HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-14-2023 Historic Preservation CommissionIowa Ci Historic preservation CommissiontY
J / L d I 11 11
Thursday
'c I
September 14, 2023�
5:30 p.m.
n
� •s
—..4
ZI
• l���lllh�,il• `�
114 li
• 4 ,fir �� .a .. M�✓•
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Il I�
City Hall
IOWA CITY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Thursday, September 14, 2023
City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street
Emma J. Harvat Hall
5:30 p.m.
Agenda
A) Call to Order
B) Roll Call
C) Public discussion of anything not on the agenda
D) Certificate of Appropriateness
1. HPC23-0049: 813 Rundell Street— Dearborn Street Conservation District (roof alteration at screened
porch)
2. HPC23-0050: 320 East College Street — Local Historic Landmark (signage)
E) Report on Certificates issued by Chair and Staff
Certificate of No Material Effect —Chair and Staff review
1. HPC23-0043: 518 South Lucas Street— Govemor-Lucas Street Conservation District (concrete site
stair replacement)
2. HPC23-0047: 314 South Governor Street — Governor -Lucas Conservation District (concrete site stair
replacement)
Minor Review —Staff review
1. HPC23-0037: 738 Rundell Street - Longfellow Historic District (deteriorated window and door
replacement)
2. HPC23-0041: 521 South Governor Street — Governor -Lucas Street Conservation District (vinyl siding
removal and historic siding and trim repair)
3. HPC23-0044: 707 Rundell Street — Longfellow Historic District (overhead door replacement)
4. HPC23-0046: 1328 Muscatine Avenue — Longfellow Historic District (roof shingle replacement)
F) Consideration of Minutes for August 10, 2023
G) Commission Discussion
1. Planning and Zoning items
2. HP Awards- update and assign presenters.
H) Adjournment
If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contact Jessica Bristow,
Urban Planning, at 319-356-5243 or at jessica-bristow@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow
sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Staff Report
Historic Review for HPC23-0049: 813 Rundell Street
General Information:
August 31, 2023
Owner: Dan Olson and Ron McClellan, dan@macolson.com
Contact Person: John Martinek, Modern Roots Design Build,
jnmartinek@yahoo.com
District: Dearborn Street Conservation District
Classification: Contributing
Project Scope: Alter roof slope on historic screened porch, raising eave to match
house and replacing screens and battens.
Applicable Regulations and Guidelines:
4.0 Iowa City Historic Preservation Guidelines for Alterations
4.7 Mass and Rooflines
Property History:
This hipped -roof Ranch house, built ca. 1950-55, has a front facing gable over the north
half of the house. The large projecting gable covers a recessed front entry on the north
and has a California window facing the street. The house is clad in brick with lap siding
in the gable, a wood frieze board encircling the house at the eave, and a large
rectangular chimney in the front corner of the gable projection. Most of the windows are
two over two double -hung windows with a horizontal division. A pair of multi-lite
casements is on the back. The house has a historic screened porch on the back with a
flat roof. There is a matching one -car garage along the alley.
Detailed Project Description:
The project will replace the existing roof with rear -facing gable roof that matches the
gable on the front of the house with lap siding in the gable. The project will use asphalt
shingles matching the shingles on the house. Painted wood fascia, soffits, and siding
will be used. Screens and exterior battens on the porch will be repaired or replaced. A
new custom wood screen door will be installed.
Guidelines:
Section 4.7 Mass and Rooflines recommends:
Preserving historic trim such as crown molding, skirt, and frieze boards.
Preserving the original roof pitches and spans.
There is an exception in this section, available to all properties:
• Roof Pitch- Minor change to the roof pitch to address drainage concerns. On a
case -by -case basis, the Commission may consider allowing minor changes to
the roof pitch if documentation is provided to establish evidence of need. Work
should be done to ensure other significant architectural features such as trim and
brackets are not altered.
Analysis:
In Staff's opinion, the existing roof on the historic screened porch (built with the house)
is contributing to the deterioration of the porch and surrounding materials. This project
modifies the roof on the screened porch to allow for better drainage and protection of
the porch structure below. The current roof is a flat roof. The eave condition on the
porch steps down slightly from the eave condition on the main roof. The new roof would
match the front gable and also raise the eave on the screened porch to match the eave
condition on the house. Deteriorated wood and screens on the porch will also be
replaced. Staff recommends the use of the roof pitch exception to approve the
modification of this roof.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval a Certificate of Appropriateness for the project at 813
Rundell, as presented in the application and through the use of an exception to the
guidelines.
JWAWF57
POP
00 00 00 goo 00 .01 iI/I -1: 00
y, IIVL
fA►. fq
ASO
i FFF 1 I
a
R q
.41 _
l �OP,%..dPM,
813 Rundell Street — Screened porch detail (NW corner)
6
a
I �
R
I
I
W
y �
Q
F
I
a
r
ti
I
I
I
I
I
.�
„o-1ea .�
9
m
e
8
a
r-
m
wa
a�
�9
5
�3
F
9
a
q
\ k
\
%
772
�
Staff Report
Historic Review for HPC23-0050: 320 East College Street
General Information:
Applicant/Owner: Trinity Episcopal Church, trinityic@trinityic.org
Contact Person: John Loomis, johnloomis64@gmail.com
District: Iowa City Downtown Historic District (NR only)
Classification: Local Historic Landmark
Project Scope: Installation of new monument sign
Applicable Regulations and Guidelines:
September 7, 2023
4.0 Iowa City Historic Preservation Guidelines for Alterations
4.14 Wood
10.0 Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation
Property History:
Trinity Episcopal Church was built in 1871 in a Gothic Revival style. The plans are
attributed to Richard Upjohn, a 19th century New York architect known for his Gothic
Revival church designs. This style is commonly known as carpenter, cottage or pseudo -
perpendicular. Trefoil ornamentation in relief appears n the fagade, and three lancet
arch windows pierce the wall over the front door. There are also four lancet arch
windows along the sides of the church, indicating the bays. Five dormer windows echo
the bays, and the battens terminate in a repetition of the lancet points under the eaves.
The first four bays of the building are the nave, the fifth is the choir, while a projection to
the north furnishes the space for the chancel and a stained-glass window. A parish hall
was added in an L extending west from the north end of the church. In 1971 an addition
was made to the parish hall. A southern wing encloses the courtyard.
The Commission has approved several projects for Trinity beginning in 1997 that have
included signs, roof shingle replacement and a major alteration project that replaced the
stone foundation, reusing some of it as a veneer, the addition of a stair tower and a
chimney and shed -roof structure removal.
