HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ Agenda Packet 06.26.2024PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Formal Meeting – 6:00 PM
Emma Harvat Hall
Iowa City City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Public Discussion of Any Item Not on the Agenda
4. Case No. REZ24-0004
Location: 1215 Camp Cardinal Rd.
An application for a rezoning of approximately 5.01 acres of land from Interim Development
Single Family Residential (ID-RS) zone to Low-Density Single-Family Residential (RS-5) zone.
5. Case No. REZ24-0005
Location: 2255 N. Dubuque Rd.
An application for a rezoning of approximately 7.0 acres of land from Office Research Park
(OPD) zone to Neighborhood Public (P-1) zone.
6. Consideration of meeting minutes: May 1, 2024
7. Planning and Zoning Information
8. Adjournment
If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this meeting, please contact
Anne Russett, Urban Planning, at 319-356-5251 or arussett@iowa-city.org. Early requests are
strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Upcoming Planning & Zoning Commission Meetings
Formal: July 17 / August 7 / August 21
Informal: Scheduled as needed.
STAFF REPORT
To: Planning and Zoning Commission
Item: REZ24-0004
Prepared by: Melanie Comer,
Planning Intern
Date: June 26, 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Applicant/Owner:
Matt Kain
319-351-8282
Contact Person: MMS Consultants
Lacey Stutzman
l.sexton@mmsconsultants.net
1917 S Gilbert St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Requested Action: Rezoning of approximately 5.01
acres of land from Interim
Development Single Family
Residential (ID-RS) to Low-Density
Single-Family Residential (RS-5).
Purpose:
Rezone the area to allow the
development of one additional
single-family home on Parcel A of
Clear Creek Subdivision.
Location:
1215 Camp Cardinal Road
Location Map:
Size: 5.01 acres
Existing Land Use and Zoning: One residential building, Interim
Development Single Family
Residential (ID-RS)
Surrounding Land Use and Zoning: North: City of Coralville Public;
City of Iowa City Interim
Development Single-Family
Residential (ID-RS)
2
South: City of Coralville Single
Family Residential (R-1);
City of Iowa City Low-
Density Single-Family
Residential with a Planned
Development Overlay (RS-
5/OPD)
West: City of Coralville Single
Family Residential (R-1);
City of Coralville Small Lot
Single Family Residential
(R-1(B))
East: City of Iowa City Low-
Density Single-Family
Residential with a Planned
Development Overlay (RS-
5/OPD)
Comprehensive Plan:
2-8 DUA
District Plan:
No adopted district plan
Neighborhood Open Space District:
NW1
Public Meeting Notification: Properties within 500’ of the subject
property received notification of the
Planning and Zoning Commission
public meeting. A rezoning sign was
posted on the site on May 30, 2024.
File Date: May 28, 2024
45 Day Limitation Period:
July 11, 2024
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The applicant has requested a rezoning of approximately 5.01 acres of land from Interim
Development Single Family Residential (ID-RS) to Low-Density Single-Family Residential (RS-5)
located at 1215 Camp Cardinal Road. The property currently contains one residential structure.
The owner is requesting a rezoning in order to build one additional home on the property.
The subject property was subdivided in 1984 to what still exists as Clear Creek Subdivision. This
subdivision created parcel A to the north and parcel B to the south. The property was zoned
Interim Development Single Family Residential (ID-RS) in 1989 from Interim Development –
Office and Research Park (ID-ORP) (Ordinance No. 89-3439). This area was deemed to be “more
appropriate for residential uses rather than office and research park uses”.
To the west of the subject property is Borlaug Elementary School, which is within the Coralville
city limits but falls within the Iowa City Community School District. Much of the surrounding
property is within Coralville and has subsequent Coralville zoning regulations and designations.
