Minutes-8/5/1998

P & Z Meeting, Wednesday, August 5, 1998. Please call if you can not attend. I will be on vacation this week and need to know soon if you cannot make the meeting. --Martie. Planning and Zoning Meeting at North Liberty. Present were Mike Singer, Member Melvin Reeve and Clerk Reihman. Also in attendance. Rick Dvorak and R. J. Moore of Johnson County City Administrator, Clerk and Planning and Zoning Member from North Liberty. Mike Singer did a fine job of explaining Tiffin's desire to continue to see a green space preserved between Coralville and Tiffin in a manner to preserve a distinction between the two communities. Opening of the Forever Green exit was discussed during the meeting. The people living along Forever Green have indicated a desire not to see this exit opened, these people fear that their quiet residential life will be slowly pressured into a commercial roadway and area by development. North Liberty officials indicated that they could well expect that development on the west side of I-80 on Forever Green would most likely be commercial in nature. North Liberty officials realize that this kind of development would probably commercialize Forever Green for people living along this route and that these citizens would probably not be happy about the change to their area. This exit question will probably not go away, because traffic pressure will look for outlet from the Coralville Mall in other ways that just I-80. The other two outlets from the mall are Highway #6 and Hwy#965 headed north to North Liberty. North Liberty officials did not seem upset at the prospect of mall patrons headed north on Hwy#965 toward North Liberty. It appears that they are quite happy about the thought of any sidetracked vehicles that will head north on Hwy#965 and cutting through the business section of North Liberty that is growing on this highway and perhaps exiting on Penn Street and on to I-380. One comment indicated that they are currently looking into beautification with boulevard aspects for the south entrance to the city of North Liberty. Also mentioned was expansion of the highway to two lane with turning lanes. Should Forever Green open an exit, the chances increase for commercialization on this corner. If commercialization on Forever Green is supported by North Liberty, Tiffin or Coralville (any one of the three touching communities) then I think that Tiffin can expect to eventually see commercial development both north and south along Jasper at this location. Commercial development would eventually reach the corner of Jasper and Highway # 6 (although it may be many years from now) because the this will be a main route connecting North Liberty and Tiffin. It may also be a main route connecting a possible future Clear Creek School with Tiffin. I'm not certain how far Oakdale will be from a possible school or how these two entities will affect one another. I think that keeping a special visual entrance to Tiffin is a good idea. But, I think we also need to consider if we want to capitalize on the fact that Hwy#6 and Tiffin are the scenic route connecting the Coral Mall and the Amanas. North Liberty and County officials expressed interest in cooperative efforts when possible.