Smart Planning Consortium UpdateMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Smart Planning Consortium Update
DATE: November 14, 2011
Dubuque
bitil
All- Amedcaciy
1
2007
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is transmitting an update on the October 5,
October 26, and November 9, 2011 Smart Planning Consortium Meetings. Minutes of
the October 5 and October 26, 2011 meetings, Housing Goals and Objectives, and
Smart Planning Public Input Meeting schedule are also provided.
After review, it is requested that the City Council provide any feedback to the Smart
Planning Consortium.
IA/114 4-31/114,-
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager -,g(
SUBJECT: Smart Planning Consortium Update
DATE: November 10, 2011
Dubuque
AY- America City
2007
INTRODUCTION
This memo provides an update on the October 5, October 26, and November 9, 2011
Smart Planning Consortium meetings. Minutes of the October 5 and October 26, 2011
meetings, Housing Goals and Objectives, and Smart Planning Public Input Meeting
schedule are enclosed.
DISCUSSION
The Consortium reviewed the enclosed Housing Goals and Objectives. Comments from
the City's Housing and Community Development Department were incorporated in the
enclosed revised draft of these goals.
The Dubuque County Smart Planning Consortium, consisting of Dubuque County,
Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation District, and the cities of Asbury, Cascade,
Dubuque, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley and Peosta, is holding a series of public meetings
to gather input on four draft chapters of the Dubuque County Smart Plan and on the
Future Land Use Map. The first meeting was held on November 1 in Peosta. The City of
Dubuque will host a public meeting on November 16 during the Commission's regular
meeting.
The next Consortium meeting will be 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on November 23, 2011 at
ECIA, 7600 Commerce Park in Dubuque.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council review the enclosed information, and then
provide any feedback to the Smart Planning Consortium.
Enclosures
F: \USERS \LCARSTEN \WP \Smart Planning Grant \Smart Planning Consortium update to City Council 11 10 11.doc
1
SMART PLANNING
Meeting Minutes
Consortium Members
® Anna O'Shea- Dubuque County
Laura Carstens -City of Dubuque
® Dave Johnson (proxy) -City of Dubuque
® Beth Bonz -City of Asbury
® Randy Lansing -City of Cascade
® Mick Michel -City of Dyersville
Public Present
October 5, 2011
10:00 a.m.
ECIA
® Janet Berger -City of Epworth
® Bill Einwalter -City of Farley
® Karen Snyder -City of Peosta
® Eric Schmechel- Dubuque SWCD
❑ Chandra Ravada -ECIA
Jim Bodnar, Dubuque County; Cory Burbach, City of Dubuque, Jeff Geerts, Iowa Economic Development
Authority; Paul Hanley, University of Iowa
Staff Present
Dan Fox, Gail Kuhle
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Anna O'Shea at 10:05 a.m. The Smart Planning meeting for October
5, 2011 was held at City Hall in the City of Dubuque. Introductions were made at this time.
Carstens began by giving a brief planning history of the City of Dubuque. Cory Burbach, Dubuque
Sustainability Coordinator, continued with a brief background on Dubuque's Sustainability Initiative.
Burbach stated that as the Initiative moves forward, the City needs a way to measure their sustainability
performance. Therefore, the City has partnered with the University of Iowa and their students for the next
year to develop a Performance Metric. The Metric will be used to track the sustainability progress which
would allow the City the opportunity to compare the progress from year to year and as well as to other
communities. She noted that the University of Iowa students will also be working on other projects such
local foods at the college level, renewable energy asset mapping, a study on poverty and the Green and
Healthy Homes project. Burbach stated that as a second year project she would like to take the
sustainability performance measures and see how they are working as a region.
O'Shea offered that assistance of the Consortium. Carstens said that as a goal, the region would like to
see a common set of development standards, subdivision codes as well as building codes.
Hanley gave a brief update on where the students were on developing the metric, noting that the students
are using existing community indicators and data that is currently available.
Discussion followed.
Burbach noted that for the second year of projects, there is a possibility that the projects could be
regional, similar to the Dubuque projects.