ANALYSIS:
Current Zoning: The purpose of the ID-RS zone is to provide areas of managed growth for
agricultural or other non-urban land uses that exist until city services are able to be provided on-
site. Title 14-2E-1 establishes that upon service availability by the city, the property owner or the
3
city is entitled to the initiation of a rezoning to a more suitable zoning designation. Uses permitted
outright in the ID-RS zone are limited to plant-related agricultural uses, whereas allowed
provisionally are uses such as detached single-family dwellings, animal-related commercial and
agricultural uses, and communication transmission facility uses. The minimum lot area required
for a detached single-family dwelling in the ID-RS zone is 5 acres, which is roughly the size of the
subject property. The minimum lot area required for a detached single-family dwelling is 6,000
square feet in the RS-5 zone. Thus, to allow the addition of another single-family home on this
property, a rezoning is required.
Proposed Zoning: The applicant wishes to rezone the subject property to Low-Density Single-
Family (RS-5) from ID-RS. The RS-5 zone is primarily intended for the development of single-
family residential dwellings.
Detached single-family dwellings are permitted by-right in the RS-5 zone. Provisionally allowed
uses include attached single-family dwellings, duplexes, zero lot line dwellings, and group
households. Daycare, educational, and religious/private group assembly uses are allowed via
special exception. The maximum height allowed within this zone is 35 feet with a minimum lot size
of 6,000 square feet for detached single-family dwellings. If the owner wishes to build more than
one additional single-family home it would require a subdivision application.
Rezoning Review Criteria:
Staff uses the following two criteria in the review of rezoning:
1. Consistency with the comprehensive plan;
2. Compatibility with the existing neighborhood character.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan: According to the IC2030 Comprehensive Plan’s
Future Land Use Map, this area is designated to be suitable for 2-8 dwelling units per acre. This
is an area suitable for low-density single-family residential uses, which is what is being
proposed by the applicant.
The Housing section of the IC2030 Plan encourages housing strategies that align closely with
the goals of this rezoning. Identifying areas where infill development can be placed within
established neighborhoods is ideal to create cost-effective and efficient provision of
infrastructure and services to potential future residents. As the subject property borders an
established neighborhood and already contains one single-family dwelling on site, it is
appropriate to allow additional development in this location.
Compatibility with Existing Neighborhood Character: The existing neighborhood character
is that of a single-family residential neighborhood. To the east, west, and south are low-density
single-family residential uses. Directly to the west of the property is Borlaug Elementary School,
which is located within the City of Coralville and part of the Iowa City Community School District.
Just west of the school is a single-family residential area within the City of Coralville. To the east
and south are existing residential neighborhoods within the City of Iowa City. To the north is
Rotary Camp Park, a Coralville open space area. Compatible infill development, as mentioned
in the IC2030 plan, is recommended as a strategy to promote efficiency of infrastructure
connection throughout established neighborhoods. The proposed rezoning to RS-5 would be
compatible in this area.
Transportation and Access and Utilities:
Access to the subject property is provided via Camp Cardinal Road. To the south, this property
is connected to Kennedy Parkway via Camp Cardinal Road. Currently, there exists no sidewalk
or curb cuts for pedestrian traffic along the property’s frontage. Staff recommends a condition to
construct an 8’ sidewalk along the Camp Cardinal Road frontage from the southern property line
to the existing driveway. The standard sidewalk width is 5’ so the City will pay for the overwidth
4
of the cost of constructing the additional 3’. The City is recommending 8’ because the sidewalk
to the south along the Borlaug Elementary School frontage is 8’. Additionally, the installation of
curb ramps to connect the new sidewalk to the east side of Camp Cardinal Rd and the existing
pedestrian network is requested.
To the north of the property, the right-of-way of Camp Cardinal Road that connects to Camp
Cardinal Boulevard is within the City of Coralville’s jurisdiction. There has been interest over the
years from City of Coralville staff to vacate this public right-of-way. If vacated, it would require
construction of a turnaround near the subject property’s northern property line. Due to this, staff
recommends a condition requiring the dedication of right-of-way along Camp Cardinal Road at
the northern end of the property to accommodate a future turnaround should the remainder of
the right-of-way north of the property be vacated. Public Work estimates that the area needed
for the turnaround is around 5,000 square feet.
Additionally, sanitary sewer and water lines exist within the Camp Cardinal Rd right-of-way.
