Schreiber Letter_Bluff Top Development_Raymond PlaceHonorable Mayor and City Council:
We respectfully request to be placed on the agenda for the May 19th 2008 City Council Meeting. We
have an action item concerning a proposed bluff top development.
Sincerely,
Tom Schreiber Mark Schreiber
416 Raymond PI 505 Cooper PI
Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque, Iowa
RECEIVED
08 MAY 14 AM 8:13
City Clerk's Office
Dubuque, IA
May 19th, 2008
Honorable Mayor and City Council:
We wish to address a proposed six-unit condominium project for Raymond Place. We are
providing this letter to explain our objections to this project, and to state what we are asking of
the City Council.
• We have discussed this project with a certified appraiser. It is a fact that there will be
significant diminished value for our properties, our mother's, and neighboring homes if
construction which extends over the edge of the bluff is permitted. (see pictures #1 a
before and 1 b after, 2a before and 2b after)
Raymond Place is in a Conservation District. Unfortunately, the city may have improperly
allowed a small single family home to be removed from this property, and this has led to
our present hardship. We now ask the city to correct this oversight by only allowing
construction of a dwelling which approximates the footprint of the previous home. (see
picture #3}
These proposed condos adjoin a Historic District along Bluff Street. They are totally out of
character and out of proportion both with homes in the Conservation District on top of the
bluff as well as with buildings immediately below in the Historic Preservation District.
They would detract from the 4t" Street Elevator at the top of this same bluff, which is a
designated National Historic Landmark. This is going to totally alter the view from the
cable car, and dominate the view from downtown (see pictures #4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, and
6b). If this development is allowed to happen, a ripple effect will likely ensue. Tom
Schreiber will need to similarly extend his house out 40 feet over the edge of the bluff to
preserve his view. At that point there is only one landowner between his house and the
cable car. Sooner or later that landowner will follow suit, and the view from the cable car
will be cut in half. Since it is a designated National Historic Landmark, no compensatory
alterations could be made to that structure. (see pictures #2a and 2b, this picture also
replicates the impact as seen from the elevator if that were to happen)
• Dubuque has a City Council appointed Bluff Advisory Committee. Our city has
empowered a group of citizens who have volunteered their time to study the bluffs, their
history and stability, and we've entrusted them to make recommendations about
development both because of problems which have already occurred and preservation of
our historic bluffs. This committee's most recent recommendation called for a fifty foot
setback from the edge of the bluff. This proposed development extends forty feet
BEYOND the edge of the bluff! This is a ninety foot differential from the current
recommendation! (picture #3)
Because of the scale of this project which extends out over the edge of the bluff, there
will be substantial tree loss and subsequent erosion and instability may ensue. The
construction itself will lead to significant amounts of material sliding down the bluff
affecting homes below. The drilling of pilings at the bluff edge may lead to more bluff
destabilization (see picture #7 and 8). Definite examples of this would be the bluff
damage at Eagle Point Park, the retaining wall collapse on Grove Terrace, and the
instability and repair of a wall on Thomas Place. Hanging such a massive structure out
thirty to forty feet over the bluff face presents a grave concern in light of these recent bluff
problems. From a safety standpoint, the city needs a comprehensive plan which would
protect its citizens. And while this plan is being developed, we ask for your protection.
We respectfully ask that the City Council act on this issue. We see these as options for
your consideration:
1. A moratorium on all bluff development pending the Bluff Advisory Committee's final
recommendations
2. A moratorium on all Raymond Place development, as it is in a Conservation District
and is adjacent to a Historic District pending Bluff Advisory Committee's final
recommendations
3. A moratorium on this proposed development due to bluff stability issues, scale of the
project, extension of the project over the edge of the bluff, and the builder's efforts to
construct this with full knowledge of pending bluff protective legislation
4. Only allow construction of a dwelling which approximates the footprint of the previous
home in order to rectify the demolition oversight
5. A referral concerning possible violation of Conservation District ordinance policies to
the City Attorney for review
6. A less safe compromise would be to allow in the proposed development in spite of the
work of the Bluff Advisory Committee, but that it not extend beyond the edge of the
bluff.
We feel that it is the duty of the City Council to act on our behalf while awaiting the
adoption of the council-appointed Bluff Advisory Committee's recommendations. Thank
you.
