HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ Commission Information Guide 2022
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Planning and Zoning Commission Information Guide
The Planning and Zoning Commission is made up of seven members of the Iowa City
community who are appointed by the Mayor subject to approval by the City Council. The
Commission is established to advise the City Council on all matters pertaining to the physical
development of Iowa City, including the comprehensive plan and any laws pertaining to land
development necessary to implement the comprehensive plan. Land development process
items that the Commission routinely advises the City Council on include the following;
annexations, Comprehensive Plan amendments, planned development overlays, rezonings,
subdivisions, and vacations.
This information guides provides a summary of these land development processes. Application
submittal deadlines and the fee schedule can be found at the end of the guide.
Land development applications must be submitted online here: https://egov.iowa-
city.org/energovprod/selfservice#/home.
Specific application guides for each type of land development application available here:
https://www.icgov.org/permits.
Please feel free to contact Planning Staff at 319-356-5230 or email planningzoning@iowa-
city.org with any questions.
Annexations-
Annexation is the legal process for expanding the City’s boundaries. A territory may be added to
a city through a voluntary application by the owners of land adjoining the City, an 80/20
voluntary annexation, or involuntarily annexation through a city petition. Land that can
potentially be annexed into the City must be contiguous with the current city limits and must be
able to satisfy the City’s Urban Design standards upon annexation. All land annexed into the
City will be rezoned to one of the City’s zoning designations.
The State of Iowa classifies annexations as either voluntary or involuntary. A 100% voluntary
annexation occurs when all affected property owners agree to be annexed. An 80/20 voluntary
annexation occurs when owners of 80% of the affected property owners agree to be annexed.
An involuntary annexation occurs when less than 80% of the affected property owners agree to
be annexed. The City Council makes annexation decisions for Iowa City after receiving a
recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Comprehensive Plan Amendments-
The Comprehensive Plan is a guide for directing growth and change over time. The plan
provides a broad set of goals and objectives for both preservation and change within the City.
The City Council may, from time to time, on its own motion or on petition, amend by resolution
the city's Comprehensive Plan, including any district plans. Any proposed amendment initiated
by the City Council shall first be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its
recommendation and report.
A Comprehensive Plan amendment to the City’s Future Land Use Map is not the same as a
Zoning Map amendment. An amendment to the Comprehensive Plan allows for a change in
land use or density of development, as prescribed in the Plan. These land use directions are
often, but not always, aligned with the land use designations that are codified in the City’s
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Zoning Ordinance. Whereas an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan changes the planning
direction and guidance of the City, an amendment to the City’s Zoning Map changes the legal
bounds of what land uses are permitted.
Procedurally, the Planning and Zoning Commission sets a Public Hearing for the Commission to
review a Comprehensive Plan amendment application. After the Public Hearing, the
Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council for their decision.
Rezonings-
Zoning is the tool by which local governments can control urban form by specifying the building
use, size, and placement on a property. A rezoning is a process that changes the zoning of a
property or group of properties. The City Council makes land-use and zoning decisions for Iowa
City after receiving a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
In Iowa City, the Planning and Zoning Commission advises the City Council on all rezoning
applications that take place within the City limits, and within the City’s extraterritorial Fringe Area
with Johnson County (the Johnson County Board of Supervisors makes the final determination
on rezoning applications in the County).
When reviewing rezoning applications, City staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission
review the application against the following guidelines:
1. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
2. Compatibility with the Existing Neighborhood
Planned Development Overlay (OPD) Rezonings-
Zoning is the tool by which local governments can control urban form by specifying the building
use, size, and placement on a property. A rezoning is a process that changes the zoning of a
property or group of properties. More specifically, the planned development overlay zone (OPD)
is established to permit flexibility in the use and design of structures and land in situations where
conventional development may be inappropriate and where modification to requirements of the
underlying zone will not be contrary to the intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance,
inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, as amended, or harmful to the surrounding
neighborhood. There are several categories of planned developments:
- Sensitive Areas Development – Contains regulated sensitive features.
- Conservation Development – Preservation for land designated as permanent open
space.
- Neo-Traditional Development– Characterized by lot configurations and street patterns
platted prior to 1950.
- Mixed Use Development – Mix of residential and commercial uses to form an urban
neighborhood.
- Infill Development – Development on land surrounded by existing development.
- Alternative Ownership Development – Manufactured housing parks, condominium
development.
Subdivisions-
The Iowa City Code defines a subdivision as “Division of a tract, lot, or parcel into three (3) or
more lots. The City uses subdivision plats as an official record documenting the graphical
representation of a subdivision of land. Subdivision plats are prepared by a registered land
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surveyor, have a number or letter designation for each lot within the plat, and a succinct name
or title that is unique for the county where the land is located.