Detailed Proiect Description:
This project will remove the existing monument sign and install a new one on the
southeast corner of the property. The new sign will be mounted on treated wood posts
that will be painted. The sign will have a steel frame, be constructed of HDU, which is
high density Urethane, and be painted with gold leaf accents.
Guidelines:
Section 4.14 Wood recommends:
• Substituting a material in place of wood only if the substitute material retains the
appearance and function of the original wood. The substitute material must be
durable, accept paint, and be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Section 4.14 disallows:
• Substituting a material in place of wood that does not retain the appearance,
function, and paintability of the original wood.
Section 10 Secretary of the Interior's Standard 9 reads:
• New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy
historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be
differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale,
and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its
environment.
Section 10 Secretary of the Interior's Standard 10 reads:
New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in
such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of
the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
Analysis:
In Staff's opinion, the design and location for the new sign are appropriate for the
church, as follows:
• The location is the same or similar to other signs that have been on the property,
• The design includes references to the historic church and historic signage,
• The location follows the current city sign code.
The material from which the sign board will be constructed is not a wood substitute
material that has been approved by the Commission. Information about high density
urethane has been included in the agenda packet. It has become a standard product
used in the signage industry because of its hardness, ability to be worked similar to
wood, and its weather resistance. In addition, it can be painted like wood. For these
reasons, staff recommends that the Commission approve the use of HDU for this sign
and potentially additional monument signs in the future. Staff also recommends
approval of this project for Trinity Church.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval a Certificate of Appropriateness for the project at 320 East
College Street as presented in the application.
P 'S
4
1►� 6`,
i
a
1
If
TRINIT
EPISCOINU.
C14V
SUNDAI
1/ 0 1" orharist - 0 a
7:45am Ic E
9:OOam Cbris . Ed ochafist
COO
�.00atn UhoraaS A 'NOUXf
I INITYtG G „
y
Trinity existing sign (also presumed to be a modern sign)
\
/
R r3 ».
� �\
�
\
z
JA
q
§
�
� �
4
-A
C1i
Photo of a Church Sign
This photo of a church sign being installed is included in this application to provide a good example
of the appearance of the sign proposed by Trinity Church. This sign was installed in 2009 in Washington DC
on Massachusetts Ave in an historic district downtown. The church is about six blocks from the
headquarters of the National Historic Preservation Association. The church is a significant example of gothic
church design, and the sign was not considered an impediment to the historic character of the church. In
fact, it was greeted with enthusiastic approval by all who saw it. The sign is made of the 1IDU material that is
proposed for Trinity's sign in Iowa City. It was approved by the historic commission of DC. The color of
Trinity's sign will be red.
If there are questions, please contact John Loomis at johnloomis64ggmail.com or 319-631-1424.
Description
High Density Polyurethane (HDU) is tough weather resistant and lightweight (15lbs/f 2). Its closed cell
structure makes it completely waterproof which allows for the application of almost any paint finish HDU
can withstand all weather conditions and is ideal for the exterior applications Including custom sign
fabrication HDU can be routed carved and sandblasted more efficiently than most wood substrates on
the market
Light Weight
Paintable
Carvable
Use standard woodworking tools
Cut -to -size service is not available for this product.
Trade Names:
Duna Board e
Precision Board e
Design Board e
Sign Foam e
Uses
Carved Exterior Signage
CNC Carved Projects
Sandblasted Signs
Exterior building elements and flourishes
About High Density Urethane (HDU) Boards
-1.1a 111 in<bmt loam Ooae aiw+.. .1nW Oo. ..— 1u.r cave ag... M. tNCm�ewp
"AM) TOOL WY Bore4%)hb•Imp.v.epW. Nb1W e1N bbaelmelWlek neche�ulP��^9
rMam B]ve P4u' HM Umf1Y IMIMe (PBLiI n •'UmeO eM' ^Od OeY��e'e�r•1 mtleeplUff�1Y Iw
iI�M� W W b ]Oei cM.wnaryea/e � Oa*al1 Veers nw'�1t4 n � aOl�g�ol flael wRl,
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
AUGUST 10, 2023-5:30 PM— FORMAL MEETING
E M M A J. HARVAT HALL, CITY HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Deanna Thomann, Noah Stork, Jordan Sellergren, Andrew Lewis, Nicole
Villanueva, Margaret Beck, Frank Wagner, Christina Welu-Reynolds
MEMBERS ABSENT: Carl Brown
STAFF PRESENT: Jessica Bristow
OTHERS PRESENT: Cecile Kuenzli, Donald McFarlane, Lena Michalek, Kevin Boyd, Karen
Kubby, Regina Bailey, Ginny Blair
CALL TO ORDER:
Sellergren called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA:
Cecile Kuenzli is a past member of the Historic Preservation Commission and in light of some recent
events she recalls some words that Marla Svenson, who was hired multiple times by the City to survey
neighborhoods for a possible designation as historic districts, said. She said that historic preservation
begins with the zoning. To that end, Kuenzli is wondering if the Commission was consulted about the
proposed citywide amendments to the zoning code or if they have examined the memorandum that the
City sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission about proposed changes. Have they considered
what effect these changes might have on historic districts and neighborhoods; would they stabilize
neighborhoods or destabilize them? Is weakening design standards a good idea or not? Kuenzli
shared with the Commission copies of the proposed changes in case members of the Commission
hadn't seen it. She believes there's a meeting on September 5 to discuss these with Council.
Donald McFarlane lives on Summit Street and two months from today, September the 9`h, will be the
50th anniversary of the designation of Summit Street Historic Area. He thinks Summit Street was the
first historic area designated in Iowa City, quite possibly one of the first in Iowa. McFarlane stated he
lives in a house that they raised their family in and he is very concerned about this document from
planning and zoning. He noted it's been a very large amount of work and has been very well done and
it's obviously been thought through very intensively. However, there are things missing from the
document. The first is any evidence that reducing design standards actually increases the number of
affordable housing, particularly in RS-5 levels, which is what Summit Street is. McFarlane stated RS-5
levels in Iowa City really can't be affordable, unless they become almost slums, the calculation is just
not possible. The second absence in the report is the absence of the family house, there's almost no
mention of family. For him, families owning and living in houses is the stabilizing force and is often the
driving engine that makes Iowa City a great place to live long term. Families working hard to raise their
families, that's where he wants to live. The third thing which is missing is historic preservation, it's only
mentioned a couple of times, and sometimes it's mentioned rather oddly for commercial housing.
Commercial housing generally is going to be one story of commercial space shops and then
apartments above that, and for some reason they mentioned historic preservation for that. There is no
mention about historic preservation with the other zoning changes, which he finds very concerning.
