Government Notes: Iowa City expanding where sidewalk cafes allowed

Opportunities to eat outdoors in Iowa City might increase once warmer weather returns.

The Iowa City Council last Tuesday unanimously voted to expand where sidewalk cafes are allowed. This was the ordinance's first consideration. It will need to be approved two more times.

Currently, sidewalk cafes are allowed downtown and in the Riverfront Crossings district. The council voted in favor of allowing sidewalk cafes without a liquor license outside of these areas to operate. According to a city memo, the intention is to encourage more sidewalk cafes throughout the community.

“The cafes would be required to still abide by our sidewalk cafe ordinance and policy, as well as any other additional restrictions that staff or the city manager may see fit,” Assistant City Manager Rachel Kilburg said. “For example, if you have a coffee shop operating in maybe a more residential neighborhood, maybe the hours of operation need to be reduced.”

The City Council heard an update about the sidewalk cafe program at its Sept. 6 work session, along with recommended changes to support a successful sidewalk cafe environment. Expanding where sidewalk cafes are allowed was among the recommendations.

Other recommendations are anticipated to come before the council at a Dec. 6 meeting.

Iowa City adopts land acknowledgment statement

The Iowa City Council also last Tuesday also unanimously adopted a land acknowledgment statement recognizing Indigenous populations and their traditional territories.

Council member Janice Weiner drafted the resolution, which was informed by similar land acknowledgment statements adopted by other institutions. Weiner said it was “long past time that we honor those on whose land we live and thrive.”

“It's an essential part of our history, and I think that if we've learned anything over the past few years, it should be that we must learn from, accept and acknowledge our past and allow it to inform our present and our future,” Weiner said.

City staff will post the land acknowledgment statement on the city’s website and develop ways to incorporate it when people are reading the City Council agendas or entering council chambers.

Marion awards more small business ARPA grants

The Marion City Council has awarded 11 additional small businesses a combined $106,844 through its Business Innovation and Support Grant. The council voted to allocate the funds provided by the American Rescue Plan during a meeting Thursday.

Earlier this year, the council awarded 20 businesses funding in the program’s first round, totaling $293,156. The program is being administered as a partnership between the city and the Chamber of Commerce.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly said. “We are pleased to award ARPA funds to such businesses who were significantly impacted by the pandemic and support them as they continue to recover.”

The grants are for small businesses with one to 10 employees. They provide funding ranging from $5,500 to $10,650, and each award comes with up to five hours of “mandatory business counseling” by a business coach.

The second round awardees include Epic Salon, Tomasos Pizza, Salon Bellezza, monroe + co, SugarMe, AM Glass Repair LLC, Master Auto Repair Inc., Staged Dwellings, New York Gyro, Puddle Jumpers and La Cantina Bar and Grill.

Prairie Park Fishery accessible piers in the works

Cedar Rapids is working to build three fishing piers that will be completely accessible for individuals with disabilities to use at Prairie Park Fishery.

The piers will have cantilevered decks that extend beyond the water’s edge, according to the city. The decks are designed so that people of all mobilities are able to fish in deeper waters over the lake or along the banks.

Pier users will have amenities that are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act from the parking lot to the water.

Parks Superintendent Mitch Ahrendsen told the Parks, Recreation and Waterways Commission this week that staff anticipate the piers will be complete this month, coinciding with when the lake is stocked by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The new piers are part of the city’s ongoing effort to improve accessibility of the municipal park system. Improvements are underway in the southeast parks quadrant for a price tag of $2 million. The city reports that more than $4.9 million in improvements have been made in the northeast and northwest quadrants.

Cedar Rapids golf courses closed

Ellis Golf Course, Twin Pines Golf Course and Mini Pines Miniature Golf Course have closed for the season, the city of Cedar Rapids announced last week. Gardner Golf Course already closed.

The Ellis Pro Shop will remain open through Dec. 23 for holiday shopping. Holiday hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. It will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.

For more information, call 319-286-5589 or go to PlayCedarRapidsGolf.com.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area government bodies. Marissa Payne, Gage Miskimen, Izabela Zaluska and Grace King of The Gazette contributed to this report.