Minutes Jt Cty County Pln 12 17 MINUTES
JOINT CITY/COUNTY PLANNING COMMITTEE
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
9:00 a.m.
Conference Room #2
City Hall Annex, 2nd Floor
1300 Main Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
Chairperson Mary Lynn Neumeister, Committee Members John
Goodmann, Mike Portzen, Jim Waller, Jim Gonyier, Ann Michalski, and
Anna O'Shea; Staff Members Laura Carstens and Elizabeth Conlon.
Committee Members Dave Rusk, Gordon Mills and Dr. Charles
Winterwood
CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Neumeister called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.
AFFIDAVIT 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 Michalski, seconded by O'Shea to approve the minutes of
October 30, 2003 as submitted Motion carried unanimously.
ACTION ITEMS:
Review comments from Dubuque County Plannin,q & Zoning Commission: Committee
Members reviewed a report on the final Fringe Area Policy Agreement review from the
November 18. 2003 Dubuque County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The
County Commission made the following suggestions:
1. Recommend all County Attorney language be included
2. The blue area on the Fringe Area Map has too much existing development that
does not conform to City standards.
3. There needs to be a way to address conflicts between existing development and
the City/County plan.
4. The blue area is too large.
Committee Members Goodmann and O'Shea added that the Dubuque County Planning
and Zoning Commission could not see how the Agreement would benefit the County.
Staff Member Carstens reviewed that the State law required the City to use City
standards in the two-mile fringe, unless a 28E Agreement like the Fringe Area Policy
Agreement was adopted. Chairperson Neumeister noted that the County had no input
on development without the Agreement, but did have a chance for input with the
Agreement. She felt that input constituted a benefit to the County.
Committee Members Goodmann and O'Shea added that the Dubuque County Planning
and Zoning Commission had reservations concerning developers having to go to the
City Council, the flexibility of the City Council toward the County and the Council's
Minutes - Joint City/County Planning Committee
December 17. 2003
Page 2
influence over the County, and the issue of growth in the County. Committee members
discussed the concerns of the Commission, and the provisions of the Fringe Area Policy
Agreement. Committee members noted that the Agreement provides a set of guidelines
for City and County staff. City and County officials, developers and property owners.
The Committee also commented the Agreement offers guidance and flexibility for
development in the two-mile fringe area. and is a means to resolve conflicts.
Committee memoers then discussed how to coordinate the Agreement with the
overlapping two-mile fringe areas of the other cities. Staff Member Carstens reviewed
the process for plats within an overlapping area under State law. She then suggested
that a section acknowledging similar agreements with the other cites be added to
address the overlapping areas of review.
Committee Member O'Shea stated that the County Commission couldn't support the
agreement. Chairperson Neumeister and Committee Member Michalski expressed their
disappointment that after a two-year process ~n which the City representatives had
compromised on the terms of the Agreement. that the County Commission would refuse
to support the Agreement.
Chairperson Neumeister indicated that she was prepared to adjourn the meeting and to
stop the process at this point due to this lack of support. Committee Member Waller
asked that the process continue because he felt the Agreement did reflect compromise
and was a good idea.
Determine Next Steps for Adoption of Frin.qe Area Policy A,qreement: The consensus of
the Committee was that Committee Members Mike Portzen and Jim Gonyier and Staff
Member Laura Carstens attend a work session before the January 20. 2004 Dubuque
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to explain the State law and gain support for
the Fringe Area Policy AgreemenT.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted.
Elizabeth Conlon. Assistant Planner
Adopted