Historic preservation is really a trust because nobody can guarantee the future or that their house will
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August10,2023
Page 2 of 9
be more historic, more valuable and more wonderful in 50 years than it was when this was passed. But
there is a belief by this Commission and a belief by the homeowner of stability and enhancing beauty of
neighborhoods, but it's not very carefully written in stone. Iowa City, for instance, could with a simple
motion abolish the Planning and Zoning Commission, there is no general prohibition of that or it could
certainly appoint its own members to be on the commission. Many town planners, including he
suspects some people in Iowa City, regard historic preservation as inhibiting the natural growth of the
City because it makes it hard to maintain and look after old buildings. They may also have a different
agenda than that. So he is very concerned about this, maybe his concerns are overstated, but he urges
all of them to very carefully to read that document and make marginal notes. He would really advise
them to put this on the agenda to discuss the deficiencies in the report, or at least work through their
networks to try to get historic preservation into the center and percolating throughout the planning and
zoning document.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:
HPC23-0036: 738 Rundell Street — Longfellow Historic District (changes to previously approved front
window configuration):
Bristow began the staff report showing a map of the Longfellow Historic District and where this house is
located. She stated this project first came to the Commission in December 2021 as a project to remove
the attached garage, create a living space out of that and add a garage in the back by the alley. Per the
zoning code, once there's no longer a garage there they must remove the driveway and the required
parking per zoning means the garage is built on the alley. Bristow showed one of the project drawings
that was submitted and then a photo -shopped image of removing the garage from the building. The
approval involved creating a foundation area because the opening went all the way down to grade and
originally involved adding to windows. The windows were approved to be aligned with the other
residential living space windows on the house per guidelines. At one point during the project, Bristow
stated the owners called her out to look at the project and instead of what had been approved, they had
installed a header all the way across the entire wall. Because of that header, they would not be able to
put the windows at the height that was approved. Because of the fact that this changed the
configuration of the windows staff asked the owner to hire an architect to show that it was required to
have a header of this size in the wall with separate window size openings. The owners did hire an
architect who did provide documentation of the need. Bristow included the calculation showing that a
nine foot opening does require a double 2 by 12 for a header and the documentation also talked about
how by keeping this configuration of headers the windows would drop to a position which would align
with the existing window around the garage. Therefore, currently the project is to approve the header
and because of the fact that it won't align with the windows on the front of the house, it would need to
be approved by exception to the guidelines. The project is removing the garage condition so the
windows on the front should not align with the garage window around the side.
Lena Michalek (Horizon Architecture) is the architectural designer with the company that had written the
recommendation for this header. She has a master's degree from the University of Kansas and a
certificate in historic preservation. She stated she is newer to Iowa City and not quite 100% familiar with
the guidelines but can help answer any questions the Commission might have.
Wagner asked what's going on above the second -floor framing and is there actually space up above
that. Michalek stated there is some space up above that with a drop ceiling and she believes there's a
bedroom in that upper area up above the garage.
Thomann asked about the original structure of the house itself and was the garage was built on at
some point. Bristow stated the garage was built with the house at the same time and the window
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August 10, 2023
Page 3 of 9
location on the garage is original to the home.
Michalek stated the massing of the house, the main part of the house is front and center, but the
garage, which was original to the house, is completely stepped back and the floor of the garage is
stepped down and the floor of the bedroom is also stepped down. Therefore, the massing of the original
garage is step back from the house so they believe that dropping the windows to match the original
windows on the garage would fit with the overall massing of the original design. Also the existing
header there, that 2 by 6 header, could be removed it's not there structurally anymore but then there
would be a 5 inch difference if they were to align the windows to the bottom of the 2 by 12 header
versus aligning it to the bottom of the 2 by 6 header.
MOTION: Beck moves to approve a certificate of appropriateness for the project at 738 Rundell
Street, as presented in the staff report through the use of an exception to the guidelines for
structural requirements. Villanueva second.
A vote was taken and the motion carried on a vote of 8-0 (Brown absent).
HPC23-0040: 533 South Summit Street- (roof and columns for a side porch):
Bristow noted this house is in the Summit Street Historic District on the corner of Bowery and Summit.
The house has aluminum siding and an existing front porch. The proposal is to add to the stoop and
create a porch out of it, which was always the plan. That would involve adding a small roof and columns
to match the front porch. She noted the typical front porch is eight feet deep and this will be only four
feet deep, the roof will be at the same pitch as the front porch but it won't extend as tall on the wall
because it's a shorter porch. Bristow showed sketches of the proposal and noted the columns and the
frieze board will match the front porch, and they propose to put a metal roof on it too.
MOTION: Welu-Renyolds moves to approve a certificate of appropriateness for the project at
533 South Summit Street, as presented in the application with the following conditions that the
porch roof slope matches the front porch, and the column locations match the historic porch.
Thomann second.
A vote was taken and the motion was denied on a vote of 7-0 (Wagner recused, Brown absent).
Public Hearing — Discuss landmark designation for 715 North Dodae Street
Bristow stated this property is the original Emma Goldman Clinic and the proposal is to designate this a
local landmark property. The house is a bungalow with Craftsman influences, it's possible that it was a
catalog home, it is located on the corner of the alley between Brown Street and Ronald's on North
Dodge Street. It is located firmly in the middle of the Brown Street Historic District and is considered a
key property. Within classifications, key properties are either very important to the community or they
could be considered individually eligible for the National Register and also a local landmark
designation. For this property, nothing will change about how the property is regulated, a key property
is treated the same as a local landmark within the regulations, the designation is more about telling the
story of Iowa City. Bristow showed some more images of the structure and noted it is very intact and
has architectural integrity.
Bristow next read through a document former Commission member Kevin Boyd wrote, he had been
working with the Emma Goldman Clinic regarding their anniversary. The Emma Goldman Clinic was
founded in 1973 by a group of 10 local college age feminist women who decided in the wake of the
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August10,2023
Page 4 of 9
January 1973 Landmark US Supreme Court Case Roe vs. Wade to promote to provide health care
services differently to women. These Founders created a clinic focused on feminist health care - health
care for and by women, delivering health care as a woman would have to receive it. It was a pioneering
and radical approach to health care at the time. The Emma Goldman Clinic opened at 715 North Dodge
on September 1, 1973, less than eight months after the Supreme Court decision. It was the first
feminist health care clinic in the Midwest and just the fourth in the country - the other three were in
California.
The house itself was a symbol of health care done differently, a place that removed the power dynamic
of traditional male -dominated health care. The Founders knew they needed a place to house the new
approach to health care, so they pooled their resources to purchase the property and fund the startup
costs. Roxie Tullis, one of the founders, used the death benefit of her husband, who died in the
Vietnam War. Others got small loans from family and friends. One of the parents paid the women to
paint their house rather than give them a loan. The property at 715 North Dodge was selected out of
necessity and opportunity. The Collective needed a property that was zoned commercial, close to
campus, and affordable.