Subdivision plats are categorized as either Major plats or Minor plats. A major plat involves a
subdivision where there is the construction of one or more new streets, selective access drives
or street extensions. A minor plat involves a subdivision that does not require any new
construction or extension of streets. The majority of plats that the City reviews are major plats.
Typically, a major subdivision plat will go through a three-step process before it is officially
recorded with the County. The first step involves the applicant submitting a concept plan to the
Urban Planning Department for review, prior to submission of the preliminary plat. This is done
so that staff can help to outline potential impediments to development, such as conflict with
sensitive areas, storm water detention problems, transportation or parking related
complications, and a variety of other conditions.
The second step of the subdivision process involves what is called a preliminary plat. A
preliminary plat is an initial graphical representation of subdivision of land that is intended to
serve as a guide for the creation of final development plans. In addition to City staff’s review,
preliminary plats are formally reviewed by both the Planning and Zoning Commission and City
Council. Approval of the preliminary plat by the City Council authorizes the applicant to begin
preparing the subdivision’s final plat.
The last step of the subdivision process involves what is called a final plat. A final plat is a final
graphical representation of subdivision of land. Final Plats are reviewed by City staff and the
City Council. Once a final plat is approved by the City Council, the applicant may officially record
the subdivision with the County.
Vacations-
A vacation is the process by which the City discontinues the use of a street, alley or easement
as a public way. Vacations are reviewed by City staff, the Planning and Zoning Commission,
and the City Council, with the City Council granting final approval. Staff review vacation
requests based on the following factors:
1. Impact on pedestrian and vehicular access and circulation.
2. Impact on emergency and utility vehicle access and circulation.
3. Impact on access of adjacent private properties.
4. Desirability of right of way for access or circulation needs.
5. Location of utilities and other easements or restrictions on the property.
6. Any other relevant factors pertaining to the specific requested vacation.
In conjunction with submitting an Application for Vacation, the applicant must also make a
purchase offer for the area proposed to be vacated. After the recommendation and report of the
Planning and Zoning Commission have been filed, and a written purchase offer has been
received from the applicant, the City Council will hold a public hearing on an ordinance to vacate
the subject right of way and on a resolution to dispose of the property to the applicant.
In order for the City Council to consider conveying the vacated right-of-way to you, you must
first submit a purchase offer to the City Attorney’s office. This purchase offer is in addition to the
Application for Vacation and will be considered separately. Once the City Attorney’s office has
received your offer, the City Council will consider a “Resolution of Intent to Convey” the vacated
right-of-way. A public hearing on the offer and resolution will be set, ideally on a date that
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coincides with the Council’s final reading of the proposed ordinance to vacate the property. If,
after public hearing, the Council agrees that your offer reflects fair market value and the
conveyance is in the public interest, it may pass a “Resolution Authorizing Conveyance.” All of
these steps are necessary for the City to pass clear title of the former right-of-way to a private
party. It is important to recognize that the City holds property “in trust” for the use and benefit of
the public, and thus, City property can be disposed of only in accordance with the public
interest. As “trustee” of public property, the City Council must dispose of such property in good
faith, upon adequate consideration, and upon reasonable and lawful terms. Generally,
“adequate consideration” has meant the City must obtain fair market value for the property to be
conveyed, assuming the transaction does not entail other public benefit. Determining “adequate
consideration” or fair market value for parcels of public property, particularly former right-of-way
property, can be difficult. The City Council considers the specific facts of each situation when
determining the appropriate payment for conveyance of such property. In past conveyances, the
amount of consideration has been based on the assessed value of neighboring property or
recent sales of neighboring or comparable property (on a price per square foot basis). Although
an appraisal is not necessary, when one is available, appraised value of neighboring property
can also serve as a basis for determining the appropriate consideration. The existence of
easements which limit the buildable area or use of the property may support a lower valuation.
These figures of course do not take into account any “public benefit” or other unique
circumstances you may believe exist in relationship to your proposal to acquire the parcel from
the City. Please take all of these factors into consideration when submitting your offer, as
prospective purchasers are often asked to explain how their offer was arrived at and how this
relates to the fair market value of the property.
For more information on making an offer to purchase a vacated right-of-way, please contact the
City Attorney’s Office at (319)356-5030.
Review Process-
A land development application to the Planning and Zoning Commission is a request. The
Commission decides on whether to recommend a specific request only after City staff have
provided a review of an application and the public has had an opportunity to make its concerns
known. For rezoning applications, the Commission may also choose to approve the request
subject to certain conditions.
