Minutes Long Range Pl 11 20 02PRESENT:
LONG RANGE PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
7:00 P.M.
Auditorium, Carnegie Stout Library
360 W. 11th Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Chairperson David Rusk; Commissioners Mary Lynn Neumeister, Mike
Portzen, Floyd Schneider, Roy Buol, Charles Winterwood and Rick Stein;
Staff Members Laura Carstens and Beth Conlon.
ABSENT: None.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying
that the meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: Motion by Winterwood, seconded by Buol, to approve the minutes of October
16, 2002, as submitted. The motion carried unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
Public Hearings: Chairperson Rusk reported on old business regarding the public
hearings at the October 16, 2002 meeting. He noted that the urban revitalization plans for
the historic districts were approved. He reported that the Council did not pass the
proposed Area Residential Care Urban Revitalization Plan. The motion was denied by a
vote of 4 to 3.
He also reported that the proposed land use map amendment for the Wal-Mart Super
Center had been approved. Chairperson Rusk then commented he had received a phone
call from Chuck Isenhart regarding a proposed zoning change from Industrial to
Commercial at this site. He said Mr. Isenhart also questioned the direct impact on other
retailers in the area. Commissioner Winterwood commented that with the creation of new
industrial parks, this area was more appropriate for commercial. Commissioner
Winterwood commented that thera were also questions regarding howthe rezoning might
also affect transportation flow in the area. Staff Member Carstens stated that the traffic
impact analysis would be reviewed by City Engineering staff, and then the Zoning Advisory
Commission and City Council.
LIAISON/SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Joint City/County Plannin,q Committee: Commissioner Neumeister asked about a schedule
of proposed meetings for the Joint City/County Planning Committee. Discussion followed.
Downtown Planning Committee: Chairperson Rusk reported that Judie Fjellman,
representing Dubuque Initiatives, and a replacement for the late Ruth Nash from the
Dubuque Cultural Alliance were invited to become members of the Downtown Planning
Minutes - Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
November 20, 2002
Page 2
Committee. He asked .for confirmation of these new members from the Long Range
Planning Commission.
Motion by Neumeister, seconded by Winterwood, that the Long Range Planning
Advisory Commission confirm the addition of two new members from DubuqUe
Initiatives and Dubuque Cultural Alliance to the Downtown Planning Committee.
Motion was carried unanimously.
Chairperson Rusk asked if Anne Ricker from Leland Consulting Group would be at the
December Downtown Planning Committee meeting. Staff Member Carstens reported
that staff is working on this.
Enterprise Zone Commission: No report.
Stormwater Utility Committee: Commissioner Portzen reported that the Stormwater Utility
Committee progress was not going well. He commented that the 31-member committee
was too large. He added that committee members don't understand what the solutions are
because some people did not attend all the meetings. He said the consultant is doing a
good job explaining the utility options. Discussion followed.
Commissioner Portzen said that there is a March 1, 2003 deadline to achieve consensus
on a solution for the stormwater problem. Chairperson Rusk thanked Commissioner
Portzen for his leadership with the Stormwater Utility Committee.
Bee Branch Stormwater Committee: Commissioner Winterwood reported that the
committee's recommendation to hire the engineering firm MSA to give a second opinion on
the Bee Branch Stormwater issue was voted down by the City Council. He also stated that
HDR, the engineering firm that did the original study, will meet on December 16th with the
City Council. Commissioner Buol commented that the City Council wants to get certain
questions answered at that meeting. Commissioner Winterwood commented that the
North End homeowners have been held in limbo and are upset. Discussion followed.
ITEMS FROM STAFF: Staff Member Carstens reported that the City of Dubuque received
an Implementing Smart Growth Award from the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning
Association for the Port of Dubuque Master Plan.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION:
FY04 Bud,qet Requests: Staff Member Carstens reviewed the FY04 Budget Improvement
Level Requests for the Planning Services Department: She explained that the first request
is for the addition of one full-time Associate Planner to support both the Historic
Preservation and City Planning activities due to the workload increase. Discussion
followed.
Minutes - Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
November 20, 2002
Page 3
Motion by Winterwood, seconded by Stein, to support the request for one full-time
Associate Planner to support Historic Preservation and City Planning activities. Motion
carried unanimously.
Staff Member Carstens explained that the second request is to update the 1985 Zoning
Ordinance and the 1991 Subdivision Ordinance. Commissioner Neumeister
commented that the request had been $85,000 for the last fiscal year budget. Staff
Member Carstens reported that with the addition of the Subdivision Ordinance update,
planning firms that staff contacted estimated a cost of $130,000. Discussion followed.
Commissioners suggested the Downtown Master Plan be implemented in the new
Zoning Ordinance. Commissioners discussed overlay zones and urban renewal plan
overlays. Commissioners also discussed quantifying the numbers and types of
variances.
Motion by Winterwood, seconded by Neumeister, to hire a consultant to review and
revise the 1985 and 1991 Zoning Ordinances with the following changes:
1)
2)
Review/integrate the Downtown Master Plan goals and objectives into the
Zoning Ordinance.
Review the land use and development provisions of the City's various
urban renewal plan overlays.
Motion carded unanimously.
Commissioners discussed a strategy to solicit support from the Zoning Advisory
Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Historic Preservation Commission for the
budget requests. Consensus was for the Chairperson and staff to attend the Zoning
Advisory Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Historic Preservation
Commission meetings in December.
Comprehensive Plan: Chairperson Rusk asked for a report on the Comprehensive
Plan printing project. Staff Member Carstens reported that bids went out on November
20, 2002 to print 1,000 plans and 2,000 maps. She added that the plans should be
ready by the end of the year.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Conlon, Assistant Planner Adopted