The vernacular house, heavily influenced by the craftsman style, was built around 1920. By 1973 it
was being used as a rental property with three furnished apartments, one on each floor and a third in
the basement, and it was for sale. The owners also wanted to leave the furniture behind so not having
to furnish the clinic was a selling feature. The basement apartment continued to be rented and provided
additional income for the clinic in the early days. Once the property was acquired, the Founders went to
work to prepare for the clinic's opening. They were a collective, so each decision was made
collaboratively, all were equal in the decision making. One of the easier decisions was the namesake,
Emma Goldman, a feminist pioneer in women's health care, among other things. FBI Director J. Edgar
Hoover called her the most dangerous woman in America. She spoke to the power dynamics the
Founders were trying to change.
By September 1, the clinic opened at 715 North Dodge Street six women had appointments for the first
day. They built a comprehensive women's clinic providing abortions, birth control consultation,
gynecological care, self -exam clinics, breast screenings, alternative counseling, positive pregnancy
groups, well -child clinics, and a 24-hour hotline. All patients had a patient advocate. The nature of the
property, a home in a neighborhood, was part of the point to provide an atmosphere that was
welcoming, familiar, and removed the power dynamic of a traditional medical office. The house also
emphasized that their services were routine health care procedures. One of the founders, Deborah
Nye, said in 1973, "We want the women to be in a comfortable, cheerful surroundings because it's not a
serious operation, it's a minor operation". Press account described the waiting room that could be
anyone's living room highlighting the art, books, thriving plants, throw pillows on chairs, and classical
music playing in the background. The kitchen was converted to a laboratory but retained the cabinets
and countertops. Upstairs, exam rooms looked like bedrooms they once were with floral curtains and
hardwood floors and canvas director chairs.
The Emma Goldman Clinic was home to protests and even an attempted firebombing in the early
morning of June 13, 1978. Three Molotov cocktails from a gasoline -filled wine bottles were thrown at
the clinic, one landed on the roof and did minor damage, one rolled off and caused minor fire damage
in the yard, and a third didn't explode. No one was charged. A month later the community held a rally
supporting the Clinic. One of the many times the community rallied to support the Emma Goldman
Clinic. As the original Emma Goldman Clinic expanded it acquired the home just south of 715 North
Dodge Street. By 1985 they purchased and move to a former pediatrician's clinic in North Dubuque
Street. Originally called the Emma Goldman Clinic for women, eventually the name changed to just the
Emma Goldman Clinic to be more reflective of the comprehensive services it provides.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August10,2023
Page 5 of 9
Eventually the house at 715 North Dodge was converted back to a single-family home. It looks much
like it did in 1973 with some modest changes, the commercial railings were removed, the front porch
opened and the synthetic siding removed. The original Emma Goldman Clinic for Women signage was
moved from 715 North Dodge but is on display at the current Emma Goldman Clinic. The 10 founders
include Ginny Blair, Robin Christiansen, Melissa Farley, Diane Greene Lent, Darca Nicholson, Deb
Nye, Patty Pressley, Carmen Salas, Roxy Tullis, and Barb Yates.
Bristow stated for landmark designation in Iowa City the Commission has to determine if the property
meets two general criteria A and B, that it is significant to American and/or Iowa City history,
architecture, archaeology or culture, and possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and
workmanship. It then needs to meet at least one of the other criteria (C-F). Staff recommends that it
would meet the criteria for architecture and because of its integrity. The main point of this landmark
designation though would be criteria C as it is associated with events that have made a significant
contribution to the broad patterns of our history.
Sellergren opened the public hearing.
Kevin Boyd stated at his final meeting on this Commission, just two months ago, he talked about the
importance of telling a fuller history of Iowa City and making sure to preserve and share the City's
history that reflects the values in the community as it exists today, and has always existed. Boyd noted
they are at the critical 50-year mark, an important point in historic preservation from the 1970s in Iowa
City where activism and the struggle for social justice really settled here and many of the individuals
and groups contributed to the history. This is an opportunity to highlight that history and one of the work
plan goals is identifying opportunities to highlight Iowa City's history as a leader in social justice, racial
equality and human rights and preserve the stories and structures that helped define that history. This
nomination fits that objective. This project got started before he left the Commission and it's an
opportunity to add a unique Iowa City story. The story of these Founders, radical college -age feminist
badasses, who 50 years ago this month were preparing to open the Emma Goldman Clinic. When he
researched the history he was really in awe of the Founders and how much they were able to
accomplish in such a short period of time, and how they work together to do it, how really radical it was,
and also how relevant that fight and those works still feels today, 50 years later. The Founder story
along with the property at 715 North Dodge, which is a residential home, is so much part of Iowa City's
history it deserves to be among the properties listed as Iowa City Landmarks. He urges the
Commission to support this landmark nomination and also wanted to thank the property owners
Jennifer and Benton for their open mindedness and support sharing their property's history.
Karen Kubbv stated besides being a community member who's interested in historic preservation, she
was the director at the Emma Goldman Clinic from 1999 to 2008. She remembers in the early 1980s,
being a young person trying to prevent fire-bombing by just being at the clinic all night, moving around a
lot, dancing and walking around and trying to stay up because at that point the anti -choice movement
didn't want to hurt people, so she was trying to protect the property. Kubby has a long history with the
Clinic and the Clinic is now the oldest reproductive healthcare nonprofit in the country that provides
abortion care, those California clinics that were nonprofits no longer exist. There's lots of reasons why
clinics close and throughout history the people who have worked at the Clinic and run the Clinic have
been really wonderfully stubborn and have fought violence and threats and changes in health care and
changes to the internal structure that were really hard for the Clinic. This is really a landmark for the
country, at some level since it's the oldest clinic, and there'll be lots of activities for celebration come
early September. Kubby also hopes the Commission will approve this and also wanted to thank Kevin
Boyd, and this Commission, or the value of looking at not just the grandiose places, but those places
that are from a wide variety of the community.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August 10, 2023
Page 6 of 9
Regina Bailey is currently helping the Clinic work on their 50th anniversary celebration and can't tell
them how significant this nomination is to the Founders and the early staff as the early Collective
Member as they consider their 50th anniversary, she worked at the Clinic in the early 90s, and its
significance to this community. She grew up in Iowa City, its significance to this community merits this
designation. Additionally, if the reading of that history gives a little bit of curiosity about the Clinic she
invites them to an event at Film Scene on September 3 for a documentary called From One Place To
Another that was created in the early 90s talking about the founding of the Clinic. The event is at 3:30
on Sunday afternoon of Labor Day weekend and it's a great film which will give a sense of what it took
to create the Clinic and how this collective group of women could create it so quickly. By designating
this as a Landmark it's a reminder of the social justice history in this community and it's also a reminder
of the incredible things that small groups of people with great ideas can do in a short amount of time
and make a huge difference not only in the community, in the state, but in the country.
