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Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2012
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MINUTES
CITY OF DUBUQUE LONG RANGE PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
City Council Chamber, Historic Federal Building
Commissioners Present: Chairperson Jim Prochaska; Commissioners Alan Vincent,
Craig Beytien, Richard Van Iten, John Pregler, and Chad Darter.
Commissioners Excused: Commissioner Charles Winterwood.
Staff Members Present: Laura Carstens and David Johnson.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Prochaska at 5:30
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 Beytien, seconded by Vincent, to approve the minutes of February
15, 2012, as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Vincent, Prochaska,
Beytien, Van Iten, Pregler and Darter; Nay — None.
In response to a question about the minutes of February 15, 2012, Commissioner Beytien
said he will present the Dubuque Community School District Facilities Plan to the Long
Range Planning Advisory Commission at a future meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan Chapters: Dan Fox, Transportation Planner with
East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) and Anna O'Shea, Dubuque County
Zoning Administrator, provided the update to the Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan on
Housing, Economic Development, Hazard Mitigation, and Infrastructure and Utilities
Chapters.
Chairperson Prochaska opened the public hearing. Mr. Fox explained input on the
chapters would be appreciated from the Long Range Planning Advisory Commission. Mr.
Fox explained the purpose of the Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan and noted it will
include the legislative Iowa Smart Planning Principles. He reviewed the Dubuque County
Smart Plan Consortium and participants. He stated the final plan will be complete in
November 2012. He provided a brief overview of the chapters completed to date, and
discussed the remaining schedule for completion of the plan.
Minutes — Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
August 15, 2012
Page 2
Mr. Fox first addressed the Housing Chapter of the Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan.
He reviewed housing in Dubuque County. He explained Dubuque County is an affordable
place to buy a home and has a high rate of ownership. He explained the Dubuque County
housing market has remained relatively stable during the recession. Mr. Fox explained
rental housing, housing affordability, transportation affordability and changing age of the
population as issues affecting future homeownership in Dubuque County. He explained
when people are spending more money on their housing, they spend less money on other
things and consequently, housing can become an economic development issue. He stated
more people are looking to rent than ever before. He noted Dubuque County has a 1.1%
vacancy rate and 25% of its housing stock is for rentals. He explained the aging population
will also affect the demand for housing. He noted the plan recommends a diverse range of
housing options, reduced transportation costs by mixing land uses together, and plan for
additional senior housing options in the future.
The Commission complimented the Consortium on the content of the Housing Chapter.
Commissioner Beytien noted a spelling mistake on page 11, paragraph 2.
Mr. Fox next addressed the Economic Development Chapter. He explained one of the
primary concerns of the chapter is jobs and employment. He reviewed the history of
employment in Dubuque County. He explained unemployment statistics are also important
considerations. He stated unemployment in Dubuque County is 4.7% whereas the United
States has an 8.2% unemployment rate, and Iowa has a 5.2% unemployment rate.
Commissioners asked about finding a way of measuring employability as critical to
understanding unemployment. They felt knowing limited ranges of employability helps in
determining how to best address needs to get people into the work force, and also helps in
identifying labor and training needs.
The Commission discussed the importance of addressing the underemployed as well. Mr.
Fox noted there is work ongoing with employment and economic development agencies on
these issues. He stated the Smart Planning Consortium will look into it further.
The Commission noted the federal government may have information on the inflow of labor
and employability. The Commission recommended it be a goal or objective in the plan.
The Commission noted employability and employment issues need to be monitored
regularly through data collection and analysis, and then brought together for the
community. The Commission stated the plan should reflect that need.
Mr. Fox reviewed the annual unemployment rates since 1990. He reviewed the strengths
of economic development in Dubuque County, noting strong manufacturing roots, business
services represents 27% of the work force and tourism has become a large contributor to
the local economy. Mr. Fox also reviewed the challenges. He referenced the work force
needs assessment developed by Iowa Workforce Development, and stated there will be a
future shortage of skilled workers. Commissioner Beytien noted the Dubuque Community
School District is not experiencing that shortage as indicated for educational services.
Commissioners noted the plan speaks to training, but omits co- enrollment programs such
Minutes — Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
August 15, 2012
Page 3
as nursing and welding. Commissioners suggested that the Consortium link this issue with
the one previously discussed to determine training and employability needs and where to
focus efforts.