Access to these lines will be needed as part of any development. Staff recommends a condition of
the rezoning that prior to the issuance of a building permit, the owner shall demonstrate the ability
to access City utilities from the property.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas:
The property appears to contain regulated sensitive features; however, a rezoning does not
trigger submission of a sensitive areas development plan. Compliance with the sensitive areas
ordinance is required as part of the subdivision process. If the owner wishes to build more than
one single-family house it would require a subdivision and compliance with the Sensitive Areas
Ordinance would be evaluated at that time.
NEXT STEPS:
Upon recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council will hold a
public hearing on the proposed rezoning ordinance.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of REZ24-0004. A proposal to rezone approximately 5.01 acres of land
at 1215 Camp Cardinal Road from Interim Development Single-Family Residential (ID-RS) zone to
Low-Density Single-Family Residential (RS-5) zone subject to the following conditions:
1. Prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy, Owner shall:
a. Construct an 8’ wide sidewalk along the Camp Cardinal Road frontage from the
southern property line to the existing driveway, as well as installation of curb ramps
to connect to the sidewalk on the east side of Camp Cardinal Road. The City shall
pay for the overwidth of the cost of the 8’ sidewalk, which is the additional 3’ beyond
the standard 5’ sidewalk width.
b. Dedicate to the City, without compensation, right-of-way along Camp Cardinal Road
for the future installation of a turnaround.
2. Prior to issuance of a building permit, Owner shall:
a. Demonstrate access to City utilities can be provided.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Zoning Map
3. Applicant Submittal
Approved by: _________________________________________________
Tracy Hightshoe, Director
Department of Neighborhood and Development Services
ATTACHMENT 1
Location Map
ATTACHMENT 2
Zoning Map
ATTACHMENT 3
Applicant Submittal
S89°40'34"E 329.87'(M) 329.65'(R)
S0
1
°
0
0
'
5
1
"
E
14
3
.
1
1
'
(
M
)
(
R
)
S0
0
°
1
9
'
0
1
"
W
51
1
.
9
7
'
(
M
)
5
1
1
.
9
3
'
(
R
)
N89°40'35"W333.22'(M) 333.00'(R)
N0
0
°
1
9
'
0
9
"
E
65
5
.
0
4
'
(
M
)
6
5
5
.
0
0
'
(
R
)
SW
1
\
4
-
S
W
1
\
4
SE
C
T
I
O
N
6
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
6
W
THE
CROSSINGS
ELEMENTARY
ADDITION
1
AUDITOR'S PARCEL 2011052
PARCEL "A"
PARCEL "B"
CARTER ESTATES
1
2
OUTLOT "A"
CA
M
P
C
A
R
D
I
N
A
L
R
O
A
D
CARDINAL RIDGE
SUBDIVISION - PART
THREE
81
OUTLOT "F"
92 91 90
SE1
\
4
-
S
E
1
\
4
SE
C
T
I
O
N
1
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
7
W
NE1
\
4
-
N
E
1
\
4
SEC
T
I
O
N
1
2
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
7
W
82 83
NW
1
\
4
-
N
W
1
\
4
SE
C
T
I
O
N
7
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
6
W
5.01 AC
REZONING PARCEL (ID-RS TO RS-5)
(319) 351-8282
LAND PLANNERS
LAND SURVEYORS
CIVIL ENGINEERS
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240
MMS CONSULTANTS, INC.