Kubby was remiss and wanted to let everyone know that one of the founding members is here in the
audience, Ginny Blair, who's been in this community this whole time and has worn many hats, but a
founding member of the Emma Goldman Clinic is a big one.
Sellergren closed the public hearing.
Thomann noted she learned so much and it's great to have this information and the house itself is
gorgeous but with the history, of course this makes sense.
MOTION: Wagner moves to approve the designation of 715 North Dodge Street, original Emma
Goldman clinic as an Iowa City historic landmark based on the following criteria for local
designation, criteria A, B, C and E. Welu-Renyolds second.
A vote was taken and the motion was approved on a vote of 8-0 (Brown absent).
REPORT ON CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY CHAIR AND STAFF:
Certificate of No Material Effect -Chair and Staff review
HPC23-0038: 804 Iowa Avenue — College Hill Conservation District (railing and stucco repair or
replacement):
Bristow stated this house has a screen in porch where they tried to work with the architecture and now
it has some porch repairs needed and some of the railing will be replaced and just some other basic
porch repairs. Some area of the stucco had been replaced with a fake stucco at one point in time, and
it's failing and the railing is a little wobbly as it is the original railing from 1966.
Minor Review -Staff review
HPC23-0027: 331 South Summit Street — Summit Street Historic District (rear deck addition):
Bristow stated this was adding a deck on the back of the house.
HPC23-0034: 614 North Johnson Street — Brown Street Historic District (roof shingle replacement,
radon mitigation installation, chimney repair):
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August 10, 2023
Page 7 of 9
Bristow stated this is one of three 1840 sandstone houses in town. It needs a lot; it needs a new roof
and some tuckpointing of the chimney. They will install a RADON Mitigation.
HPC23- 0039: 420 North Gilbert Street — Northside Historic District (front step replacement):
Bristow stated this house is just getting wood stairs instead of the cast precast concrete stairs.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES FOR JULY 13. 2023:
MOTION: Beck moves to approve the minutes of the Historic Preservation Commission's July
13, 2023, meeting, as written. Villanueva seconded the motion. The motion carried on a vote of 8-
0 (Brown absent).
COMMISSION DISCUSSION
Bristow stated the Historic Preservation Awards will be handed out on September 28 at the Highlander
People have until August 24th to respond and at that point staff will start making the presentation and
asking for photos. This is the 40th annual ceremony and Friends at Historic Preservation and the City
are both paying for light refreshments and then they'll have the presentation and then they'll have the
cash bar in the lounge open after that.
Other announcements, the director of Corridor Can is setting up a community engagement festival
called Can -Con 2023, it will be held in the Ped Mall and the library on Sunday, August 27. They are
trying to increase engagement with City government so they sent this around hoping they might get
some interest from commissioners to potentially sit at a table as representatives of the commission
during the festival. If anyone is interested let Bristow know.
Bristow noted regarding the zoning proposal if the Commission wants to put it on the agenda please let
her know and they can put it on the next agenda. She knows a little bit about the zoning code changes.
One, there is a zoning code currently that a duplex can only be on a corner, the zoning code will
change so there can be a duplex in the middle of the block. The effort is to increase density of housing,
the lot would still need to meet all of the requirements that the zoning code has for a duplex. Bristow
stated there has been some concern based on the emails and calls that she's gotten that this will
suddenly lead to demolitions in districts and people building duplexes and ignoring the guidelines.
Bristow stated they can regulate that within a historic district so there's still not really the possibility of
demoing something in the middle of a block to build a new building.
Sellergren asked if there might be the possibility of adding a door or something and converting
properties to duplexes. Bristow stated the guidelines are clear about not adding a second front door to
a house. The historic district preservation overlay still applies.
The other issue this has brought up Bristow explained is that currently if someone has an accessory
dwelling unit, like on the second floor of a garage or something like that, it is allowed only in certain
zoning areas, and they are increasing the areas where that can happen. It would be someone either
adding living space to an existing garage that is already big enough to do that or there could be
someone wanting to take down a garage to build a garage with an accessory dwelling unit. Again, it
would again fall under the Commission's purview for review of both the demolition and the new
construction. There is also some change to the height limitations she can't remember the exact change
there but is sure that it was spawned by concerns about a new house going up adjacent to the
Northside Historic District recently. So it's up to the Commission whether or not they want to have
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
August 10, 2023
Page 8 of 9
further discussion. Otherwise, it is going to Council so it might be good to watch or attend the Council
meeting and speak up.
ADJOURNMENT:
Wagner moved to adjourn the meeting. Thomann seconded. The motion carried on a vote of 8-0
(Brown absent).
The meeting was adjourned at 6:37 pm.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD
2022-2023
TERM
8/11
9/8
10/13
11/10
1/12
2/9
3/22
4/13
5/11
6/8
7/13
8/10
NAME
EXP.
BECK,
6/30/24
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
MARGARET
BOYD, KEVIN
6/30/23
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
0/E
X
X
--
-
BROWN,
6/30/23
O/E
X
X
X
O/E
O/E
X
X
O/E
X
X
O/E
CARL
LARSON,
6/30/24
O/E
O/E
O
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
KEVIN
SELLERGREN,
6/30/22
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
O/E
X
X
JORDAN
STORK, NOAH
6/30/24
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
THOMANN,
6/30/23
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
DEANNA
VILLANUEVA,
6/30/25
X
O/E
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
NICOLE
WAGNER,
6/30/23
X
O/E
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
FRANK
WELU-
6/30/25
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
O/E
X
REYNOLDS,
CHRISTINA
LEWIS,
-
X
X
ANDREW
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E= Absent/Excused
--- = Not a member
Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission
City Hall, 410 E Washington Strcet, Iowa City. IA. 52240
Memorandum
Date: September 7, 2023
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Jessica Bristow, Historic Preservation Planner
Re: Planning and Zoning Items
During the August 10, 2023 Historic Preservation Commission meeting, the Commission was
addressed by several members of the public who were concerned about several zoning code
amendments under review.
The Commission was interested in discussing these amendments. While review of the amendments is
not within the Commission's purview, discussion could help eliminate confusion and dispel
misconceptions about the amendments. With this in mind, the August 16, 2023 Planning and Zoning
Commission memo related to the maximum allowable height in the RNS-12 zone is attached. In
addition, information that staff is using in an open house regarding accessory apartments (also known
as accessory dwelling units) (on September 13 and 14) is attached.
