Rock Island City Council met Aug. 13.
Here is the minutes provided by the Council:
Present: Mayor Mike Thoms, Alderman Ivory D. Clark, Alderman Virgil J. Mayberry, Alderman James Spurgetis, Alderman Stephen L. Tollenaer, Alderman Dylan Parker, and Alderman Dave Geenen
Alderman Joshua Schipp arrived at 5:37 p.m.
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Randy Tweet, City Attorney Dave Morrison, City Clerk Judith Gilbert, and other City staff
8/13/2018 - Minutes
MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN TYPES OF BUSINESSES
City Manager Randy Tweet said some aldermen have had questions about a moratorium on certain types of businesses such as pawn shops, title and payday loan businesses, video gaming, and used car lots. Mr. Tweet thought it would be a good time to have a discussion on the topic and so he could have some direction on how to proceed. There are currently two pawn shops, eighteen gaming establishments with four more in the pipeline, and three title loan businesses on 11th Street. A maximum of five video gaming machines is allowed per establishment. Mayor Thoms said the City has an average of 3.9 gaming machines per establishment. The City license fee is $250 per gaming machine. Ms. Masson stated the City receives $165,000 from video gaming. There is no sales tax generated from loan businesses.
Council discussed the following topics with regards to a moratorium: perception of the community with the presence of certain types of business, predatory practices of loan-type businesses especially towards low-income residents, visual perception and look of the community, triple-digit interest rates charged by loan-type businesses, signage problems, resources sapped by certain types of loan businesses, video gaming machines bringing casino revenue down statewide, less City revenue from gaming machines versus revenue from Jumer's Casino, revenues generated for the City by these types of businesses, alternatives to title and payday loan businesses, saturation of certain types of businesses, promoting available resources for residents, support of Jumer's Casino by the City, the need for banking services or a credit union on 11th Street, making City banking services available, neighborhood gaming availability, local bars and taverns needing gaming to survive, appearance of pawn shops with bars on the windows, gambling addiction issues and requirements of gaming businesses, more pawn shops but without bars on the windows, staff spending time talking with affected businesses especially businesses with gaming machines, public input before making any final decision, and two readings on any proposed ordinance.
The consensus was no moratorium for used car lots. Alderman Clark proposed limiting the number of establishments with gaming machines to 25. Several aldermen supported a slight expansion in video gaming. Alderman Parker and Alderman Clark were in favor of a moratorium on title and payday loan businesses with no more allowed.
RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER REQUIREMENT IN THE BUILDING CODE
Alderman Spurgetis stated he would like to make the sprinkler requirement voluntary for a period of time. He said many members of the task force believe it is one more obstacle to building homes in Rock Island. Alderman Spurgetis is a member of the Housing Task Force. Alderman Spurgetis stated Rock Island's is the most restrictive fire code.
Mr. Tweet said staff and members of the task force are available to answer questions.
Fire Marshal Greg Marty disagreed with Alderman Spurgetis' statement about the City's being the most restrictive fire code and said the Rock Island fire code is the simplest code in all of the local communities; there are no amendments like in other communities. He stated the code was adopted in its entirety as written; only three lines reference the sprinkler requirement. Mr. Marty presented information on the 46 new single-family homes built on the Arsenal with sprinklers and the two new homes (one built and one with approved plans) in Rock Island with sprinkler systems. The cost of sprinkler systems were very close to the national average discussed when Mr. Marty made his study session presentation to Council last fall. Last year, only one house was built in Rock Island. Now, there are plans for several more new homes to be built in Rock Island including a Habitat for Humanity house. Mr. Marty also stated it would be a huge slap to these homeowners to reverse the ordinance now; Rock Island is a fire safe community. He also said the fire season is coming up now; this is important to saving lives. Mr. Marty stated there were eighteen deaths in single family home fires in the Quad Cities last year. He feels the special outside interests are not presenting factual numbers to Council. There has been an increase in home building with the fire sprinkler requirements; it would be a terrible disservice to roll it back now. As the Fire Marshal, Mr. Marty advised Council to leave the code as is. Fire Chief Jeff Yerkey said it is their job to protect life and property. He said Rock Island is recognized as five star fire safe community.
Realtor Jon Loquist said the builders are fighting the sprinkler requirement; Rock Island is competing with neighboring cities. He also stated perception is everything and reputation is important. He believes the sprinkler requirement is a negative; it will not sell more homes in Rock Island. He suggested home buyers sign disclosure agreements regarding the sprinkler option before permits are pulled.
Chief Yerkey said if there was a new development of sprinklered homes, accommodations could be made for placement of hydrants, lot size, streets, etc. to lower infrastructure costs. He also said the cities that didn't adopt the sprinkler requirement did so against their Fire Marshal's recommendation.
Alderman Spurgetis said he is trying to help represent the real estate community and builders in the community. He would like it to be a voluntary option. Mr. Marty said the fire code is 540 pages of mandates with nothing voluntary. He said Council made the right decision. When the code required hard wiring of interconnected smoke detectors, there was pushback then too.
Alderman Parker thanked Mr. Loquist and the task force members for participating in the process. Alderman Parker would like to know how the realtors will help the City sell more houses. He also wanted to know how the industry is proposing to work with the City. Mr. Loquist responded that realtors are not builders or developers. There are two markets: new construction and existing homes. He said the realtors do care about Rock Island and that houses sell better in Rock Island than other towns. Mr. Loquist said spec homes are a different market.
Alderman Parker said a lot of that is the reputation of Rock Island. He feels the realtors are more concerned that only Rock Island is doing this. Alderman Parker asked why the realtors aren't working with other communities to join Rock Island in requiring sprinklers. Mr. Loquist said they want consistency across the board; the requirement of sprinklers will eventually come. It's about concerned that only Rock Island is doing this. Alderman Parker asked why the realtors aren't working with other communities to join Rock Island in requiring sprinklers. Mr. Loquist said they want consistency across the board; the requirement of sprinklers will eventually come. It's about competition. Alderman Parker said he would encourage the realtors to advocate for sprinklers in neighboring communities and make the playing field level.
Alderman Mayberry said Council did not get enough information tonight.
Alderman Clark stated he was in favor of making it voluntary.
Alderman Tollenaer said Council overreacted in adopting the ordinance.
Alderman Schipp said Council made the right decision. He believes to overturn the fire code decision would take a super-majority of five votes. Nothing he has heard has changed his opinion. It is all about safety. Alderman Schipp said Council did not make a mistake in adopting the full fire code.
The study session concluded at 6:44 p.m.
https://rigov.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08132018-215
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