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALISTS
www.mmsconsultants.net
1917 S. GILBERT ST.
PARCEL "A", PARCEL "B" AND A
PORTION OF THE NE 1/4 OF THE
IOWA CITY
JOHNSON COUNTY
IOWA
05/17/2024
1388LSS
LSS
RRN
11960-001 1
NE 1/4 OF SEC. 12-T79N-R7W
REZONING EXHIBIT
1
1"=100'
NOT TO SCALE
LOCATION MAP
GRAPHIC SCALE IN FEET
1"=100'
0 10 25 50 75 100
REZONING EXHIBIT
IOWA CITY, JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
OWNER/APPLICANT:
MATTHEW AND DIANA KAIN
1215 CAMP CARDINAL ROAD
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52246
PARCEL "A", PARCEL "B" AND A PORTION OF THE NE 1/4 OF THE NE 1/4 OF SEC. 12-T79N-R7W
LEGEND AND NOTES
DESCRIPTION - REZONING (ID-RS TO RS-5)
BEGINNING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 79 NORTH, RANGE 7 WEST OF
THE FIFTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA; THENCE S00°19'01"W, ALONG THE EAST
LINE OF SAID SECTION 12, A DISTANCE OF 511.97 FEET, TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF PARCEL "B"
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 25 AT PAGE 53 OF THE
RECORDS OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE; THENCE N89°40'35"W, ALONG THE SOUTH
LINE OF SAID PARCEL "B", 333.22 FEET, TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER THEREOF; THENCE N00°19'09"E,
ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID PARCEL "B", THE WEST LINE OF THE PARCEL CONVEYED BY
WARRANTY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 6531 AT PAGE 765 OF THE RECORDS OF THE JOHNSON
COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE, AND THE WEST LINE OF PARCEL "A" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAT
THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 25, AT PAGE 53 OF THE RECORDS OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY
RECORDER'S OFFICE, 655.04 FEET, TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID PARCEL "A"; THENCE
S89°40'34"E, ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID PARCEL "A", 329.87 FEET, TO THE NORTHEAST CORNER
THEREOF; THENCE S01°00'51"E, ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID PARCEL "A", 143.11 FEET, TO THE
POINT OF BEGINNING.
NOTE:
ALL BEARINGS ARE BASED ON IOWA STATE PLANE COORDINATES (SOUTH
ZONE), LIBRARY CALIBRATION USING THE IOWA REAL TIME NETWORK
(RTN), THE DISTANCES SHOWN ON THE PLAT ARE GROUND DISTANCES
AND NOT GRID DISTANCES.
SAID REZONING PARCEL CONTAINS 5.01
ACRES, AND IS SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS
AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD.
G:
\
1
1
9
6
0
\
1
1
9
6
0
-
0
0
1
\
1
1
9
6
0
-
0
0
1
Z
.
d
w
g
STAFF REPORT
To: Planning and Zoning Commission
Item: REZ24-0005
Prepared by: Melanie Comer, Planning
Intern
Date: June 26, 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Owner/Applicant: Jeff Barnes
Iowa City Community School District
319-688-1250
Barnes.jeff@iowacityschools.org
Contact Person: MMS Consultants
Brock Heller
319-361-3498
b.heller@mmsconsultants.net
1917 S Gilbert St
Iowa City, IA 52240
Requested Action: Rezoning of 7.0 acres of property from Office
Research Park (ORP) to Neighborhood
Public (P-1).
Purpose:
To reflect public ownership of the land and to
allow educational facilities associated with
the Iowa City Community School District.
Location: 2255 N Dubuque Rd
Location Map:
Size: 7.0 acres
Existing Land Use and Zoning: Office building, Office Research Park (ORP)
Surrounding Land Use and Zoning:
North:
Office Research Park (ORP), Rural
2
Residential (RR-1)
South: Low-Density Multi-Family
Residential with a Planned
Development Overlay (OPD/RM-
12), Interim Development Research
Park (ID-RP)
East: Interim Development Research
Park (ID-RP)
West: Low-Density Single-Family
Residential with a Planned
Development Overlay (OPD/RS-5)
Comprehensive Plan: Office Research Development Center
District Plan: Northeast
File Date: May 31, 2024
45-Day Limitation Period July 15, 2024
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The owner, the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD), has requested a rezoning of
approximately 7.0 acres of land from Office Research Park (ORP) to Neighborhood Public (P-1)
located at 2255 N Dubuque Road.
The land containing the subject property was annexed into Iowa City between the years 1969-1972.
This property is located adjacent to the ACT, Inc. campus, which is located to the northeast of the
subject property. The subject property was sold to ICCSD from ACT, Inc. in 2022. Per the
application, the Iowa City Community School District plans to renovate the existing building to house
the ICCSD Center for Innovation which will include offices, meeting rooms and future classrooms.
ANALYSIS:
Current Zoning: The property is currently zoned Office Research Park (ORP). The purpose of the
ORP zone is to provide areas for the development of office, research, production, or assembly firms
and other complimentary uses. Some examples of uses allowed within the ORP zone are medical
offices, general offices, and technical/light manufacturing uses. Educational facilities are not allowed
in the ORP zone.
