Minutes_Long Range Planning Advisory Commission 10 21 2020 Copyrig hted
November 16, 2020
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 1.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of 11/2/20; Historic Preservation Commission
of 10/15/20; I nvestment Oversight Advisory Commission of 10/28/20;
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission of 10/21/20; Zoning
Advisory Commission of 11/4/20; Zoning Board of Adjustment of
10/22/20; Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of 10/5/20,
10/6/20, 10/7/20; Proof of publication for List of Claim and Summary of
Revenues for month ending 9/30.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
City Council Proceedings of 11/2/20 Supporting Documentation
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes of 10/15/20 Supporting Documentation
Investment OversightAdvisory Commission Minutes of Supporting Documentation
10/28/20
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission Minutes of Supporting Documentation
10/21/20
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes of 11/4/20 Supporting Documentation
Zoning Board of Adjustment of 10/22/2020 Supporting Documentation
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of Supporting Documentation
10/5/20
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of Supporting Documentation
10/6/20
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of Supporting Documentation
10/7/20
Proof of Publication for List of Claims/ Summary of Supporting Documentation
Revenues for Month Ending 9/30/20
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
�V L � �II erieaj I
1I �
2007«z012�2013 �
Mastea�iece on the Mississippi zoi�*�oi9
MINUTES
CITY OF DUBUQUE LONG RANGE PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Virtual Meeting
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and mandates for social distancing, this meeting was
conducted virtually.
Commissioners Present: Chairperson John Pregler; Commissioners Ron Collins,
Alan Vincent, Tyler Stoffel and John Krayer.
Commissioners Excused: None.
Commissioners Unexcused: None.
Staff Members Present: Planning Services Manager Wally Wernimont, Assistant
Planner Chris Happ Olson and Planning Technician Jason Duba; Economic
Development Director Jill Connors, Housing & Community Development Director Alexis
Steger; and City Attorney Crenna Brumwell.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Pregler at 5:31 p.m.
MINUTES: Motion by Vincent, seconded by Stoffel, to approve the minutes of the
September 16, 2020 Long Range Planning Advisory Commission meeting as submitted.
Motion carried by the following vote: Aye —Collins, Krayer, Stoffel, Vincent, and Pregler;
Nay — None.
Work Session
• Urban Renewal Plan
Chairperson Pregler stated that he did not feel the commission's message was fully
understood by the city council. This prompted him to write a letter to the council, which
he did not intend to be construed as coming from the commission.
Planning Services Manager Wally Wernimont apologized for doing double-duty at the last
meeting and felt the commission needed more information about urban renewal plans, so
this meeting was scheduled and prepared. The meeting will be recorded for the
orientation of new commissioners in the future.
Minutes — Long Range Planning Advisory Commission Page 2
October 21, 2020
Economic Development Director Jill Connors explained how Tax Increment Financing
(TIF) operates. She presented and referred to a diagram from Attachment A of the
meeting packet illustrating the mechanism. She explained how this tax rebate in the first
10 years will provide increased tax revenue following that period. She also explained that
lowa law dictates that the Long Range Planning Advisory Commission reviews the urban
renewal plans for compliance with the comprehensive plan.
Pregler stated that the commission had two main points:
1. The urban renewal plan did not include an explicit objective of increasing
affordable housing.
2. Can the development agreements require a certain number of low-income
housing units?
Connors stated that the urban renewal plans that the commission reviews are broad and
don't get into that detail. Pregler asked if the city can require that detail in the development
agreement. Connors explained that developers get into that detail with the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program from the lowa Finance Authority (IFA), which has a
competitive point system for awarding credits.
Wernimont explained how the LIHTC selection process works and illustrated with
materials from IFA, including maps of lowa Opportunity Index Census Tracts. Projects
get points based on serving lowest income residents, including market rate units,
including households with children (3- or 4-bedroom units), lowa Opportunity Index
Census tracts, and historical significance. Each year, IFA reviews needs and can revise
their point system. Wernimont showed a list of properties in Dubuque that have received
LIHTC.
Housing & Community Development Director Alexis Steger stated that the City needs to
get creative to increase incentives for low-income units. The urban renewal plans need
to be malleable enough to encourage development, and shouldn't make it so restrictive it
doesn't allow for development.
City Attorney Crenna Bruwmell explained that some developments that have received
IFA awards have not gone forward because they weren't able to get enough financing.
A conversation ensued about whether the city can require low-income units. The LIHTC
provided by IFA do require monitoring of units, and failure to comply can lead to IRS
action and revocation of the tax credits. The city's TIF program does not have the same
requirements, so the city relies on IFA to do this monitoring work.
Commissioner Tyler Stoffel asked about the map of lowa Opportunity Index Census
Tracts and whether the city could establish an urban renewal area elsewhere. Staff noted
that the city can create an urban renewal area anywhere in the city in order to provide TIF
funding. The opportunity areas are established by IFA to incentivize development in good
areas for low-income families.
Minutes — Long Range Planning Advisory Commission Page 3
October 21, 2020
This part of the meeting closed, and Pregler thanked Brumwell, Connors, and Steger.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: None.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: None.
ITEMS FROM STAFF:
• Proposed change to the By-Laws
Assistant Planner Chris Happ Olson explained that changing the by-laws to align member
terms with officer terms would only require changing the current January election of
officers to a July election. Members discussed this and were in favor of it.
Motion by Collins, seconded by Krayer, to change the January election to a July election
in the by-laws. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Collins, Krayer, Stoffel,
Vincent, and Pregler; Nay — None.
• Thank you to Michael Peroski.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Stoffel, seconded by Vincent, to adjourn the October 21,
2020 Long Range Planning Advisory Commission meeting. Motion carried by the
following vote: Aye — Collins, Krayer, Stoffel, Vincent, and Pregler; Nay — None.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Manager Adopted