Sincerely,
Tom Schreiber Mark Schreiber
416 Raymond PI 505 Cooper PI
Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque, Iowa
RECEIVED
08 MAY 19 AM 8:58
City Clerk's Office
Dubuque, IA
93
May 19th, 2008
Honorable Mayor and City Council:
We wish to address a proposed six-unit condominium project for Raymond Place. We are
providing this letter to explain our objections to this project, and to state what we are asking of
the City Council.
• We have discussed this project with a certified appraiser. It is a fact that there will be
significant diminished value for our properties, our mother's, and neighboring homes if
construction which extends over the edge of the bluff is permitted. (see pictures #1 a
before and 1 b after, 2a before and 2b after)
• Raymond Place is in a Conservation District. Unfortunately, the city may have improperly
allowed a small single family home to be removed from this property, and this has led to
our present hardship. We now ask the city to correct this oversight by only allowing
construction of a dwelling which approximates the footprint of the previous home. (see
picture #3)
• These proposed condos adjoin a Historic District along Bluff Street. They are totally out of
character and out of proportion both with homes in the Conservation District on top of the
bluff as well as with buildings immediately below in the Historic Preservation District.
They would detract from the 4th Street Elevator at the top of this same bluff, which is a
designated National Historic Landmark. This is going to totally alter the view from the
cable car, and dominate the view from downtown (see pictures #4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, and
6b). If this development is allowed to happen, a ripple effect will likely ensue. Tom
Schreiber will need to similarly extend his house out 40 feet over the edge of the bluff to
preserve his view. At that point there is only one landowner between his house and the
cable car. Sooner or later that landowner will follow suit, and the view from the cable car
will be cut in half. Since it is a designated National Historic Landmark, no compensatory
alterations could be made to that structure. (see pictures #2a and 2b, this picture also
replicates the impact as seen from the elevator if that were to happen)
Dubuque has a City Council appointed Bluff Advisory Committee. Our city has
empowered a group of citizens who have volunteered their time to study the bluffs, their
history and stability, and we've entrusted them to make recommendations about
development both because of problems which have already occurred and preservation of
our historic bluffs. This committee's most recent recommendation called for a fifty foot
setback from the edge of the bluff. This proposed development extends forty feet
BEYOND the edge of the bluff! This is a ninety foot differential from the current
recommendation! (picture #3)
Because of the scale of this project which extends out over the edge of the bluff, there
will be substantial tree loss and subsequent erosion and instability may ensue. The
construction itself will lead to signifcant amounts of material sliding down the bluff
affecting homes below. The drilling of pilings at the bluff edge may lead to more bluff
destabilization (see picture #7 and 8). Definite examples of this would be the bluff
damage at Eagle Point Park, the retaining wall collapse on Grove Terrace, and the
instability and repair of a wall on Thomas Place. Hanging such a massive structure out
thirty to forty feet over the bluff face presents a grave concern in light of these recent bluff
problems. From a safety standpoint, the city needs a comprehensive plan which would
protect its citizens. And while this plan is being developed, we ask for your protection.
We respectfully ask thaf the City Council act on this issue. We see these as options for
your consideration:
1. A moratorium on all bluff development pending the Bluff Advisory Committee's final
recommendations
2. A moratorium on all Raymond Place development, as it is in a Conservation District
and is adjacent to a Historic District pending Bluff Advisory Committee's final
recommendations
3. A moratorium on this proposed development due to bluff stability issues, scale of the
project, extension of the project over the edge of the bluff, and the builder's efforts to
construct this with full knowledge of pending bluff protective legislation
4. Only allow construction of a dwelling which approximates the footprint of the previous
home in order to rectify the demolition oversight
5. A referral concerning possible violation of Conservation District ordinance policies to
the City Attorney for review
6. A less safe compromise would be to allaw in the proposed development in spite of the
work of the Bluff' Advisory Committee, but that it not extend beyond the edge of the
bluff.
We feel that it is the duty of the City Council to act on our behalf while awaiting the
adoption of the council-appointed Bluff Advisory Committee's recommendations. Thank
you.
Sincerely,
Tom Schreiber Mark Schreiber
416 Raymond PI 505 Cooper PI
Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque, Iowa
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