Fox noted that the one of the requirements of the HUD Sustainable Grant is to track the performance
measures; therefore the University of Iowa was included as one of the partners in the HUD Sustainability
Planning Grant application.
Lansing asked if all of the small cities, with the exception of Cascade, agreed to be a part of the HUD
application. Fox stated that yes, all of the others cities did agree to be a part of the application.
Approval of the Agenda
Under Other Business, O'Shea added the Watershed Project, HUD Planning Grant, Building Blocks for
Sustainable Communities and Des Moines training.
Motion by Einwalter, second by Carstens to approve the revised Agenda for October 5, 2011. The motion
passed unanimously.
2
Review and approve the revised minutes from the Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Smart Planning
Consortium Meeting
O'Shea requested that the Smart Planning website be added to the agenda.
Motion by Carstens, second by Bonz to approve the revised minutes from the Wednesday, September 14,
2011 Smart Planning Consortium Meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Dubuque County Smart Plan Progress Report
O'Shea gave a brief update on the progress of the Dubuque County Smart Plan. She began her update by
stating that Dubuque County applied for the Smart Planning Grant in September 2010 to update their
Comprehensive Plan. In November 2010, the County was awarded the grant. From November 2010 to
March 2011, the Consortium worked out the logistics, created a chapter timeline and scheduled their first
Smart Planning Workshop for March 2011. The Smart Planning Workshop included City Council
members and Planning and Zoning Commissioners from the Consortium communities. In April 2011, the
Consortium started their first planning chapter, Community Facilities. In May 2011, the Consortium
began to meet twice a month and worked on their Public Input Plan, with a general Public Input session to
be scheduled in the near future. In June, the Watershed chapter was started, with the Community Data
chapter beginning in July and the Land Use chapter in August. Fox noted that three approved chapters
have been placed on the website. Einwalter asked if Fox could email him the completed chapters. Snyder
asked if the chapters could be placed on the website with a download link.
Geertz stated that Des Moines also received a grant and they are doing a series of speakers for community
awareness
Discussion followed.
Fox asked Geertz to give an update on how other grantees are doing. Geertz stated that the Dubuque
Consortium seems to be a little ahead of most of the other grantees.
Discussion on Land Use Chapter
Fox presented the current Future Land Use Map for Dubuque County for review. He stated that the map
needed to be updated and asked for suggestions on the update process. Fox suggested that staff would
like to incorporate some more technical analysis into the updated map using a GIS Land Suitability
model. He indicated that staff would be gathering information such as transit and bike routes, road
access, fire department response time and wildlife habitat, then aggregate that information into a map
which shows what land is most suitable for development. Fox stated that staff could then take the
updated map into individual communities and hold land use workshops. Fox noted that updating the
future land use map /chapter in the GIS format will take longer; therefore he suggested that the
Consortium continue to move forward with the other chapters at the same time. Fox thought that
gathering the information and writing the Land Use Chapter should take approximately two months.
Future Land Use Map Workshop
Fox asked the Consortium how they would like to hold the Land Use Map workshops. Einwalter said that
he would prefer to have an individual workshop for each community and would like to link his meeting
with the watershed meeting that Farley will be hosting. Snyder suggested that each community hold an
3
individual meeting and then hold a large meeting that encompasses the Consortium. O'Shea said that she
would like to be notified of each community meeting so that she can attend as many as possible.
Fox indicated that he would also like to create some land use scenarios for each community.
Discussion followed regarding updates to the current Dubuque County Future Land Use map. The
following suggestions were made:
• Use 2002 Map as a draft
• Add 2 mile jurisdiction
• Add Delaware and Jones County
• Add any changes to city boundaries
• Update existing Land Use Maps
Discussion followed about the individual work sessions in each community. It was decided that each
community would work with Fox to schedule their workshop, with some of the communities including a
watershed workshop at the same time. It was discussed that the large general public input meeting could
be held in January at the Peosta Community Centre.
Comments from public on an item that did not appear on the agenda
There were no written comments received or public in attendance.
