(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council passed a resolution to develop a comprehensive sidewalk improvement program to ensure the City’s sidewalks are maintained safely and hazard-free.
Atlantic City Administrator John Lund says that, according to the Iowa code, since 1984, Iowa municipalities have relied on the ability to transfer liability for sidewalk conditions from the city to the abutting property owner. However, the Supreme Court recently announced a court case defaulting the burden of the condition of sidewalks located within the City right-of-way back on municipalities, not the abutting property owner.
On October 30, the Atlantic City Council gathered for a work session and discussed the seriousness of the matter. The Council reached a consensus requiring city liability to ensure the safety of residents and visitors using sidewalks in the City’s right-of-way. Atlantic City Administrator John Lund says its’ a good gesture.
Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett says the city council wishes to assemble a sidewalk committee within the Council.
*In other business, the City Council passed a resolution setting December 4 as the date for a public hearing on an Urban Renewal Amendment for the Southeast Urban Renewal District. City Administrator John Lund says that before the Council adopts a development agreement utilizing tax increment financing for Vision Atlantic, it must first amend the Southeast Urban Renewal Area, where the 144 mixed housing development project will be located. This will be the largest housing development project in Atlantic since the Nishna Hills Final Plat was adopted in 1978.
*The council approved the third and final reading of an ordinance amending the city of Atlantic by recommendation of the Atlantic Park and Rec Commission prohibiting the following trees: Freeman/Hybrid Maple (Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze, Armstring, Marmo and Sienna Glen are frequently seen cultivars, Amur Maple, Norway Maple, Ash, Blue Spruce, Callery/Ornamental Pear, Ornamental Cherry, Mulberry, Golden Raintree, Tree of Heaven, Black Locust, White Poplar, Siberian Elm, and Russian Olive and Cedar.