Mr. Fox reviewed other economic development issues, such as the gender wage gap,
effect of natural disasters, and lack of quality rental housing for workers. He reviewed the
importance transportation infrastructure plays in economic development, and noted the
Iowa Department of Transportation has identified an approximate $215 million shortfall in
annual maintenance needs.
Mr. Fox reviewed the economic development recommendations of the Dubuque County
Regional Smart Plan. Commissioner Beytien recommended identifying the underlying
assumptions behind the estimated job growth rate. The Commission also questioned the
rail passenger figures. Staff Member Carstens noted the rail passenger figures were
provided by the Amtrak Feasibility Study. The Commission and staff agreed on the
importance of linking references to facts, figures, statistics and other documents to their
source documents within the plan so readers find additional information on underlying
assumptions, data, methodology, etc.
Mr. Fox next addressed the Hazard Mitigation Chapter. He reviewed the role of the
Dubuque County Emergency Management Agency and referenced the County Emergency
Management Plan. Mr. Fox reviewed the cycle of emergency management, which is
mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. He reviewed the Dubuque County Multi -
Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan that is being finalized. He noted communities in
Dubuque County ranked issues such as probability, vulnerability, and severity of hazards
which are reflected in the chapter. Mr. Fox reviewed mitigation strategies such as
improved building codes, investment in utilities infrastructure, and increased technology,
such as GPS. He discussed flood mitigation strategies, such as limiting development in
the flood plain, low impact development, elevating structures, and reinforcing utilities and
infrastructure. He reviewed severe storm preparedness and mitigation, such as storm
warning systems and weather radios. Mr. Fox discussed man -made mitigation and
preparedness issues. He noted the importance of inspections and maintenance as well as
the development of contingency plans.
The Commission questioned whether Goal #1 could be stated more simply, and discussed
what the goal is intending to say. The Commission discussed the goal of being proactive
rather than reactive. The Commission and staff noted a change in legislation that may
assist in a more proactive approach to hazard mitigation. Ms. O'Shea noted comments will
be forwarded to the Smart Planning Consortium.
Mr. Fox next discussed the Public Infrastructure and Utilities Chapter. He discussed the
importance that infrastructure and utilities play in economic development within the region.
He reviewed the water and waste water collection diagrams. The Commission asked for
clarification on the City of Dubuque's waste water treatment plant's capacity for 204,000
people — is this the old or new plant? What is the estimate based on? Mr. Fox reviewed a
map of energy providers throughout Dubuque County. Mr. Fox discussed solid waste
Minutes — Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
August 15, 2012
Page 4
recycling and collection services. He reviewed telecommunication systems throughout
Iowa and Dubuque County, and explained the Return on Infrastructure Investment Study.
Mr. Fox reviewed the infrastructure and utilities recommendations in the plan.
The Commission expressed their appreciation for the good work of the Consortium on the
Smart Plan. There were no public comments. The hearing was closed.
Mr. Fox distributed a Dubuque Priority Ranking Survey, which was filled out and returned
by the Commission.
The Commission discussed the questions within the preference survey, and noted many of
the issues to be ranked in the survey were generated by the Commission at a previous
meeting. Commissioner Beytien noted recent financial and facilities collaboration between
the City of Dubuque and the Dubuque Community School District.
LIAISON /SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Enterprise Zone Commission — Minutes July 19, July 5 June 21 & May 8 2012:
Commissioner Van Iten referenced the minutes enclosed with the Commission agenda
packets, and provided the update.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: None.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: None.
ITEMS FROM STAFF:
Land Use Designations: Staff Member Carstens explained there are discrepancies in the
land use designations used in the Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan, and those used
in the City of Dubuque Plan. She explained the City of Dubuque Land Use classifications
go into greater depth with regard to intensity and density. She explained the City of
Dubuque has land use designations for Heavy Industrial and Light Industrial, whereas the
Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan just uses industrial. She also explained that City of
Dubuque segregates residential uses differently than the County.
The Commission discussed the discrepancies in classifications and supported the
simplified and more consolidated land use designations used in the Dubuque County
Regional Smart Plan as it better represents the region and provides consistency. The
Commission noted the City of Dubuque Land Use map can be different. Staff
recommended explaining the land use types for clarity.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Adopted