Other Business
Watershed Management Grant
Schmechel stated that there was good news and bad news on the grant. The good news is that the
City of Dubuque, Asbury and Peosta are included in the grant. The bad news was that the grant
was based off the watershed lines rather than the county lines; therefore the grant does not include
the other communities of the Consortium. Schmechel reported that there are two phases of the
competitive grant. The first phase ($30,000) is to establish a 28E Agreement between all political
subdivisions and relevant organizations within the HUCK10 Watershed. Phase II is for up to
$200,000 to do further modeling in the watershed area. Schmechel noted that the Watershed
Management Grant is due October 21, 2011.
HUD Sustainable Planning Grant
O'Shea explained that staff is applying for a $1.5 million dollar planning grant that would include
funding to create zoning and building codes and an Eco Village.
EPA Grant - Letter of Support
O'Shea suggested that the Consortium apply for the EPA grant, Building Blocks for Sustainable
Communities, Tool # 4 -Smart Growth Zoning Codes for Small Cities and Rural Areas. She noted
that this EPA grant was similar to the one in which they applied for in February 2011. Fox noted
that the grant needed a letter of support from the Board of Supervisors. O'Shea presented the
letter of support that was written for the previous EPA grant. It was suggested that the date and
populations on the letter be updated, and then presented to the Chair of Dubuque County Board of
Supervisors for his signature.
4
Motion by Carstens, second by Lansing to approve applying for the EPA grant and providing a
Letter of Support from the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors. The motion passed
unanimously.
Planning Training session
O'Shea reported that a Planning training session will be held in Des Moines, Iowa on November
2, 2011. The training session will include Integrating Hazardous Mitigation into Comprehensive
Planning and Planning Downtown a Vital Role in a Thriving and Sustainable Community.
Adjournment
Motion by Carstens, second by Bonz to adjourn the October 5, 2011 Smart City Planning meeting. The
motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12:05 p.m.
5
SMART PLANNING
Meeting Minutes
Consortium Members
® Anna O'Shea- Dubuque County
® Laura Carstens -City of Dubuque
❑ Dave Johnson (proxy) -City of Dubuque
® Beth Bonz -City of Asbury
® Randy Lansing -City of Cascade
® Mick Michel -City of Dyersville
Public Present
Jim Bodnar, Dubuque County
Staff Present
Dan Fox, Paige Comer
October 26, 2011
10:00 a.m.
ECIA
® Janet Berger -City of Epworth
® Bill Einwalter -City of Farley
® Karen Snyder -City of Peosta
❑ Eric Schmechel- Dubuque SWCD
❑ Chandra Ravada -ECIA
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Anna O'Shea at 10:05 a.m. The Smart Planning meeting for October
26, 2011 was held at ECIA. Introductions were made.
Approval of the Agenda
Carstens asked if Discussion on Community Planning Assistance could be added to the discussion on
AIA Sustainable Design Assistance, Number 5.
Motion by Michel, second by Carstens to approve the revised agenda for October 26, 2011. The motion
passed unanimously.
Review and approve the minutes from the Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Smart Planning
Consortium Meeting
Minutes were not given at this meeting. The item will be tabled until the meeting on November 9.
Discussion on AIA Sustainable Design Assistance / APA Community Planning Assistance
Carstens discussed both the differences between these organizations. The cost of both would come out to
about $12,000, with APA possibly being less. The application deadline for AIA Sustainable Design
Assistance is on November 18th which is followed by a $5,000 fee. APA Community Planning
Assistance has an application deadline for December 13 and has an application fee of $50.
Michel suggested that Heritage Trail be the focus of this assistance. The group could look at paving the
trail, and look at the problem of connectivity for Asbury and Peosta. It would be helpful to find a way to
connect all communities to the Heritage Trail. Other suggested trail improvements included increased
parking, increased signage, benches, restrooms, and water fountains.
Motion by Lansing, second by Einwalter to pursue assistance from both APA Community Planning
Assistance team, and AIA Sustainable Design Assistance. O'Shea will talk to Brian Preston to see about
any available money as well as to see what information he has on the trail system. Each member of the
consortium is to talk to their councils about pursuing assistance for the Heritage Trail.
