City of Blue Grass, Iowa

City Hall Hours

NOTE: On March 19, 2020, Governor Reynolds issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency which included a suspension of Iowa laws that would prevent the use of electronic meetings or the limitation on the number of people present at an in-person meeting sites; therefore, in order to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, only the Mayor, City Staff and Council members will be in-person. This meeting will be held electronically, according to Chapter 21.8 of the Iowa Code.

If you wish to participate in the April 6, 2020 City Council meeting via electronically, please call 1-872-240-3212 ACCESS CODE 451-600-365. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. The City Council meeting minutes will be published accordingly and available on the City’s website: www.bluegrassia.org and published in the Quad City Times.

TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 (coronavirus)

Our first priority is the health and safety of both the residents and City staff as that is the utmost importance as new developments of the COVID-19 are rapidly increasing, we wish to reduce the daily interaction at City Hall; therefore, the decision has been made to CLOSE City Hall until further notice in order to reduce down the spread of COVID-19 and keep the public as well as City staff safe. City Hall will run as usual, you may telephone City Hall Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All residents and businesses need to pay their utility bills either via mail, online (www.bluegrassia.org) or by simply dropping off their payment in the utility payment box located on West Orphed Street (next to City Hall). If you should need a building permit, please contact Jim Meyrer at (563) 349-6246 prior to submitting a building permit application in order to make the necessary arrangements.

We have implemented several new policies and procedures, which follow recommendations from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Preventative (CDC) and are committed to doing everything we can to make the City of Blue Grass a safe environment as all Departments have implemented handwashing and sanitizing procedures to take place multiple times during the day and are very diligent in taking preventative measures.

Should an emergency arise and you need to contact a representative from the City, please contact Mayor Brad Schutte at (563) 349-1359 or Mayor Pro Tem Donna Kinzer at (563) 381-7686.

After reviewing the latest updates from the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control, we decided to take the following course of action for the interim.

We are encouraging our staff to apply diligence to hygiene practices, including hand washing for 20-30 seconds regularly throughout the day, as well as being aware not to touch their face.
We have implemented social distancing measures and temporary policies, such as refraining from handshakes, hugging, etc.
In order to reduce public gatherings, all meetings of the Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Park Board will be held electronically. On each Agenda posted, there will be a phone number to call along with a specific code which will allow you access to the meeting.

We will get through this initial period of uncertainty. The spread of the virus will decline at some point. But, in the meantime, let's ensure we reduce the risk for all. All of these practices help fight the spread and we want Blue Grass to feel safe and protected.

More than ever, thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions, please call City Hall (563) 381-4700. Thank you.

Free Spring Cleanup Day: (pending COVID-19) as this event may be postponed.

Friday, May 1^st from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 2^nd from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

(Note: Please arrive 30 minutes prior to closing time of 4:00 p.m. & 12:00 p.m.)

The City of Blue Grass is announcing the free 2020 “Spring Cleanup Day” for Blue Grass residents within the city limits only. Please bring your most current utility bill stub as proof of residency. Residents are invited to dispose of debris at the Scott Area Landfill located at 11555 – 110^th Avenue – Davenport, Iowa (County Road Y-48)

Acceptable Material:

BULKY WASTE such as furniture

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS MATERIALS such as paint, stain, varnish, pesticides, fertilizer and fluorescent bulbs

ELECTRONIC WASTE (E-WASTE) such as computers, monitors, televisions, stereos, VCRs and DVD players

APPLIANCES such as refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers

TIRES (with or without rims)

SCRAP METAL

Non-acceptable Material:

Waste generated from a business
Yard Waste
Household Garbage

RESIDENTS: The City has been contacted by Iowa American Water Company as they are unable to transmit meter readings; therefore, the City will be "estimating" your utility bills. Once we are able to obtain a read, your read will reflect the correct usage. IAWC is updating us daily. Thank you for your cooperation. We apologize for any inconvenience - thank you.

To sign up - visit: https://www.medicems.com/community-training-courses/

CENSUS JOBS! $21.00 per hour for Scott County

Earn extra income while helping your community. The Census is hiring for a variety of temporary jobs including census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff and supervisors. Pay rates are $21.00 per hour for Scott County jobs. Apply for one of thousands of temporary #2020CensusJobs.

