Iowa City Votes Down Building Floodwall Along Taft Speedway, Considers Urban Chickens

Iowa City Council voted down a levee intended to provide flood protection to a neighborhood devastated by the 2008 flood, during a city council meeting on Tuesday evening.

The levee was to be built along Taft Speedway and Idyllwild condominiums.

Residents in the 92-unit Idyllwild complex wanted the flood wall to protect their neighborhood. Floodwaters inundated the complex in 2008.

Those along Taft Speedway and some in Parkview Terrace have opposed building the levee, saying it would worsen future flooding problems for those outside Idyllwild and would obstruct views.

The vote was 5-2 to reject the levee with Connie Champion, Rick Dobyns, Michelle Payne, Susan Mims and Jim Throgmorton voting against the levee and Mayor Matt Hayek and Terry Dickens voted for it.

In another vote, councilors voted 5-2, with Mims and Dickens opposing, on a second reading to allow people to keep chickens at their homes within city limits.

The final vote on the matter, which could come Dec. 4, is not a guarantee. A sticking point appears to be a request to notify neighbors, which will be discussed.

The City Council also approved a first reading of a variety of changes affecting cab company regulations, such as where they can dispatch from and color schemes. Several owners and drivers raised concerns about various aspect of the changes. Council went ahead with the vote but encouraged direct feedback that could help tweak the proposal as it moves forward.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article stated the urban chicken vote failed. It passed on Tuesday.