Urban Planning staff working on these amendments will not be available for the Commission meeting
(because of the accessory apartment open house at the same time). Any questions can be compiled
and answered by them following the meeting.
Ir
CITY OF IOWA CITY
CITY OF I O WA CITY
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 16, 2023
To: Planning & Zoning Commission
From: Anne Russett, Senior Planner, Neighborhood & Development Services
Re: Request to reduce height requirements in RNS-12 zone (REZ23-0005)
Introduction
The Northside Neighborhood Association petitioned the City Council to consider reducing the
maximum allowable height in the Neighborhood Stabilization Residential (RNS-12) zone from
35 feet to 27 feet. The association's petition can be found in Attachment 1. At its June 6, 2023,
work session, the City Council directed staff to prioritize the review of the proposed change.
Background
History of the Neighborhood Residential Stabilization (RNS-12) Zone
The purpose of the RNS-12 zone is to stabilize certain existing residential neighborhoods by
preserving the predominantly single-family residential character of these neighborhoods.
Provisions in this zone prevent the conversion or redevelopment of single-family uses to multi-
family uses. However, existing conforming multi -family uses retain their conforming status when
rezoned to RNS-12. The RNS-12 zone allows detached single-family dwellings and duplexes,
but does not allow detached zero lot line dwellings or attached single-family dwellings. The zone
does not allow new multi -family developments. The existing 35' maximum height is consistent
with all single-family and multi -family residential zones in Iowa City.
The zone was originally created after a controversy in 1992 when a project proposed adding
more than one residential structure to a single lot in a Low -Density Multi -Family Residential
Zone (RM-12). Owners of nearby properties petitioned Council due to concerns that allowing
more than one residential structure per lot in RM-12 zones would be out of character with the
existing neighborhood. In response, City Council adopted what is now known as the
Neighborhood Residential Stabilization Zone (RNS-12)1 on March 30, 1993, and rezoned
several properties in the general vicinity of Johnson Street on the west, Clapp Street on the
east, Market Street on the north, and Jefferson Street on the south from RM-12 to RNS-12. See
Attachment 2.
In February of 1994, Council amended the RNS-12 zone to affirm the zone's single-family
character and restrict the number of principal buildings permitted on a lot. It also further clarified
that the zone does not allow the construction of new multi -family structures.
Over time, Council continued to rezone several additional areas to RNS-12. While the
circumstances for rezoning each area were different, the overarching goals included conserving
each neighborhood's single-family character and preventing new multi -family development.
A summary of the creation of the zone and the multiple amendments to the zoning map that
resulted in rezoning from a multi -family zone to RNS-12 are as follows:
1 This zone was originally named Neighborhood Residential Conservation Zone or RNC-12, but was
renamed RNS-12 in 2005.
August 11, 2023
Page 2
• March 30, 1993: initial adoption of the RNS-12 zone, which amended the zoning code to
create a new zoning designation focused on allowing single-family dwellings and not
allowing new multi -family dwellings
• March 30, 1993: properties along Johnson Street to the west, Clapp Street on the east,
Market Street on the north, and Jefferson Street on the south were rezoned from the
RM-12 zone to the RNS-12 zone
• June 21, 1994: properties along Church Street between Dubuque and N. Dodge Streets
were downzoned from RM-12 to RNS-12
• January 11, 1995: Fairchild and Davenport Streets, between N. Dubuque and N. Dodge
Streets, and the 200 block of Bloomington Street, excluding properties zoned RM-44
along Dubuque Street were downzoned to RNS-12
• May 16, 2000: properties along the 300-600 blocks of S. Governor and S. Lucas Streets,
and a portion of the 700-800 blocks and 800-900 blocks of Bowery Street were
downzoned to RNS-12
• November 21, 2000: properties in the vicinity of Iowa Avenue, Washington Street, South
Summit Street, Governor Street, Muscatine Avenue, and College Street were
downzoned to RNS-12.
The most recent change to the boundaries of the RNS-12 zoning district occurred on May 1,
2007. Property owners in and near the South Governor and Bowery Street areas petitioned
Council to rezone the neighboring area from RNS-12 to RS-8. The purpose was to preserve the
balance of rental and owner -occupied housing by ensuring that additional duplex conversions
would not take place. Council approved the rezoning. The boundaries for areas zoned RNS-12
have not changed since 2007.
Explanation of Building Height
While the application of the RNS-12 zone has expanded to various areas of the city through
multiple rezonings, the height limit in the zone has not changed since it was adopted. Maximum
height regulations help promote a reasonable building scale and relationship between buildings,
provide light, air, and privacy, and discourage buildings that visually dominate other nearby
buildings.
The maximum height in the RNS-12 zone is 35 feet, as defined in the code as measured from
the average point of ground elevation 5 feet from the building (called "grade') and the roofline,
which is the highest point of a flat roof, the deck line of a mansard roof, or the midpoint between
the eaves and ridge of a saddle, hip, gable, gambrel, or ogee roof. Certain items are exempted
from building height, such as chimneys, spires on institutional buildings, domes (and similar roof
protrusions) without habitable floor space, parapet walls up to 3 feet, television antennas, and
roof structures such as solar energy systems, stairways, ventilating fans, and similar equipment
required to maintain the building. Maximum height may be increased if all setbacks are
increased by an additional 2 feet for each foot of height above the height limit or through a Minor
Modification process where applicable approval criteria are met. Staff estimates that almost all
properties currently zoned RNS-12 conform with the current maximum height limit.
Analysis
Extent of the RNS-12 Zone
Today, there are 500 properties city-wide zoned RNS-12. Of the 500 total city-wide properties
zoned RNS-12, 375 (75%) are also regulated by a Historic District Overlay (OHD) or a
Conservation District Overlay (OCD) zone. These overlay zones preserve properties that have
been identified as important historic resources. The impact of the overlay zone regulations will
be discussed in the next section. Of the 500 properties city-wide, 313 are within the Northside
neighborhood. 266 (85%) of those within the Northside are also within a Historic or
Conservation Overlay zone. 125 (25%) of properties citywide are zoned RNS-12 and not
located within a OHD or OCD zone. 47 of these properties are located within the Northside
August 11, 2023
Page 3
neighborhood. In summary, there are few properties that are zoned RNS-12 and not located
within an OHD or OCD zone.
Figure 1 illustrates the boundary of the Northside neighborhood (in red), the location of
properties zoned RNS-12, and properties located within a OHD or OCD zone. Table 1 provides
a summary of this data. See also Attachment 3.