In making decisions, the Commission may only consider comments and evidence relevant to
the specific standards provided in the code. City Planning Staff provide reports to the Planning
and Zoning Commission for each application on the agenda. The Staff Report provides
background information on the application, informs the Commission of all the criteria in the
Code that a particular application must satisfy, and interprets whether and how an application
has satisfied these criteria.
Public Participation-
Because most applications will be reviewed and decided upon at a single public meeting, it is
important for interested parties to respond in a timely and informed manner. Those who wish to
speak for or against an application are given an opportunity to be heard by the Commission at
the meeting but may also submit written comments prior to the meeting.
City staff will post a sign at the time an application is filed for annexations, rezonings,
preliminary plats, and vacations. The sign must remain until the application is approved or
denied. These signs will contain general information regarding the application and will provide a
phone number for persons to contact the City with questions regarding the application. Staff will
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be responsible for removing the signs. If the applicant notices the sign has been removed or
damaged between the time of application and final approval or denial of the request, the City
Planning staff should be notified.
The Commission considers the application, the recommendation of staff (in the staff report), and
any additional information, correspondence, or testimony provided at the hearing. Planning and
Zoning Commission meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at
6:00 p.m. in Emma J. Harvat Hall in City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street.
The Staff Report can be very useful to anyone who is unfamiliar with the Planning and Zoning
Commission process or with the Zoning Code and will provide an understanding of the criteria
that the Commission must consider in rendering its decision. Staff Reports may be obtained
from the Department of Neighborhood and Development Services. Email planningzoning@iowa-
city.org to request a copy of a report or visit https://www.icgov.org/city-
government/boards/planning-and-zoning-commission the Monday prior to the meeting.
If you have questions about an application or if you simply want more information about issues
related to the Planning and Zoning Commission, please feel free to contact Planning Staff at
319-356-5230 or email planningzoning@iowa-city.org.
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City of Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission
2022-2023 Application Deadlines
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(12:00 p.m.) MEETING DATE
March 16, 2022 April 6 or April 20, 2022
March 30, 2022 April 20 or May 4, 2022
April 13, 2022 May 4 or May 18, 2022
April 27, 2022 May 18 or June 1, 2022
May 11, 2022 June 1 or June 15, 2022
May 25, 2022 June 15 or July 6, 2022
June 15, 2022 July 6 or July 20, 2022
June 29, 2022 July 20 or August 3, 2022
July 13, 2022 August 3 or August 17, 2022
July 27, 2022 August 17 or September 7, 2022
August 17, 2022 September 7 or September 21, 2022
August 31, 2022 September 21 or October 5, 2022
September 14, 2022 October 5 or October 19, 2022
September 28, 2022 October 19 or November 2, 2022
October 12, 2022 November 2 or November 16, 2022
October 26, 2022 November 16 or December 7, 2022
November 16, 2022 December 7 or December 21, 2022
November 29, 2022 December 21 or January 4, 2023
December 14, 2022 January 4 or January 18, 2023
December 28, 2022 January 18 or February 1, 2023
January 11, 2023 February 1 or February 15, 2023
January 25, 2023 February 15 or March 1, 2023
February 8, 2023 March 1 or March 15, 2023
February 22, 2023 March 15 or April 5, 2023
March 15, 2023 April 5 or April 19, 2023
March 29, 2023 April 19 or May 3, 2023
Submit Online Application by Noon at
www.egov.iowa-city.org/energovprod/selfservice
Meeting time and location: The Planning and Zoning Commission formal meetings are
scheduled for the first and third Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. If needed, Planning
and Zoning Commission informal meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. on the Monday preceding the
formal meeting. Attendees are advised to check the meeting agenda at www.icgov.org/p&z or
contact the Department of Neighborhood and Development Services at 319-356-5230 for any
possible changes.
For more information contact Anne Russett at 319-356-5251 or anne-russett@iowa-
city.org.
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2022 FEES FOR REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
City of Iowa City Planning & Zoning Commission
TYPE FEE
Subdivision
Preliminary (Minor) $832
Preliminary (Major) $832 + $20 per lot
Final $832
Combination: Preliminary/Final $911 + $20 per lot
Planned Area Development (OPD)
Preliminary $832 + $20 per lot
Final administrative review $307
Combination: OPD and Subdivision
Preliminary $832 + $20 per lot
Final $832
Combination: Preliminary/Final $911 + $20 per lot
Rezoning $575
Comprehensive Plan Amendment $575
Voluntary Annexation $575
Street or Alley Vacation $240
Submit Payment with Online Application at
www.egov.iowa-city.org/energovprod/selfservice
*These fees will be updated in February 2023 to reflect changes in the rate of inflation.