Dubuque County Smart Plan Progress Report
Fox compared the Consortium's with the original project timeline from January 2011. The Consortium is
two chapters behind schedule as of now, but that he believes the group can catch up as next chapters will
take less time to complete. O'Shea expressed that she wanted to see a schedule made to extend from the
previous one through May or June. Fox will draft up the extension of the schedule, allowing for two
meetings a month.
The meeting for December 28`h is cancelled, and there will be one meeting in January and one in
February. For the rest of the months there will be two meetings scheduled for the second and the fourth
Wednesday.
2
The schedule for the community public meetings was set. Either Fox or Ravada will be in attendance at
these meetings and O'Shea plans to attend most of them. Each member needs to make their own agenda
for their community meeting, as each community has different needs and will find different subjects more
important. There still needs to be an introduction explaining the group, their goals, and objectives.
The consortium would like Fox to have the land use goals objectives on the website before the meetings
start in November.
Discussion on Land Use Chapter
Fox described how he will be using a weighted overlay analysis in GIS to locate the most suitable sites
for new development. The Consortium will be able to use the analysis to help guide future land use
decision making. Data sets used in the analysis included steep slopes, distance from existing
development, distance from roads, agricultural value, and floodplain. He explained that each variable
could be weighted which would change its impact on the final score. The consortium suggested changing
the name of restricted land to protected or something similar. The consortium determined that the three
most important variables are distance from cities, distance from transportation, and floodway. The
consortium also wanted to add historical sites and schools.
Discussion on Community Data Chapter
Fox shared each community's data. Members offered some corrections for Fox, and expressed their
concern that the information from Info USA was not accurate. The consortium decided to remove the
Info USA data. Fox will call Dan McDonald to see if he has information about the top ten employers for
the county.
Comments from public on an item that did not appear on the agenda
There were no written comments received or public in attendance.
Other Business
Fox mentioned that timesheets have been given to him very regularly by every member, and that he will
send out an email for the ones he is missing.
Lansing will be leaving the consortium and his last day in Cascade is December 16th'
Adjournment
Motion by Lansing, second by Snyder to adjourn the October 26, 2011 Smart City Planning meeting. The
motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:55 am.
3
DUBUQUE COUNTY SMART PLAN
Housing Goals and Objectives
1. To promote the preservation, rehabilitation, and investment in our regional housing stock and
neighborhoods.
1.1. Ensure all rental housing exceeds minimum housing quality standards through systematic
code enforcement.
1.2. Encourage a range of affordable, accessible, and decent rental housing options throughout
the community.
1.3. Consider expanding the use of housing preservation programs whenever appropriate and
possible.
1.4. Promote programs to improve energy efficiency and enlist the participation of utility
companies in promotional efforts.
1.5. Encourage participation in and use of low- interest rehabilitation and home purchase loan
funds.
1.6. Promote adaptive reuse of existing vacant or under - utilized structures, such as convents,
schools, and industrial buildings, into housing with an affordable and /or workforce
component, where appropriate.
1.7. Encourage the expansion of the capacity of neighborhood associations.
1.8. Promote residential educational workshops regarding restoration, rehabilitation, and
maintenance.
1.9. Encourage relocation of existing housing as opposed to demolition whenever possible; when
removal is necessary, require deconstruction and landfill diversion as much as possible.
1.10. Communicate with legislators to empower local governments to have more local control in
the administration and monitoring of federal housing programs.
1.11. Support the integration of new neighborhood residents into the neighborhood associations,
local schools, and community activities.
1.12. Continue to reduce vacant and abandoned housing in our neighborhoods through code
compliance, purchase, rehabilitation, and deconstruction if necessary.
1.13. Promote historic preservation as the cornerstone of housing and neighborhood
revitalization programs, to promote economic development and attract younger residents.
2. To promote programs, education, and training that support and encourage appropriate rental
housing oversight.
2.1. Promote programs, education, and training that support and encourage appropriate
landlord accountability.
2.2. Promote programs, education, and training that support and encourage appropriate tenant
accountability.
2.3. Support Community Oriented Policing and participation of neighborhood residents in crime
reduction strategies.