Proposed Zoning: The proposed zoning of the property is the Neighborhood Public (P-1) zone.
The purpose of the public zones is to provide reference to public ownership and use of land, or to
use of the land for infrastructure services that need to be located in or near the area where the
service is provided. The P-1 zone allows uses such as schools, parks, police or fire stations, and
other civic buildings controlled by the City of Iowa City or ICCSD. Uses within this zone are subject
to development standards to create a smooth transition between public and private uses. Land,
buildings, or structures used for public or governmental purposes and owned by the federal, state,
or local governments, or political subdivisions thereof, or the Iowa City Community School District
are allowed in this zone. This would include educational facilities.
Rezoning Review Criteria:
Staff uses the following two criteria in the review of rezonings:
1. Consistency with the comprehensive plan;
2. Compatibility with the existing neighborhood character.
Compliance with Comprehensive Plan:
3
According to the IC2030 Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map, this area is suitable for
Office Research Development uses. With the change in ownership to the Iowa City Community
School District the rezoning helps to identify that the land and buildings will be used to help
achieve the mission of the Iowa City Community School District.
Within the vision statement of the IC2030 Comprehensive Plan is a goal to continue “Encouraging
and supporting collaborative efforts with the University of Iowa, the Iowa City Community School
District, Johnson County, and other neighboring jurisdictions for the mutual benefit of all
communities”. Through a collaboration with the City of Iowa City to increase the capacity for the
Iowa City Community School District’s educational operations, compliance with the
Comprehensive Plan is promoted.
Compatibility with Existing Neighborhood Character:
To the north and east of the subject property is the ACT campus. Land to the west is also owned
by ACT, Inc. To the south is the Oaknoll East development, which consists of three multi-family
buildings. The ICCSD plans to re-use the existing building on the subject property to house office
and educational facilities. The Neighborhood Public zone is intended to be compatible with many
land uses, including offices and residential uses.
NEXT STEPS:
After a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission this application will be
considered by the City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of REZ24-0005, a proposal to rezone approximately 7.0 acres of land
at 2255 N Dubuque Rd from Office Research Park (ORP) zone to Neighborhood Public (P-1)
zone.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Zoning Map
3. Applicant Submittal
Approved by: _________________________________________________
Tracy Hightshoe, Director
Department of Neighborhood and Development Services
ATTACHMENT 1
Location Map
ATTACHMENT 2
Zoning Map
ATTACHMENT 3
Applicant Submittal
T:\9500\9500-010\Rezoning\9500-010L1.docx
May 31, 2024
City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
RE: Auditor’s Parcel 2022064 according to the Survey Plat thereof Recorded in
Plat Book 66, Page 97, of the records of Johnson County, Iowa.
On behalf of the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD), we are submitting a
request for the Rezoning for Auditor’s Parcel 2022264 located at 2255 N. Dubuque
Road. The property described consists of 7.00 acres in total. We are proposing a change
in the zoning of the property from Office Research Park (ORP) to Neighborhood Public
(P1). We feel this amendment is appropriate given the property is owned by ICCSD and
the existing facility is being renovated as the ICCSD Center for Innovation which will
include offices, meeting rooms and future classrooms.
If you have questions or require any additional information, please contact us
accordingly.
Respectfully submitted,
Brock Heller, PLA
MMS Consultants, Inc.
GRAPHIC SCALE IN FEET
1"=100'
0 10 25 50 75 100
AUDITOR'S PARCEL 2022064
S87°19'49"W
473.28'(M) 473.22'(R)(MS) 7.17 CHAINS (R)
(
D
)
10
.
3
2
C
H
A
I
N
S
(
D
)
REZONING PARCEL(ORP TO P1)
N0
1
°
5
7
'
3
8
"
W
65
3
.
0
7
'
N88°02'31"E
47.66'
Δ=16°47'46"
R=480.80'
L=140.94'
T=70.98'
C=140.44'
CB=N79°38'38"E
N81°10'21"E
101.39'S89°23'59"E
98.67'
Δ=27°43'14"
R=475.19'
L=229.90'
T=117.25'
C=227.67'
CB=S24°10'42"E
S0
2
°
0
7
'
2
9
"
E
46
4
.
