s, and even 100s. Buettner found that instead of embracing diets and formal exercise programs, people in Blue Zones communities live in environments that naturally enable healthy living, guided by life choices that include "downshifting" to avoid stress, being part of the "right tribe" with people who are supportive, and "knowing your purpose." The City of Iowa City and Johnson County are both participating in the local Blue Zones effort, as well as local schools and numerous local businesses. For more information, visit www.bluezones.com, e-mail B1ueZonesProjectIowaCity (,Healthwa s.com or call 319/337 -0523. Mediacom 4 00-00-010 March 19, 2014 Ms. Marian Karr City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, Iowa 52240 -1826 Dear Ms. Karr: 2014 MAR 25 AM 11: 1 10 C1 T Y CL ERK W, A C I T Y, 10 1 The purpose of this letter is to inform you that, on or about May 1, 2014, Mediacom will be implementing a Non - Standard Converter Fee of $5.00 per month. This fee will be applied to all customers who rent a DVR box from Mediacom, but choose to cancel their DVR service subscription without returning their DVR box to Mediacom. The Non - Standard Converter Fee will remain in place until the customer returns the DVR box and /or exchanges the DVR box for a standard set top box. In conjunction with this change, Mediacom will be standardizing the Electronic Reactivation of Account and Electronic Change of Service Fees at rates of $2.00 companywide. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at 319 - 395 -9699 ext. 3461 or 1 rg a�ykmediacomcc.com . Sincerely, 064 A wt Lee Grassley Senior Manager, Government Relations Mediacom Communications Corporation 6300 Council St. NE • Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 • 319- 395 -7801 • Fax 319- 393 -7017 IP18 Preliminary Minutes March 20, 2014 MINUTES SENIOR CENTER COMMISSION MARCH 20, 2014 ROOM 211, IOWA CITY /JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER Members Present: Chuck Felling, Rose Hanson, Jack Hobbs, Mark Holbrook, Jay Honohan, Kathy Mitchell, Margaret Reese Members Absent: Staff Present: Michelle Buhman, Linda Kopping, Kristin Kromray Others Present: Andy Anderson, Valorie Appleton, Carol Bird, Beth Clopton, Don Friedman, Mary Gravitt, Barbara Hackman, Florence Hayslett, Karl Hille, Kris Johnson, Helen McClean, Carol Oblinger, Irvin Pfab, Janeal Rockwell, Dorothy Scandura, Larry Strabala, Mari Struxness, June Thurston, Rick Weber, Louise Young RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: None. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Honohan at 4:00 PM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 3, 2014 MEETING: Motion: To accept the minutes from the March 3, 2014 meeting. Motion carried on a vote of 7/0. Hobbs /Mitchell PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: None. COMMISSION ASSIGNMENTS: Honohan will attend the April 1St city council meeting. Preliminary Minutes March 20, 2014 DISCUSSION OF AD HOC SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE: Honohan described the purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee to all public present. He read the duties that are outlined for the Senior Services Ad Hoc Committee and explained how the application and appointment process works. Kopping distributed applications for the Ad Hoc committee to all interested persons. Several guests questioned why this committee was formed. Kopping explained that the June 2013 survey brought up some questions and concerns related to racial and economic diversity among participants at The Center. Subsequently the City Council adopted a resolution to form an ad hoc committee to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of current senior services provided by the City. After completing their assessment, the committee will submit a formal report summarizing their findings and make any recommendations they may have for changes they believe will improve the City's service to seniors. In addition to evaluating programs, services, participation, and costs, the committee will be evaluating the Senior Center facility and accessibility issues. Dorthy Scandurra asked what specifically was highlighted in the 2013 survey. Kopping reported that the 2013 survey was mailed to current and past members, as well as others who elected to be included on the Senior Center's program guide mailing list. This survey showed that there were very few low income and minority seniors using the Senior Center. She indicated that this survey did not include a lot people who actually use the Senior Center because many services, classes and public events do not require membership. In January of this