Apply online at https://www.2020census.gov/jobs external link . For more information or help applying, please call 1-855-JOB-2020. #2020Census

Drop your "box tops" off at City Hall to help the Blue Grass Elementary School earn more money. Let's partner with the elementary school and give them a hand by dropping off your "box tops" at City Hall (which can be found on most General Mills products-check the date, make sure they are not expired). Thank you for your support!

Blue Grass Residents: Just a friendly reminder, please remove all refuse containers within 24 hours after the designated collection day. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Republic Services is asking that residents leave at least 3 foot or more space between your garbage and recycling cart in order for the driver to successfully dispose of its contents. Thank you.

Blue Grass Municipal Code: 8.14.140 Refuse Containers ─ Location for and penalty.
D. Residents are to return their refuse and recycling containers onto their premises and removed from the street and/or alley within 24 hours of the designated collection day or the Residents shall be issued a municipal infraction and upon conviction shall be subject to a penalty of $25.00. This includes removal of refuge and recycling containers from all sidewalks, boulevards, curbs and rights of way. Residents whose refuse and/or recycling service was interrupted or missed on the designated collection day shall remove their container immediately and shall not be penalized. (Amd. 17-05, eff. 11/27/17)

Chapter 9.40 FIREWORKS: As used in this section “Consumer Fireworks” shall mean and include “Consumer first-class consumer fireworks and second-class consumer fireworks as those terms are defined in Iowa State Code §100.19, subsection 1. Consumer Fireworks includes, but is not limited to, such items as: Aerial shell kits and reloadable tubes; Chasers; Helicopter and aerial spinners; Firecrackers; Mine and shell devices; Missile-type rockets; Roman candles; Sky rockets and bottle rockets; Multiple tube devices that are manufactured in accordance with American Pyrotechnics Association 87-1, section 3.5.

Consumer fireworks does not include “Novelties” as defined and enumerated in chapter 3 of the American Pyrotechnics Association’s standard 87-1 or “Display Fireworks” as defined and enumerated in chapter 4 of the American Pyrotechnics Association’s standard 87-1 as published in December 2001.

Dates and Times as specified. Consumer Fireworks may be used on July 3 and July 4 from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. and on the night of December 31 from 10 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. The Council may approve by Resolution special occurrences in its discretion for additional dates and times. The special occurrence dates and times so approved do not carryover from year to year.

Permit. A permit to use display fireworks may be issued by the Blue Grass Fire Department’s office pursuant to the criteria and standards adopted from the Uniform Fire Code.

Penalty and Enforcement. Use of any Consumer Firework at a date or time other than those allowed pursuant to subsection B or the use of Display Fireworks without a permit is prohibited and punishable as a simple misdemeanor as follows:

First Offense $125 Second Offense $200 Third and Subsequent $325

Public Notification

Vehicles, recreational vehicles, motor homes, boats with trailers, buses, trucks, utility, construction and enclosed trailers, camping trailers, travel trailers and hauling trailers:

A. Vehicles, recreational vehicles, motor homes, boats with trailers, buses, trucks, utility, construction and enclosed trailers that comply with Chapter 8.16 Junk and Abandoned Vehicles, may be parked on residential driveways or parked adjacent to an existing driveway with a four foot setback from any curb, sidewalk or street edge as to not obstruct the view of pedestrians and/or residents exiting their property. No more than a total of two of the following types shall be permitted for each family living on the premises: recreational vehicles, motor homes, boats with trailers, buses, trucks, utility, construction and enclosed trailers, camping trailers, travel trailers or hauling trailers. Said recreational vehicles, camping trailers, travel trailers, hauling trailers or boat trailers may be parked or stored on any driveway or parked adjacent to an existing driveway during the months of April 1^st through October 31^st only. Said recreational vehicles, camping trailers, travel trailers, hauling trailers or boat trailers shall not be parked or stored during the months of November 1^st through March 31^st unless they are located behind the front yard building line, except as authorized on appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. A 16’ (sixteen foot) utility trailer or a 16’ (sixteen foot) pull behind pop-up camper may be stored directly behind the residence all year round. To determine a front yard building line, see Frontage and yard requirements, Chapters 17.24.060; 17.28.060 and 17.32.060, with the exception of a corner lot. For purposes of this section, corner lots shall have a front yard building line only on the side of a property where the front door to the residence is located. Under no circumstances shall a recreational vehicle or camping trailer, travel trailer, hauling trailer or boat trailer be parked or stored in the public right-of-way or City Street. Refer to Chapter 10.24.130. Certain Subdivision covenants shall also apply to this chapter. (Amd. 10-08, eff. 07/26/10) (Amd. 16-07, eff. 07/13/16)

