Iowa City still says no to tailgating site

The City Council Monday night stood by the decision to shut down a proposed tailgating venture.

Council members said they thought Doug Boothroy, the city's director of housing and inspection services, made the right call to deny a temporary-use permit to the Stadium Club, which wanted to hold tailgating events across the street from Kinnick Stadium at 817 Melrose Avenue and 5 Triangle Place.

“I commend you for that decision,' Mike Wright said.

Boothroy said the Stadium Club paving the entire backyard and putting up fencing ran counter to the nature of a temporary-use permit. He also said the commercial aspects are not compatible with residential use, the police department determined there was not adequate emergency access and the parking spaces to be leased violate the zoning code.

The organizers of the Stadium Club sent the council a long letter Monday defending their plans and criticizing the decisions made by city staff. Among their claims:

• When they inquired last March about what permits may be needed, a city building official said “nothing is enforced” during the area on game days.
• The city waited until last month to express concerns about the Stadium Club's plans.
• The Stadium Club has received unequal treatment compared with other tailgating ventures.

The Stadium Club can appeal Boothroy's decision to the Board of Adjustment. The council could have amended city laws to allow for the Stadium Club's activities but declined to do so.

The Stadium Club was to take the place of the well-known Magic Bus tailgating site. The Magic Bus also was recently denied a temporary-use permit for a site where it wanted to relocate.

The city traditionally has not stepped in to stop any tailgating activities. City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes said the city would not have acted this time if not for opposition to the new Magic Bus site and the actions taken by the Stadium Club.

“We are not treating Mr. Barkalow differently,” Dilkes said of the Stadium Club's Tracy Barkalow. “Mr. Barkalow acted quite differently” than other tailgating organizers.

Mayor Matt Hayek sat out the discussion with a potential conflict of interest because an attorney in his law firm has long represented Barkalow.