City Council to Meet Sept. 22, 2020

Included in each City Council information packet is a memo from the City Administrator offering a summary and context of items appearing on the agenda. We will begin publishing these memos here in our news feed to make them more accessible. You can sign up to be notified of news items, agendas and more by email.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public health and safety concerns require City of North Liberty public meetings to be held electronically, so as to limit the spread of the virus. The public is invited to submit questions and comments in advance of the meeting for consideration submitting them to the City Clerk Tracey Mulcahey via email at [email protected].

This meeting may be accessed live by the public on the internet at northlibertyiowa.org/live.


Meeting Note

Tuesday’s meeting will be held virtually via Zoom and live streamed at Watch Meetings Live as well as available on the City’s Facebook Page. Councilors, staff and other meeting participants will log into the meeting in order to conduct business while the public will be able to watch the debate and decisions being made.

Consent Agenda

The following items are on the consent agenda and included in the packet:

  • City Council Minutes (09/08/20)
  • Claims
  • August Revenues
  • August Treasurer’s Report
  • Pay Application #2, SW Growth Area Water & Sewer Extensions, Boomerang Corporation, $40,169.54
  • Pay Application #6, St. Andrews Drive Project, Metro Pavers Inc., $296,312.98

Doran Rezoning Request, Third & Final Reading

Tyler and Jennifer Doran are requesting a zoning map amendment at 1475 S. Jones Blvd. to allow the future subdivision of their one-acre parcel into two lots. Once a future subdivision plat is approved, a new home would be constructed on the western lot adjacent to Chipman Lane. A good neighbor meeting was held on June 9, 2020. No objections to the request have been received. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the request at its August 4, 2020 meeting. Staff recommends the City Council approve the request as well.

LJP Rezoning Request, Third & Final Reading

LJP Management, LLC is requesting a zoning map amendment at 205 W. Penn St. to allow the residence to be occupied as a professional office (financial advisor). This does not qualify as a home occupation because the business owner would not reside at the property. The RS-O District is very restrictive and only allows a residence to be used as a professional office, prohibits business signage and limits a maximum of seven employees. This is designed to protect existing neighborhoods and not introduce new commercial zoning to an area. Staff views the RS-O District as being compatible in this location due to the mentioned restrictions and the proximity to the intersection of two arterial streets. A good neighbor meeting was held on June 9, 2020. No objections to the request have been received. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the request at its August 4, 2020 meeting. Staff also recommends approval of this zoning change request.

Zoning Ordinance Revisions, First Reading

This is a staff initiated amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. Changes include amending definitions, which in part include diagrams, amending the regulations for accessory buildings, reorganizing yard and height regulations into table format, and updating certain design standards. One of the proposed changes, increasing the maximum garage size for larger lots, was a suggestion from a citizen who was recently denied a variance by the Board of Adjustment. Staff agrees that larger lots should have the option for a bigger garage.

Staff is taking a phased approach to modernizing and making the Zoning Ordinance more user friendly. Another amendment is anticipated in the near future.

FY20 Street Finance Report

Included in the packet is the Street Finance Report for FY 20, which is required to be completed and filed with the Department of Transportation annually. In summary, the Road Use Tax revenues for the year totaled $2,352,124 million and expenditures came in at $2,213,008 million. The reserve fund now totals $1,839,930 million, approximately 78% of revenues.

Investment Policy Update

The City’s investment policy is required to be reviewed by the City Council every three years, and if necessary, updated. There are no significant updates proposed; however a minor technical update includes replacing city treasurer with city clerk throughout the document, which reflects current practice. Staff recommends approval of the revisions.

Purchasing Policy Update

After consulting with the City’s auditing firm, staff is recommending revisions to the purchasing policy, which was last updated in 2009. The most significant update is the addition of a section specific to spending federal grant money (pages 12-23). Other changes include adding two categories to the list of on-going expenses, and various other edits throughout the document to improve clarity within the process and delete redundant text. Staff recommends approval of the revised policy.

The Preserve Part 4 Developer’s Agreement

Part 4 of The Preserve subdivision includes the extension of Alexander Way and 24 single family lots directly adjacent to Centennial Park. The developer’s agreement is on the agenda, which identifies various obligations of the City and the developer, including the fees required by the developer, totaling just over $67,000. Staff recommends approval of the agreement.

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