year the Senior Center decided to do another demographic survey to get a better picture of Senior Center participants. This newer survey was sent via mail to members, but it also included information collected from program participants who are here for non - member required programs and services such as evening and weekend classes, tax aid, SHIIP counseling, and Honoring Your Wishes advanced care planning. Data from the survey done this year provides a much better representation of the people who are actually in the building. Preliminary results show that low income seniors are much better represented than originally thought and there is a significant increase in the percentage of minority seniors. Mary Gravitt noted that the downtown location of the Senior Center is ideal. She said the central location is easily accessible by public transportation. This lead to a discussion about eliminating the downtown Senior Center and having smaller neighborhood senior centers or programming at various locations throughout Iowa City. Many in the audience thought that that would make programming less robust and would lead to fewer offerings compared to all of the things that they can currently do in at Senior Center. 2 Preliminary Minutes March 20, 2014 Rick Weber noted that some offsite programming may be beneficial, but only to supplement the current offerings. Holbrook noted that a part time temporary staff person was asked for in the FY15 budget to do community outreach programming, such as offsite exercise classes. This request was not approved due to budget constraints. This led to commission and public discussion regarding budget limitations. Mitchell noted that the City is concerned about legislation at the state level that significantly decrease the City's tax revenue. It is uncertain how this will affect the Senior Center's funding in the future. Commission members encouraged visitors to apply for positions on the ad hoc committee. As a member of the committee, they would have input on decisions that directly affect their lives. Hobbs noted that while not everyone who applies will be chosen for the Ad Hoc Senior Services Committee, all meetings of the committee will be public and they could attend them if they have questions or concerns. DISCUSSION OF MARCH 25TH-, 2014 WORK SESSION WITH COLIN MILNER Michelle Buhman reminded commissioners that all members of the Commission, steering council and working committees are invited to meet Colin Milner, the CEO and Founder of the International Council on Active Aging, on March 25th at 12:30 for a working lunch. Milner will share his insights on how we can design our programs to best serve the community, as well as prepare for the next generation of Senior Center members. Motion: To set a work session for March 25th, 2014 at 12:30pm in room 208. Motion carried on a vote of 7/0. Holbrook /Reese OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW Kopping discussed the budget goals and performance measures that she is putting together for the City Council. Kopping reported that the Friends of the Center are going to be funding a new pilot program called the EarthBox Program. They will purchase container gardens that will be used by area low income seniors. Volunteers will help set the gardens up and provide some oversight over the summer months. Thus far Pathways, Emerson Point and assisted living residents at Bickford Cottage are interested in having some of these available for residents. Buhman encouraged everyone to come to two public presentations at the Senior Center on March 25th as well. One at 3:30 on "Building age Friendly Community: Changing the Way We Age" and at 7pm, "Redefining the Image of Aging ". 3 Preliminary Minutes March 20, 2014 There will be a free intergene rational "Bunny Hop" dance on Friday April 4th from 7 -9pm, all community members are invited to attend. COMMISSION DISCUSSION None. ADJOURNMENT: Motion: To Adjourn. Motion carried on a vote of 7/0. Holbrook/Hobbs 4 Preliminary Minutes March 20, 2014 Senior Center Commission Attendance Record Year 2014 Name Term Expires 7/18 8/15 9/19 10/24 11/21 12/19 1/16 1/30 2/6 2/20 3/3 3120 Chuck Felling 12/31/15 X NM X X NM X X X X X X X Rose Hanson 12/31/14 X NM O/E O/E NM X O/E X X X X X Jack Hobbs 12/31/16 -- -- -- -- -- -- X X X O/E X X Mark Holbrook 12/31/14 O/E NM X X NM X X X X X O/E X Jay Honohan 12/31/16 X NM X X NM X X X X X X X Michael Lensing 12/31/13 O/E NM -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Kathy Mitchell 12/31/15 X NM X X NM X X X X X X X Margaret Reese 12/31/15 -- -- X X NM X X X O/E X X X Key: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting -- = Not a member