Figure 1: Map of properties zoned RNS-12
E Park Rd
W Market St
W Washington
st
Properties Zoned RNS-12
K,Inball Rd
hsb,
s
a 4
Brown St i x
0
III ii# � 1 Il
i. SIN JJ '12 it ya �a
�91 M xl�� � Ili ii
f
n
Illl
�
I
Elelfen
o
Y
c
z z
z
E Washington St
W Burlington G Cis
st a
Legend
Q Nortte ide/Goosetown Boundary
Neighborhood Stabilization Residential (RNS12)
(!n� Conservation District Overlay (OCD)
Historic District Overlay (OHD)
N
CITY Or IOWA CITY
Dreparea by. Kirk Lehmann
a
pate Prepared: Marrn 2023
c
5
E
a
' Cedar St
15
bve port St
�JIIt �
E BlOpnrktm S'
a
i I � Rochester Ave �
E
T Hotz Ave N
I
EJe n
4� v
S
8-- } -on,—
rrerson st
X
z
z z
z E Iowa Ave
c
Ile
LLLg1333,
111'1011 I II
E Washington Ty ¢`
St a $
y t
E College St
E Cdle9e St
M �
"Pq`A
E Burlington St
an �
{
•�7W1
rn
E Court st
cN
11 I l i NrLli
Maple St
l
Q Grant
ry
F Ct ch
5
Bow ��I
�hr
,A,
er
CAve
A
W
Seyrtaur Ave
August 11, 2023
Page 4
Table 1: Summary of Parcels Zoned RNS-12
Cit -wide
Number of Parcels
Neighborhood Stabilization
500
100%
Residential Zone RNS-12
RNS-12 with Historic or
375
75%
Conservation District Overlay
RNS-12 with No Historic or
125
25%
Conservation District Overlay
Northside Neighborhood
Number of Parcels
% of Parcels
Neighborhood Stabilization
313
100%
Residential Zone RNS-12
RNS-12 with Historic or
266
85%
Conservation District Overlay
RNS-12 with No Historic or
47
15%
Conservation District Overlay
Local Historic & Conservation Districts
All properties within an overlay zone OHD or OCD are subject to historic review for exterior
modifications that require a regulated permit (e.g. building permit). As a result, any new
construction or demolition must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation
Commission (HPC). Properties in these overlay zones are also subject to the guidelines
adopted in the Iowa City Historic Preservation Handbook which are analyzed during historic
review. With regards to building height the maximum allowable height is 35'; however, the
Handbook includes specific guidelines related to building height and mass and notes that "new
structures must be one and a half or two stories in height" in the Northside neighborhood. Any
proposal for new construction within an OHD or OCD zone would be reviewed based on the
surrounding neighborhood context and the building mass and scale of adjacent buildings. With
regards to demolition, the Handbook only allows it where the building is structurally unsound
and irretrievable. For non-contributing and non -historic properties requesting demolition, the
Commission will consider the condition, integrity, and architectural significance of the building.
Because most properties zoned RNS-12 are also zoned OHD or OCD, it adds a large degree of
protection from any future construction, demolition, or development changes in the future.
Field Work Review
To identify the potential impacts of the proposed amendment, staff estimated the building height
for all properties zoned RNS-12 using 2021 pictometry data from CONNECTExplorer. Staff
decided to utilize this after exploring other options. One such option including using lasers and
measuring distance and calculating height from the sidewalk; however, there were issues with
accuracy. Furthermore, based on our conversations with both City and County GIS
professionals they considered this tool to be the best option. It is important to note that without
engineered drawings or the use of professional survey equipment and access to each property,
it is not possible to ascertain actual building height from grade to roofline. Most buildings in this
area were built before current building permitting processes, so construction drawings are not
available. As such, this analysis only provides an idea of possible impacts; it should not be
interpreted as a definitive count of affected properties. To adjust for potential error in
measurement, staff categorized properties into groups with counts shown in Table 2.
This analysis suggests that approximately (1/5) one -fifth of buildings zoned RNS-12 may
become non -conforming if the height limit were reduced from 35 feet to 27 feet. Generally, these
are spread throughout the area zoned RNS-12. However, the impacts of the proposed
amendments could be lesser or greater depending on actual measurements.
August 11, 2023
Page 5
Table 2: Parcels by BuildingHei ht
Building
Height
Number
of Parcels
% of
Parcels
Category
>35'
13
2.6%
Non -conforming; would continue to be non -conforming
30-35'
104
20.8%
onformin ; may become non -conforming
25-29'
122
24.4%
onformin ; may be conforming or non -conforming
<25'
259
51.8%
onformin ; may continue to be conforming
Undetermined
2
0.4%
Lack of data or challenging site characteristics
Total
500
100.0 0
Source: CONNECTExplorer data collected by City staff
Buildings taller than the proposed 27-foot height limit would become non -conforming. Generally,
these may continue as they are so long as non -conformities are not increased or extended. In
addition, buildings may only be rebuilt to the same height as an existing structure where
damage to that building is less than 75% of its assessed value or it is a historic building. Other
more flexible non -conforming provisions generally apply to non -conforming single-family uses.
Single-family uses may be restored to the same degree of non -conforming or less if destroyed
or damaged by fire or a natural disaster.
As such, the proposed amendment would have two main impacts on those owning property that
may become non -conforming. The first is that future expansions must comply with the new
height limit, which may create situations where an addition cannot be the same height as the
original building. The second is that if something happens to a structure such that it is
destroyed, it may not be permitted to be rebuilt to its current dimension. This has implications for
owners in the area in the event of a disaster. It is also considered best practice to minimize the
number of non -conformities caused by changes to the zoning code.
Redevelopment Review
Staff also reviewed demolition permits in RNS-12 zoning districts to identify redevelopment
trends over time. Since 1992, the City had 17 residential demolitions in RNS-12 zones
(excluding the demolition of a single-family home for a school playground that should be zoned
P1). This averages approximately 1 demolition every 2 years over the past 31 years. Two of
these from the 1990s are for uses that are no longer allowed. A full list of the demolitions of
residential buildings can be found in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Demolition of Residential Buildings in RNS-12 Zones, 1992-2003
a
a
c
0
c
0
o' ■■■
p
e9 e1 e1 e1 e9 e1 eel e1 N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
August 11, 2023
Page 6
The characteristics of these demolitions are summarized below. In addition, Figure 2 shows
when demolitions occurred by year.
