SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 7, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 2/11/14
In this edition:
*Congrats CCA!
*Swisher Mayor
*Inclusionary Zoning
*Voting in Schools
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
*Did You Know?
*Congrats CCA!
Congratulations
to Clear Creek Amana on passing a $48 million dollar bond issue. The City of
Tiffin is booming, and having a new elementary school there makes a lot of
sense.
Meanwhile,
a tip of the cap to all the folks (past and present) who have helped to manage
this fast-growing school district! You have done a remarkable job of handling
all these challenges! Be proud, CCA!
*Swisher Mayor
In
other electoral news, Chris Taylor was elected to the vacant Mayor’s position
in Swisher.
I
do not know Mr. Taylor, but I have some friends who think very highly of him. I
do know that he will need help!
There
is much discord in Swisher right now, and one person cannot fix it. Here is to
hoping that the people of Swisher step up to the challenge, get involved, and
smooth things out.
*Inclusionary Zoning and Johnson County
You
have heard me speak at length about inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning is
an ordinance requiring that a set percentage of new housing be affordable.
No municipality in Johnson County currently has inclusionary
zoning, though it has been discussed for over 25 years. During that time frame,
most of the affordable housing clustered in 4-5 pockets throughout the metro
area. Meanwhile, new developments avoided building any affordable housing at
all.
Now we are in a housing crisis. The people who work here simply
cannot afford to live here. Those that have located affordable housing find
themselves all in the same couple neighborhoods.
The cities can go a long ways toward fixing this problem by simply
adopting inclusionary zoning. That will require that new affordable housing be
added to the market, and spread it wherever development takes place.
There is no cost to the cities; developers simply earn a bit less
on each development. Why cities cannot simply do this is beyond me.
While inclusionary zoning is very important for our cities, it is
not a good fit for Johnson County. “What’s that?” you say? How can it be good
for the cities but not the county?
This sounds like a cop out if you stop listening right there. But
the situation can easily be explained.
The
county Land Use Plan calls for the protection of agricultural land first and
foremost, followed by the protection of sensitive areas. Residential growth is
extremely limited and directed. Commercial and industrial development is even
more limited, and must specifically serve the surrounding area.
We
aren’t looking to do much housing, period. Rural housing only takes place in a
couple of cases. One is farms, which are allowed to “split” off one lot for
development, ostensibly to allow a child to return to the farm.
Another case where development is allowed is certain areas that
are already zoned. Purchasing development rights in those cases would be
incredibly cost prohibitive.
The final situation where development is allowed are the
designated “growth areas”. This exists to funnel development into a small area,
leaving the rest of the county to farms and natural areas.
So again, the county does not do much housing, period. Affordable
housing in the rural areas is the worst possible plan.
Affordable
housing does not work when it is isolated out in the county, away from public
transportation. (See Regency Mobile Home Park for an example.)
Affordable housing does not work when there is no public water
supply. (See Regency Mobile Home Park for an example.)
Affordable
housing does not work when there is no public sewer system. (See Regency Mobile
Home Park for an example.)
Affordable housing does not work when it is isolated out in the
county, away from fire and police protection. (See Regency Mobile Home Park for
an example.)
Those
four factors are critical to any successful affordable housing project. If you
lack any one of these things, affordable housing will not be successful. All
four factors are missing in rural Johnson County.
Johnson County does this zoning thing pretty darn well. If you do
not believe me, ask the experts at the UI Department of Urban and Regional
Planning. Johnson County is closer to the “best practices” in land use planning
than any county in Iowa.
Johnson County could have spent the last 25 encouraging rural
housing development. We have not done so, thereby leading to tremendous housing
growth where we want it – in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin,
Solon, etc.
Johnson
County could have spent the last 25 encouraging rural commercial development.
We have not done so, thereby leading to tremendous commercial growth where we
want it – in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, Solon, etc.
Johnson County could have spent the last 25 encouraging rural
industrial development. We have not done so, thereby leading to solid
industrial growth where we want it – in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty,
Tiffin, Solon, etc.
I’m
incredibly proud of the way we do land use planning in Johnson County. I stand
by it, and I stake my reputation on it. I will gladly discuss it with anyone at
any time.
Inclusionary
zoning? Yes, absolutely – in our cities. That is what makes sense.
*Voting in Schools
There
is a move afoot by some administrators in the ICCSD to prevent the Auditor’s
Office from using schools as polling places.
This
proposal makes me so angry I could scream! I hope the ICCSD Board does not buy
into this line of thinking. More importantly, I hope our Legislators step in
and prevent overzealous school administrators from unnecessarily harming our
democracy!
Why
is this so bad? Let me count the ways!
1.
This
is fear mongering, plain and simple. There are ZERO cases of voters harming
children at school on Election Day. Period. Pretending that this is a threat is
misleading at best. One could even argue that the increased number of adults
present makes the children safer!
2.
Administrators
do not own these buildings. The public does. How DARE a principal (who is just
putting in his 3 years until he can move to a newer building) tell a 50-year
resident of the neighborhood that it is not her building? Her kids went there.
Her taxes paid for it. It belongs to her!
3.
Taking
away school buildings will make elections more costly, and make voting more
difficult. Do we really want those outcomes?
4.
Election
Day is a PRICELESS educational opportunity! How can we expect to educate the next
generation of citizens unless we teach them what citizenship means?
I sincerely hope the ICCSD will do some sort of resolution
instructing their administrators to cooperate with the Auditor’s Office. If you
feel the same way, contact ICCSD Board members!
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
We
are once again Bowling For Kids’ Sake to raise money for Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Johnson County.
BBBS
is a great organization that helps hundreds of children across Johnson County.
Please consider making a pledge to this very worthy organization.
You
can donate online by visiting the BBBS website at: http://bbbsjc.kintera.org/
or, just come out and join us at 1:15 on Sunday, March 2nd at
Colonial Lanes.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Inclusionary zoning is mandated by law for every city in New Jersey, and
has been since 1985.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"Sullivan’s
Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief
update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages
come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the
whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise
mentioned.
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As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 9:57 PM
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