IC city council approves first reading of ordinance increasing pet fines, also talks road diet
Lang
2/20/19
Fines relating to pets would go up under an ordinance approved in its first reading by the Iowa City city council Tuesday night.
KCRG reports the ordinance, which must pass two more readings before it can be implemented, increases fines for such offenses as failing to clean up dog waste and not licensing cats from $25 to $65.
The ordinance would also remove a requirement that rabbits be microchipped. It would also require a special permit for homes with four or more dogs.
Meanwhile, The Daily Iowan reports the council also discussed extending the road diet on Mormon Trek Boulevard, reducing more areas of the road from four to three lanes, including a center turn lane after the council received a large amount of correspondence from residents, both for and against the idea.
A 2016 study showed traffic on the street is light enough a road diet would have little effect on slowing traffic. But critics note the study was done during winter break, when many University of Iowa students were out of town. Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County executive director Kent Ralston replied to those critics the traffic counts were “carefully analyzed” under both four-lane and three-lane conditions.
If the changes are approved, work on Mormon Trek Boulevard could begin as soon as this spring.
The newspaper reports councilor Susan Mims, an oft critic of the road diets, noted many east side residents have made complaints about the recent conversion from four to three lanes on 1st Avenue.