3. To promote the creation and maintenance of an adequate supply of sound, affordable housing
integrated throughout the region.
DUBUQUE COUNTY SMART PLAN
Housing Goals and Objectives
3.1. Promote partnerships with private sector, nonprofit, other government agencies and
neighborhood groups to access available public funding and attract private capital for
affordable housing development.
3.2. Promote mixed - income, mixed - rental housing developments.
3.3. Support the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program to benefit lower- income families
seeking affordable rental housing.
3.4. Encourage local lenders to work with all homeowners to rehabilitate, remodel, or repair
existing homes.
3.5. Develop programs and incentives that encourage property owners to maintain and improve
the appearance of their property.
3.6. Maintain the existing sound housing units and to upgrade or replace all substandard housing
units.
3.7. Support the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, providing empowerment services to
households in combination with efficient rehabilitation and preservation of affordable and
workforce housing.
4. To expand the opportunities for homeownership, especially for low to moderate income
households.
4.1. Encourage the use of flexible development regulations in order to assist affordable and
workforce housing production and decrease housing costs.
4.2. Encourage local lenders to participate in programs designed to assist first -time home
buyers.
4.3. Promote infill housing development opportunities, in the region's older neighborhoods,
through a combination of public subsidy, affordable housing incentives and owner sweat
equity.
4.4. Promote compact and contiguous development with a variety of higher density housing
options that utilize available infrastructure within the existing built environment.
4.5. Provide housing opportunities and incentives for low and moderate income families.
5. To promote fair housing opportunity for residents in all neighborhoods.
5.1. Provide for effective implementation of existing fair housing programs.
5.2. Encourage involvement of neighborhood residents to the fullest extent possible when
planning affordable housing developments.
5.3. Monitor, evaluate, and work to minimize federal, state and local codes and regulations that
are possible barriers to development of housing, particularly for persons with disabilities or
low income.
6. To assist local service agencies in providing shelter and semi - independent living for persons in
need of supportive services.
6.1. Monitor and evaluate homeless and other special needs populations in order to document
needs and design assistance programs.
DUBUQUE COUNTY SMART PLAN
Housing Goals and Objectives
6.2. Provide technical assistance to agencies in preparation of applications for program funding.
6.3. Encourage partnerships with area agencies in sponsorship of housing initiatives for special
needs populations.
6.4. Encourage development of special housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities
wherever suitable sites can be made available.
7. To promote the understanding that the availability and affordability of workforce housing is an
important key to successful economic development.
7.1. Promote corporate participation in employer assisted housing, for home purchase
assistance for employees.
7.2. Encourage local institutions, i.e., hospitals, colleges, to establish replacement housing
programs for housing lost to corporate expansions.
7.3. Encourage corporate participation in the Federal Low Income Tax Credit Program, for
purposes of investment in affordable housing development.
7.4. Promote an adequate housing supply to support workforce development efforts.
8. To promote the public's awareness of housing needs and issues through informational and
educational efforts.
8.1. Consider serving as a clearinghouse of information for housing issues and information, to
include providing educational programs for tenants and landlords.
8.2. Monitor housing market conditions and availability of housing.
8.3. Become more aggressive in attracting new residents to live in the cities.
8.4. Promote workshops for area housing industry members (contractors, lenders, realtors)
regarding changing regulatory mandates, i.e., lead -based paint, asbestos removal.
8.5. Combat the "Not In My Back Yard," or NIMBY, syndrome by dispelling stereotypes
associated with affordable housing.
8.6. Continue to promote collaboration with housing industry groups (Board of Realtors,
Mortgage Lenders Association, Dubuque Area Landlords Association) to promote
cooperation and consensus - building regarding housing issues.
9. To provide housing resources for aging residents.
9.1. Encourage the development of high -end, market -rate, and subsidized housing.
9.2. Encourage the development of appropriate levels and styles of housing.
9.3. Identify appropriate sites for housing development including the style of the development
and amenities to be included.
