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.

This meeting will be held in person and may be accessed live by the public in person or on the internet 

This meeting may be accessed live by the public in person or on the internet at at northlibertyiowa.org/live, on Facebook at facebook.com/northliberty or on YouTube at youtube.com/ northliberty. Meetings are rebroadcast on cable and available on-demand on northlibertyiowa.org/meetings.

Meeting Note

Tuesday’s meeting will be held in person as well as live streamed at Watch Meetings Live.

Consent Agenda

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

• City Council Minutes (06/22/21)
• Claims
• Liquor Licenses Renewals
  • Kum & Go
  • Smokin Joes
  • Casey’s General Store #2788
  • Casey’s General Store #2479
  • GoPuff
• Tobacco Permits
  • GoPuff

Project Better Together

Members of the Project Better Together Team will attend the meeting to update the City Council on its pandemic efforts and accomplishments as well as outline next steps the group intends to take.

Library Board Appointment

The Mayor is recommending Heidi Wood be appointed to the Library Board.

The Preserve Final Plat

The public improvements for The Preserve, Part 5, which includes 13 single-family residential lots adjacent to St. Andrews Drive, have been completed and inspected. This will connect the western portion of The Preserve with the east section. The final plat is consistent with the approved preliminary plat and is recommended for approval by staff.

T&R Site Plan

This industrial site plan proposes a 13,045 square foot building addition, a 12,000 square foot standalone building and related infrastructure, just north of Liberty Door. The metal buildings will match the existing metal Liberty Door building and contain the required amount of masonry. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the site plan at its July 6, 2021 meeting. Staff also recommends approval the site plan.

Forevergreen Road Trail Project

Six bids were received for the Forevergreen Road Trail project, with the low bid submitted by TK Concrete, Inc. from Pella, Iowa in the amount of $99,760,

$25k less than the engineer’s estimate. Having not worked with TK Concrete, Inc. previously, Shive Hattery reached out to several references and found their work to be acceptable. Staff recommends approval of the bid and award of contract to TK Concrete, Inc.

2021A Bond Sale

The agenda includes a resolution setting the bond sale date for July 27 and approving the City’s Official Statement, a document used by potential buyers to assess the City’s credit risk. Staff recommends approval of the resolution.

Urban Renewal Plan Amendment

An Urban Renewal Plan Amendment is needed to include St. Andrews Drive into the Urban Renewal Area, which will allow a portion of the project to be funded with TIF dollars. This amendment also adds several other projects into the plan, including potential Penn Meadows Park projects, Ranshaw Way, Phase 5 and Dubuque Street, Phase 1. The agenda includes a resolution setting a public hearing on August 10 for the proposed Urban Renewal Plan Amendment. Staff recommends approval of resolution 2021-67.

Dubuque Street, Phase 1 Project

The City has reached an agreement for the purchase of real property interests with two more property owners who will be affected by the Dubuque Street Phase One public improvement project. All the acquisitions, summarized in the chart to the right, are for the values previously approved by City Council for the various parcel. Staff recommends approval. To accommodate the design and construction of the Dubuque Street, Phase One project, Alliant Energy is requesting three easements, two on Cherry Street and one on Dubuque Street. Staff has confirmed that these easements will not interfere with current or long range plans in the area and is recommending approval of the easements.

Agricultural Experience Ordinance, 2st Reading

This is a staff-initiated amendment, which would allow an agricultural experience use in North Liberty corporate limits. As proposed, the agricultural experience would be permitted on property that is zoned ID – Interim Development with the approval of a Conditional Use. The agricultural experience use would be required to be accessory to an on-site agricultural use. Although any property owner(s) meeting the locational and size requirements could apply for the agricultural experience use, it was primarily designed to allow the Colony Pumpkin Patch to annex into the City. Staff collaborated with Dean and Katie Colony on this ordinance, such that it would be mutually beneficial to both parties. At this point, the Colonys have expressed a willingness to annex the Colony 1927, LLC and Four D’s Acres, LLC into the City, subject to the following approvals:

1. The Agricultural Experience Ordinance is adopted;
2. The Board of Adjustment grant approval of the Conditional Use; and
3. The City Council grant approval to allow hunting on the property

With this annexation and other voluntary annexations, the City anticipates a formal annexation of 317.89 acres, or just under ½ square mile. Staff also worked with the North Liberty Community Pantry Executive Director to amend the food pantry regulations to allow a small expansion into a separate outbuilding to provide clothing to the community. This ordinance is an excellent example of collaboration with community stakeholders to improve the City’s codes. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the request at its June 1, 2021 meeting. Staff recommends approval of the ordinance as well.