Still No Decision on Former Magic Bus Property
By Clark Cahill, Reporter
Revelers fill the Magic Bus tailgate area before the Iowa homecoming game against Michigan at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in Iowa City.
(Liz Martin)
By
Becky Ogann
Story Created:
Aug 30, 2010 at 11:30 AM CDT
Story Updated:
Aug 30, 2010 at 11:30 AM CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa — With only five days remaining until the Iowa football team kicks off the season against Eastern Illinois, Outside Properties still has no resolution on what they will do with the property at 817 Melrose Avenue in Iowa City.
Tracy Barkalow, part owner of the property, said he had no comment on the situation Monday because they have not made a definitive decision on what the land will be used for come game day.
The Melrose Avenue location had been home to the Magic Bus, a tailgating staple for Iowa football, for several years. After Outside Properties bought the property in 2009 for $500,000, a rental agreement could not be met with Magic Bus organizers.
The new property owners proposed a new tailgating venture called Stadium Club, which they said would be more polished and would bring a more professional crowd. But in early August, they were denied a temporary-use permit and liquor license for violating a zoning code after paving the entire rear yard and adding fencing to the property. Their plan was to use the lot for commercial parking when not being used as a tailgate area, something Iowa City director of Housing and Inspection Services Doug Boothroy said is not allowed.
Aside from commercial parking being restricted at the location, making permanent improvements to a area that is proposed as a temporary-use site violates the temporary-use requirements.
Boothroy said he expected a comprehensive plan on Aug. 25 from Jim Clark, another property owner, showing how the company is going to improve the area to comply with the zoning ordinance.
To obtain a temporary-use permit, Outside Properties will have to remove the 23-car parking lot they paved without permission from the city. But Boothroy said even these improvements will not allow for a liquor license because an outdoor service area liquor license requires the location to be at least 100 feet from residential use.
Boothroy believes the Magic Bus may have a shot at meeting an agreement with Outside Properties to return to its original location because as a non-profit organization, they do not need a liquor license.
Barkalow said they are considering offers from a few organizations, including Magic Bus organizers.
Jeremy Freerks, a member of the Iowa City Ducks Rugby Club, which owns an operates the Magic Bus, also had no comment on Monday about the situation.
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