6
7
'
AUDITOR'S
PARCEL
2019025
QUIT CLAIM DEED
LARSON SUBDIVISION
LOT 2
LA
R
S
O
N
S
U
B
D
I
V
I
S
I
O
N
LO
T
1
NORTH DUBUQUE ROAD
SE 1
\
4
-
N
E
1
\
4
SE
C
T
I
O
N
2
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
6
W
SW
1
\
4
-
N
W
1
\
4
SE
C
T
I
O
N
1
-
T
7
9
N
-
R
6
W
(3
1
9
)
3
5
1
-
8
2
8
2
LA
N
D
P
L
A
N
N
E
R
S
LA
N
D
S
U
R
V
E
Y
O
R
S
CI
V
I
L
E
N
G
I
N
E
E
R
S
LA
N
D
S
C
A
P
E
A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
S
IO
W
A
C
I
T
Y
,
I
O
W
A
5
2
2
4
0
MM
S
C
O
N
S
U
L
T
A
N
T
S
,
I
N
C
.
EN
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
A
L
S
P
E
C
I
A
L
I
S
T
S
ww
w
.
m
m
s
c
o
n
s
u
l
t
a
n
t
s
.
n
e
t
19
1
7
S
.
G
I
L
B
E
R
T
S
T
.
IO
W
A
C
I
T
Y
JO
H
N
S
O
N
C
O
U
N
T
Y
IO
W
A
05
-
3
1
-
2
0
2
4
RL
A
RL
W
RR
N
IO
W
A
C
I
T
Y
95
0
0
-
0
1
0
Z
1
13
4
7
RE
Z
O
N
I
N
G
E
X
H
I
B
I
T
AU
D
I
T
O
R
'
S
P
A
R
C
E
L
2
0
2
2
0
6
4
1 1"
=
1
0
0
'
POINT
OF
BEGINNING
7.00 ACRES
LOCATION:
AUDITOR'S PARCEL 2022064, BEING A PORTION OF THE
SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF
SECTION 2, TOWNSHIP 79 NORTH, RANGE 6 WEST, OF THE
FIFTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IOWA CITY, JOHNSON COUNTY,
IOWA.
LAND SURVEYOR:
RICHARD R. NOWOTNY P.L.S
MMS CONSULTANTS INC.
1917 SOUTH GILBERT STREET
IOWA CITY, IOWA, 52240
PHONE:319-351-8282
SURVEY REQUESTED BY:
IOWA CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
1725 N DODGE STREET
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52245
PROPRIETOR OR OWNER:
IOWA CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
1725 N DODGE STREET
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52245
EA
S
T
L
I
N
E
O
F
T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
E
A
S
T
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
O
F
T
H
E
N
O
R
T
H
E
A
S
T
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
DESCRIPTION - REZONING PARCEL (ORP TO P1)
AUDITOR'S PARCEL 2022064, TO IOWA CITY, IOWA, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 66 AT PAGE 97 OF THE
RECORDS OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE, DESCRIBED AS
FOLLOWS:
Beginning at the East Quarter Corner of Section 2, Township 79 North,
Range 6 West, of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Iowa City, Johnson County,
Iowa; Thence S87°19'49"W, along the South Line of the Southeast Quarter
of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 2, and the East Line of Larson
Subdivision, in accordance with the Plat thereof Recorded in Plat Book 61 at
Page 201 of the Records of the Johnson County Recorder's Office. 473.28
feet; Thence N01°57'38"W, along said East Line, 653.07 feet; Thence
N88°02'31"E, 47.66 feet; Thence Northeasterly, 140.94 feet, along a 480.80
foot radius curve, concave Northwesterly, whose 140.44 foot chord bears
N79°38'38"E; Thence N81°10'21"E, 101.39 feet; Thence S89°23'59"E, 98.67
feet; Thence Southeasterly, 229.90 feet, along a 475.19 foot radius curve,
concave Northeasterly, whose 227.67 foot chord bears S24°10'42"E, to a
Point on the East Line of said Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of
Section 2; Thence S02°07'29"E, along said East Line, 464.67 feet, to the
Point of Beginning. Said Auditor's Parcel 2022064 contains 7.00 Acres, and is
subject to easements and restrictions of record.