B. Trucks and trailers. No truck exceeding sixteen thousand and one pounds (16,001#), licensed, or utility type trailer or construction type trailer exceeding 16’ (sixteen foot) shall be parked or stored in any residence district, with the exception of utility company service trucks, unless the truck is parked or stored in an enclosed garage. (Amd. 05-05, eff. 09/29/05) (Amd. 16-07, eff. 07/13/16)

C. Vehicles, boats with trailers, recreational vehicles, motor homes, buses, trucks, utility trailers, construction trailers, camping trailers, travel trailers, hauling trailers, boat trailers and enclosed trailers under no circumstances will be parked on the front yard. (Amd. 16-07, eff. 07/13/16)

Golf Cart/ATV/UTV Application

images/files/users/aschmidt/GolfCartATVUTVRegistrationApplication.pdf

New Golf Cart Ordinance:

images/files/users/aschmidt/Ch10.70GOLFCARTS.pdf

New ATV Ordinance:

images/files/users/aschmidt/Ch10.80ALL-TERRAINVEHICLES.pdf

New UTV Ordinance:

images/files/users/aschmidt/Ch10.90UTILITYTASKVEHICLES.pdf

Municipal Code Book

2017 08 28 Blue Grass Municipal Code

The last update was implemented October 1, 2018; therefore, Amendments made after that have not yet been implemented. Please contact City Hall if you have any questions or inquries. Thank you.

Notice:

CENSUS ADDRESS CANVASSING OPERATION

Be aware that Address Canvassing is commencing.

Census workers will be working throughout communities until October 18th, verifying locations of houses, apartments, shelters and other places where people could live or stay.

The purpose of Address Canvassing is to ensure the census address list is accurate and complete for the 2020 Census.

When will Census Bureau employees be in my neighborhood?

Census Bureau employees will be in your neighborhoods knocking on doors from early August through mid-October.

How do I know the person at my door works for the Census Bureau?

Census employees will have:

Badges with photo IDs
Black canvas bags and laptops with 2020 Census Logos

How is the Census Bureau informing the public of the Address Canvassing operation?

The Census Bureau will work with local authorities to inform the public about when Census Bureau workers will be in your area.

Who can I contact to find more about Address Canvassing in Iowa?

Chicago Region (AR, IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, WI):
312-579-1500
Chicago.rcc.partnership@2020census.gov

CENSUS 101

What is a census and why is it important?

Once a decade, America comes together to count every resident in the United States, creating national awareness of the importance of the census and its valuable statistics. The decennial census was first taken in 1790, as mandated by the Constitution. It counts our population and households, providing the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.

HOW THE CENSUS BENEFITS YOUR COMMUNITY

Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Your community benefits the most when the census counts everyone. People in your community use census data in all kinds of ways, such as these:

Residents use the census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.

Businesses use Census Bureau data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, and these create jobs.

Local government officials use the census to ensure public safety and plan new schools and hospitals.

Real estate developers and city planners use the census to plan new homes and improve neighborhoods.

The next census is coming in 2020. Counting an increasingly diverse and growing population is a massive undertaking. It requires years of planning and the support of thousands of people.

Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone’s participation. The Census Bureau depends on cross-sector collaborations with organizations and individuals to get people to participate.

The 2020 Census is important for you and your community, and you can help.

Learn more about the 2020 Census.

Blue Grass Elementary School
226 Sycamore
Blue Grass, IA 52726
Phone: 1.563.381.1712

Principal: Diane Simmons