Following a public hearing the Pella City Council approved the rezoning application by Federated Fellowship Church to Rezone Property from M1 Limited/Light Industrial Zoning District for Contractor’s Use to M1 Limited/Light Industrial Zoning District for Self Storage Use,

Federated Fellowship Church is requesting a rezoning from M1 Limited/Light Industrial District for Contractor’s Use to M1 Limited/Light Industrial Zoning District for Self Storage Use for 2280 Graceland Cemetery Road which would include Lots 5 and 6 of Graceland Addition. These parcels comprise 0.83 acres in total and are located in the Marion County Extraterritorial Zoning Jurisdiction. The new proposed use is for a self storage business.

The Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Map targets the area proposed to be rezoned for Civic based on the pre-existing church offices which were established prior to the City extraterritorial zoning. Therefore, the proposed rezoning is inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

A previous M1 rezoning application for this property was approved by City Council on March 17, 2009 subject to being limited to a construction contractor’s business only with any other proposed industrial use subject to a new rezoning process.

The Planning and Zoning Commission at their meeting on May 18, 2009 approved the rezoning subject to the proposed use being limited to a self storage business and with a sunset provision such that if the use is not established by the start of construction of one building within two years of zoning approval that the zoning revert back to CC Commercial.

The City Attorney recommended that a Development Agreement be considered in conjunction with the rezoning. The Development Agreement for Rezoning includes the conditions recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission. In addition, the Agreement provides for options in the event that the Church would find another buyer for the properties other than a self storage business. These options include a new rezoning request for another industrial use or else reverting the zoning back to CC Commercial should a permitted commercial use be proposed through site plan.

Council also approved the first reading of ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Pella, by amending the boundaries of the M1 District to include the Federated Fellowship Church property.

A second public hearing was held on Tuesday night regarding the City’s Solid Waste Contract.

The existing three year solid waste agreement with Kal Services, Inc. (Midwest Sanitation) will terminate on July 31, 2009. Bids for a new three year contract were received on June 3, 2009. The term of the new contract is from August 1, 2009 to: July 31, 2012.

Services under the proposed contract include the collection of residential solid waste and recycling; yard waste; municipal solid waste and recycling collection; and two bulk solid waste clean-ups per year. In addition, the new contract also includes collection time restrictions during peak travel times Monday through Friday on identified arterial and collector streets. These include portions of Main, Broadway, Washington, University, Hazel, Oskaloosa, E 3rd, and W 3rd.

The low bid by Kal Services, Inc. is approximately 0.65 percent higher than the City’s current contract after it is adjusted for the landfill fee increase on July 1, 2009. This additional increase amounts to approximately $3,000 annually. As a result, the City will need to raise environmental services rates to cover this increased cost.

Based upon the lowest qualified bid received, the recommendation was made to award a three year Residential and Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling Collection contract to Kal Services, Inc. The agreement - would begin August 1, 2009 and run through July 31, 2012.

Council approved the resolution awarding the contract to Kal Services, Inc., with an annual cost of services of $467,406.96.

A pair of special event permits were approved by council. The first for “Pella Gospel Sing”, Friday July 24 and Saturday July 25, 2009. The event will run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. In conjunction with this event, the Pella Gospel Sing is requesting the closing of West 2nd Street from Liberty to Franklin and Liberty Street from West 2nd to West 3rd on July 24 and July 25 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The second event approved was for the Pella 4th of July celebration. The City of Pella plans to celebrate Independence Day on July 4, 2009 with a parade, fireworks and other activities around the community: There will also be fishing at Sunken Garden Park, tours of the Windmill and Scholte House, live music, and many games and activities in Central Park. At dusk, fireworks are planned east of the Madison Elementary School.

The following street closings are requested: 1) For parade staging. East 2” Street from the intersection of Washington Street to the intersection of Union Street; Liberty Street from the intersection of East 1st Street to the intersection of East 3rd Street; and Franklin Street from the intersection of Broadway Street to the intersection of East 3rd Street during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 2) For the parade route. Franklin Street from the intersection of East 3rd Street to the intersection of West 3rd Street during the hours of 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 3) Other activities and events, Franklin Street from the intersection of Main Street to the intersection of Broadway Street during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 4) Fireworks Display, 240th Place from the intersections of Business Highway 163 to the intersection of East Vermeer Road and East University Street from the intersection of East 13th Street to the intersection of 240th Place during the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Approval was given by the Marion County Engineer on June 8, 2009 to close 240th Place. Rain date will be July 5, 2009 for the Fireworks Display only.