9.4. Provide interested developers with a listing of available sites for development.
9.5. Encourage development of affordable apartments and condominiums for retirees.
10. To increase the availability of high -end housing.
10.1. Continue to provide developers with appropriate levels of information and service.
DUBUQUE COUNTY SMART PLAN
Housing Goals and Objectives
10.2. Consider developing minimum standards (height and bulk) for houses.
10.3. Explore design guidelines for residential development.
11. To continue to provide appropriate infrastructure and services to neighborhoods.
11.1. Continue incremental improvements in water, waste, and stormwater facilities.
11.2. Continue appropriate levels of service to maintain public parks and open spaces.
11.3. Continue to enforce parkland dedication requirements, and other developer -paid
infrastructure development costs to ensure stability and equitability throughout the region.
12. To provide a variety of housing types, costs and locations in cities.
12.1. Promote the planning, design, and construction of a wider range of housing unit types in
adequate supply for all income levels and age groups.
12.2. Encourage and promote energy efficiency in new and existing housing.
12.3. Ensure that all new housing development is protected from potential flood hazard.
12.4. Support the continuation of single - family development in appropriate municipal locations at
similar density levels as experienced on a community wide basis.
12.5. Discourage scattered residential development in the unincorporated portion of the County
guide new development into a compact and compatible growth pattern within or adjacent
to the incorporated area and within easily serviceable watersheds.
12.6. Continue to encourage a wider range of housing types in the residential areas of the cities,
including single - family and multi - family structures, in response to changing housing market
demands.
13. To provide a variety of housing opportunities within the unincorporated areas in appropriate
locations.
13.1. Ensure that the Future Land Use Development Map provides adequate development
potential for a variety of housing types to meet the housing needs of present and future
residents, encouraging housing to locate within incorporated communities.
13.2. Initiate a Housing Needs Assessment Study of the County to determine current housing
condition and need, and to estimate future housing requirements.
13.3. Locate residential development in platted subdivisions with adequate public services.
13.4. Encourage residential development to locate within existing cities and establish urban fringe
development areas where adequate public services are planned or can be provided.
13.5. Allow for the creation of urban density residential districts within established urban fringe
development areas that follow the planned development process, and where urban services
can be provided.
13.6. Limit proposed non -farm residential development on lots smaller than one acre to cluster
developments or conservation subdivisions that follow the planned development process,
and provide centralized water and wastewater systems, and limited access.
DUBUQUE COUNTY SMART PLAN
Housing Goals and Objectives
13.7. Investigate establishment of simplified development regulations to allow the division of
"old" farmsteads from current agricultural operations, which does not create non -
conformities, based upon the potential number of such divisions.
DUBUQUE COUNTY ZONING
13047 CITY VIEW DRIVE, DUBUQUE, IOWA 52002 -9660
(563) 589-7827
FAX: (563) 589 -7868
E -MAIL: zoningadmin @dbeco.org
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
ANNA M. O'SHEA
Administrator
The Dubuque County Smart Planning Consortium, consisting of Dubuque County, Dubuque Soil and
Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the cities of Asbury, Cascade, Dubuque, Dyersville, Epworth,
Farley and Peosta, are planning to hold public meetings to gather input on four draft chapters of the
Dubuque Regional Comprehensive Plan and to get input on the Future Land Use Map.
The meetings will take place at the time and date listed below:
November 1, 2011 7:00 p.m. Peosta City Hall
November 15, 2011 6:00 p.m. Meadows Golf Course - Asbury
November 16, 2011 5:30 p.m. Historic Federal Building -City of Dubuque
November 17, 2011 7:00 p.m. Cascade City Hall
November 22, 2011 7:00 p.m. Epworth City Hall
November 30, 2011 7:00 p.m. Memorial Hall -City of Farley
December 12, 2011 6:30 p.m. Dyersville City Hall
December 20, 2011
7:00 p.m. Fire Training Center - Public Safety Way
(off of Seippel Road)
Information is available on the East Central intergovernmental Association (ECIA) website at
www.dubuquesmartplan.org. or from Anna O'Shea, Dubuque County Zoning Administrator at (563) 589-
7827. The public is invited to attend any or all of the meetings. We would like to hear your ideas and
vision for the future sustainability of our community.