REZONING EXHIBIT
Auditor's Parcel 2022064
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
REZONING PARCEL
G:\9500\9500-010\9500-010Z.dwg, 5/31/2024 9:23:44 AM
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 1, 2024 – 6:00 PM – FORMAL MEETING
EMMA J. HARVAT HALL, CITY HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Craig, Maggie Elliott, Mike Hensch, Scott Quellhorst, Billie
Townsend
MEMBERS ABSENT: Chad Wade
STAFF PRESENT: Sara Hektoen, Ron Knoche, Anne Russett
OTHERS PRESENT: Jeff Cook
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL:
By a vote of 5-0 the Commission recommends approval of a petition filed by MidAmerican
Energy Company for the construction of a new 161,000-volt electric transmission line in Johnson
County.
CALL TO ORDER:
Hensch called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA:
None.
REQUEST: EXPANSION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINE
Location: West terminus is MidAmerican’s Northgate Substation, located within the City of
Iowa City. The east terminus is ITC Midwest’s Rose Hollow Substation, located in unincorporated
Johnson County.
A petition filed by MidAmerican Energy Company for the construction of a new 161,000-volt
electric transmission line in Johnson County. Per Title 16, Public Works of the Iowa City
Municipal Code, the Planning and Zoning Commission is to make a recommendation to the City
Council.
Ron Knoche (Director, Public Works) presented the staff report stating tonight what they are
looking at is a proposed transmission line expansion by Mid-American Energy. In February of
this year Mid-American filed the petition with the Iowa Utilities Board to franchise a construction
of 161,000-volt transmission line between the Northgate Substation and the Rose Hollow
Substation. That route follows an existing right-of-way to a certain extent, part of it is in the
former Harvest Road right-of-way that's been vacated along Interstate 80 and an unimproved
area of 340th Street, NE, north of I-80. Knoche noted a very small portion of the new expansion
is actually in Iowa City.
Chapter 16-2A-5 of the City Code outlines the process for any expansion or new construction.
Mid-American submitted an application with all the proper documents to Knoche, he does his
review and then makes a recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission who acts on
this then move it on to City Council. In his analysis of the corridor the transmission to mine
Planning and Zoning Commission
May 1, 2024
Page 2 of 4
improvements either are on existing poles or will follow existing right-of-way across I-80 so he
recommends to the planning Zoning Commission to approve this petition and move this forward
to Council. Knoche stated in the review there are four items for the Commission’s analysis, the
relationship to the proposed, present and future economic development areas, how it sits in with
the existing utility system, the planning and zoning ordinances, and whether or not it has a large
impact on the private property interests. Knoche stated in this case the powerlines already exist,
or it will be within the existing right-of-way.
Hensch asked regarding item A, the relationship with the proposed project to present and future
economic development, is there a deficiency of available electrical power in Iowa City, or that
area, or what is this relationship here. Knoche stated the application will speak to that, but for
the City what this is actually talking about is economic development, will it have a negative
impact on economic development in the area and will this make something that's not
developable with what they're proposing and he doesn’t see an impact in that manner.
Hensch asked with item D, the inconvenience or damage, there's a little tiny area where it's
going to be a new route so how big is that route and is that all an existing right-of-way. Knoche
stated it will be an existing right-of-way, there's an unimproved section of Harvest Road to the
north and there's also an unimproved section of 340th Street coming from the east to the west
where it makes the crossing of Interstate 80.
Craig wondered if there is any requirement to post that something's happening here as in other
Planning and Zoning situations to inform neighbors. Knoche replied there's not a code
requirement for that.