A resolution adopting an amended wage scale for FY 09/10 was approved by council on Tuesday evening.

The resolution adjusts the wage scale for full-time City employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement or the executive pay plan. The proposed adjustment is for an across the board increase of $.50 per hour for full-time employees.

This adjustment is inline with the FY 09/10 Budget, which included a $.50 per hour across the board increase. The $.50 increase is approximately a 2.10 percent increase for the full-time non-union employees. In evaluating this wage increase, it is important to note that the Public Works Union employees will also be receiving a $.50 (or approximately 2.69 percent) across the board wage adjustment. Also, under the terms of the Electric Union contract, the Electric Union employees will receive a 2 percent wage increase July 1, 2009 and another 2 percent wage increase January 1, 2010 which amounts to approximately a 3 percent increase in wages.

In addition to the above increase, eligible non-union employees may also receive a step increase. These will be in accordance with the City’s personnel policy and pay plan.

Since regular part-time and part-time employees do not participate in the health insurance program, they will not receive the $.50 per hour pay increase for FY 09/10.

It is also important to note that changes to the health care program could potentially offset the cost of the wage increase.

A resolution regarding the approval of disposition of City owned property was approved by council.

This resolution approves the sale of City owned property by auction. During the normal course of operations various property, supplies, equipment and vehicles have become obsolete and are no longer useful to the City.

The list contains a variety of miscellaneous items. A few larger, more notable items include the old airport tractor with associated equipment, the meter reading vehicle (ambulance) and a Chevy Caprice car.

The auction items have reached the end of their useful life for City purposes and it is now in the best interest of the City to divest itself of this surplus.

The auction is tentative scheduled for July 21, 2009 at 5 p.m. at the Public Works lot at 100 Truman Road. The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

With the final resolution of the evening, the council approved the fourth amendment to the City’s Employee Health Care Plan.

The City of Pella has been fortunate over the last five years to be able to maintain the same deductibles and out of pocket maximums for the City Health Insurance Plan. Due to high claims the past three years and rising health care costs, staff believes it is necessary to shift more of these costs to the employees in order to meet the City’s fiscal requirements.

In other action:

Council approved the third reading of and adopted an ordinance amending City Code in regards to Sidewalk Regulations.

This ordinance amends City Code Chapter 136, Sidewalk Regulations, which pertains to sidewalk repair and installations for existing City streets. Changes have been made to address concerns relating to the City’s procedures for sidewalk installations that were not covered under the subdivision ordinance. These changes include further definitions and additions on the following basic components:

Definitions for cracked and defective sidewalks. This ordinance defines a defective sidewalk as follows:

“Defective Sidewalk” means any public sidewalk exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics:

-Any crack extending the full width of the sidewalk with an open gap of 1/2 inch or larger.

-Any crack running parallel with the sidewalk with a gap of 1/2 inch or larger.

-Any two pieces of sidewalk section with a difference in elevation of 1/2 inch or larger.

-Any sidewalk that has an unreasonable uneven, surface such as: 1) cracked with part of walk missing forming holes; 2) cracked into more than three pieces per 4’ x 4’ square.

“Defective Brick Sidewalk in Central Business District” means any public brick sidewalk exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics:

A. 1/4 or greater of the brick top is crumbling and/or missing.

B. Spider cracks covering half or more of the brick

C. Sinking or raised bricks with a difference in elevation of 3/8” or larger.

D. Bricks with any hole 1/2” inch or greater in diameter.



New sidewalks for existing streets would be in accordance with the City’s Sidewalk Master Plan, which would be approved by Council at a later date.

Council approval would be required before a new sidewalk project could be initiated. Procedures allowing property owners to voluntarily install sidewalks in lieu of being assessed for the project.

Procedures for assessing property owners for defective sidewalks or the installation of new sidewalks. Under the provision of the Ordinance, assessments for the installation of new sidewalks would be allocated on a 100 percent basis to the abutting property owner. Likewise, repairs to existing sidewalks would be assessed 100 percent to the abutting property owners. This is a change from past policy where the neighbor across the street was expected to pay for 50 percent of the sidewalk. The reasons for the proposed change were due to the difficulty in assigning a cost benefit to the adjacent property owners, which is a concern if the assessment is contested.

A new provision has been added to allow the City Council to declare a particular area of sidewalk to be constructed as a City funded project.