Jeff Cook (Regulatory Attorney, Mid-American Energy Company) stated he is also an Iowa City
resident so it's a privilege to be here and representing the company at the local level. A quick
overview of the project is it is a 161,000-volt line and is a direct replacement of a preexisting line
that's in that location. It's on property that's currently owned by ACT Incorporated and they've
already secured the easement options for this line. Cook stated the reason they wanted to get a
new easement for this line is because they want it to be a bit wider to accommodate more
modern standards for transmission lines. He explained the only real difference between this new
line and the preexisting line is it will be double circuited with four conductors on it, now it is two,
and then there'll be two grounding lines or neutral wires. He stated it'll look pretty much the
same, noting they can actually see it from Interstate 80. Also the portion that's in Iowa City is just
a half mile long and then It follows along what used to be Harvest Road and is now a field and
then it crosses over Interstate 80 into the County. The entirety of the line within Iowa City city
limits is going to be within private property, once it crosses the Interstate it follows along a road
and it will be in the public road right-of-way at that point. To answer some of the questions, Cook
explained the purpose of the line is to provide additional reliability and to support low growth in
Iowa City. The Iowa City system is what they would call a loop system, so there's a 161,000-volt
line that loops around Iowa City and it's fed with two 345,000-volt sources so this line will actually
link them to another 345,000-volt source at that ITC substation at Rose Hollow. Why is that
important, well Cook explained it’s important in the event of an outage. Currently if there's an
outage over on the east side of town, about 10,000 customers would only be served by one
source and if that source was eliminated they’d have 10,000 customers without any power at all,
which is not a scenario they want to see occur. An example of that occurred in 2023, there was a
storm in March and they had one of their 161,000-volt lines go down near the Coralville strip and
about 2000 people lost power. If this line had existed at that time those 2000 people most likely
Planning and Zoning Commission
May 1, 2024
Page 3 of 4
wouldn't have lost power, or at least the majority wouldn't have, because they would have had
that backup source. Regarding public notification of this, Cook stated the IUB actually requires
them to have a meeting so they held that meeting in January 2023. They are required to hold a
public meeting for any transmission line project that is in excess of one mile and that would also
be true for any gas pipeline projects in excess of five miles. He did note it would not be true for
something like a substation.
Hensch asked for clarification of if this is actually just a replacement for an existing line or an
improvement to an existing line. Cook confirmed that was correct.
Hensch asked about the easements and if those are all voluntary easements entered in with
private property owners. Cook confirmed they are and again noted the only private property
owner is ACT. It's looks like farm fields, but it’s ACT’s property.
Townsend asked if any of these lines will be close to any homes. Cook confirmed it would not,
he noted again they can see the area from Interstate 80, it’s just on the north side of a field that
ACT owns and then directly north of the lines will be the DoT right-of-way along Interstate 80.
Craig noted the information given to the Commission was really helpful and it would have been
nice to have it in the agenda packet. Cook acknowledged that when he was reviewing their
submittal he realized there were maybe some deficiencies and things they could include in the
future for a better review.
Elliott moved to recommend approval of the proposed transmission line expansion.
Townsend seconded the motion.
A vote was taken and the motion passed 5-0.
CONSIDERATION OF MEETING MINUTES: APRIL 3, 2024:
Elliott moved to approve the meeting minutes from April 3, 2024. Craig seconded the motion, a
vote was taken and the motion passed 5-0.
PLANNING AND ZONING INFORMATION:
Russett shared two items, first the Kirkwood/P & G rezoning was approved by City Council at
their last meeting as was the preliminary and final plat for the 1310 Cedar Street Subdivision.
Townsend asked about the status of the historic designation and Russett replied that just went
through the first reading and the second reading will be Tuesday May 7.
ADJOURNMENT:
Townsend moved to adjourn, Elliott seconded and the motion passed 5-0.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
2023-2024
4/5 4/19 6/21 7/5 7/19 8/2 8/16 10/4 10/18 11/15 12/6 12/20 1/17 2/7 2/21 4/3 5/1
CRAIG, SUSAN X X X X X X X X X X X O/E X X X X X
ELLIOTT, MAGGIE X X X X X X X X X X X X X O/E X X X
HENSCH, MIKE X X X O/E X X X X X X X X X X X X X
PADRON, MARIA X X X X O/E X X X X X O/E X X X X O/E O/E
QUELLHORST, SCOTT -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X X X X X X X X X O/E X
SIGNS, MARK X -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
TOWNSEND, BILLIE X X X X X O/E X X X X X X X X X X X
WADE, CHAD X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X O/E
KEY:
X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
--- = Not a Member