• 1 single-family demo to create vacant lot in 1992; remains undeveloped
• 1 single-family demo to build parking
• 1 duplex demo to build 4-plex (no longer allowed)
• 1 group living demo to build 6-plex (no longer allowed)
• 1 duplex demo to build a church
• 3 demos for buildings damaged in natural disasters; one single-family redeveloped as a
single-family, one single-family redeveloped as a duplex, and one multi -family
redeveloped as a duplex
• 4 single-family demos to build single-family (includes 319 N Van Buren)
• 4 single-family demos to build duplexes
• 1 duplex demo to build a duplex
Overall, it appears that development pressure in the RNS-12 zone has actually decreased over
time and redeveloping small single-family homes into large single-family homes is not common.
This may be due to the fact that 75% of properties zoned RNS-12 are also located within
Historic and Conservation District Overlay zones, which restrict demolitions.
Affordability & Equity
Housing affordability is a common goal between both the Northside Neighborhood Association
and the City of Iowa City. According to the National Association of Counties Matchmaker Tool,
Johnson County is a high -cost county with a rapidly growing population. This is a common
indicator that housing supply is not sufficient to meet current housing demand. In addition, the
Matchmaker Tool notes that 31.6% of renters in Johnson County are severely cost -burdened,
spending half or more of their income on rent alone. Recommended policy solutions include
upzoning land to allow for high -density housing and low-cost housing types, flexibility in design
standards, establishing an affordable housing trust fund, and relaxing dimensional
requirements. This assessment of county -level metrics provides ample solutions to the high -cost
housing issue in Iowa City and Johnson County as a whole.
Regarding the proposed reduction in height, staff has not found adequate evidence to suggest
that a height limit restriction will increase housing affordability. Instead, staff presented and the
Commission recommended approval of several best practice zoning reform strategies on
August 2, 2023 to increase housing supply and improve housing options.
Comprehensive Plan Analysis
The Future Land Use Map of the Central District Plan includes a land use designation for
Single -Family Residential Stabilization. The description for this designation is as follows:
"Intended for older areas of the city where single family homes originally
predominated, but due to subsequent changes in zoning have experienced an
increase in housing density and some conversion to multi -family and group living uses
has occurred. The intent of this designation is to preserve the single-family residential
character that remains by preventing further densification and conversion of single
family residences to multi -family. Development Density., varies depending on mix of
single family and conforming and nonconforming multi -family and group living uses."
This land use designation is applied to large areas of the Northside neighborhood, portions of E.
Market and E. Jefferson Streets, and areas of Lucas and S. Governor Streets south of
Burlington Street. These areas generally correspondence to the areas zoned RNS-12.
August 11, 2023
Page 7
As described in the adopted land use designation, the purpose of the designation is to "preserve
the single-family residential character' by "preventing further densification and conversion of
single-family residences to multi -family". In summary, the goal of this land use category is to
maintain a single-family neighborhood and restrict the number of units by limiting other housing
types.
The land use designation does not speak to the scale of development, but rather housing types
and density. The scale of the development is regulated by height in the zoning code. There are
many statements within the comprehensive plan related to infill development and ensuring that
it is compatible and complementary to the surrounding neighborhood. The maximum allowable
height in most residential zones is 35', which implies it has already been determined that 35' is a
height that ensures a complimentary scale.
Conclusions
75% of the properties zoned RNS-12 are located within a Historic or Conservation
District Overlay zone. As the staff report outlines, new construction would be subject to
historic preservation guidelines, and require review and approval by the Historic
Preservation Commission. In short, 75% of properties within the RNS-12 zone are
already subject to additional review processes that ensure new structures are not out of
scale with the surrounding neighborhood.
• Redevelopment pressures do not appear to be mounting in areas zoned RNS-12. Since
1992 there have been 17 residential demolitions in the RNS-12 zone. This is an average
of approximately 1 demolition every 2 years. This may be due in part to the large number
of properties that are located within Historic and Conservation District Overlay zones,
which restrict demolitions.
• Lowering the maximum allowable height will unnecessarily create non -conforming
situations.
• While height limits are intended to prevent domination of adjacent properties, the City
has traditionally found that 3 story building heights are appropriate in all areas containing
single-family uses, including the RNS-12 zone. The purpose of the RNS-12 zone is to
maintain a single-family character, which has been interpreted as preserving single-
family uses, and preventing the spread of multi -family conversions and redevelopment.
• The purpose of the RNS-12 zone is not tied to historic characteristics or the scale of the
development. For that purpose, the City has adopted Historic and Conservation Overlay
areas and much of the area zoned RNS-12 is subject to those additional guidelines and
requirements.
• Reducing the height limit is not a recommended best practice for improving housing
affordability, but rather increasing the diversity and density of housing would be the most
appropriate methods.
• The current height limitation is consistent with other single-family residential zones, thus
serving the purpose of the RNS-12 zone to maintain the predominantly single-family
neighborhood character.
For these reasons, Staff does not support the requested amendment to the zoning code.
August 11, 2023
Page 8
Next Steps
Staff sent letter to owners of properties zoned Neighborhood Residential Stabilization (RNS-12)
notifying them of the petition from the neighborhood association. The letter was mailed on July
26, 2023.
Upon recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council will hold a
public hearing on the proposed rezoning ordinance.
Staff Recommendation
Staff does not recommend approval of REZ23-0005, a proposal to change the maximum
allowable building height from thirty-five (35) feet to twenty-seven (27) feet in the Neighborhood
Residential Stabilization (RNS-12) zone.
Attachments
1. Northside Neighborhood Association Petition to City Council
2. Map of RNS-12 Rezoning Timeline
3. Map of Properties Zoned RNS-12
Approved by: !� • S% -
Danielle Sitzman, AICP, Development Services Coordinator
Department of Neighborhood and Development Services
ATTACHMENT 1
Northside Neighborhood Association Petition to
City Council
Ashley Platz
From: lames Throgmorton <jthrogmo@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2023 4:41 PM
To: 'City Council
Cc: Bruce Teague; Megan Alter; John Thomas; Laura Bergus; Shawn Harmsen; Pauline Taylor; Andrew
Dunn; Geoff Fruin; Sharon DeGraw; Susan Shullaw
Subject: Strengthening Iowa City's Central Neighborhoods
Attachments: We sent you safe versions of your files; RNS-12formalrequestNNA2023.pdf;
RNS-12Northsidemap.jpg
RISK
" This email originated outside of the City of Iowa City email system. Please take extra care opening any links or
attachments..•
Mimecast Attachment Protection has deemed this file to be safe, but always exercise caution when opening files.
Dear council members,
I write to you on behalf of the Northside Neighborhood Association's (NNA's) Steering Committee.
For reasons documented in the attached proposal, we in the NNA believe the Zoning Code should be amended to reduce
from 35 feel to 27 feet the maximum height for single-family and duplex residential structures in Residential Neighborhood
Stabilization (RNS-12) zones.
This amendment would help ensure that infill development projects in RNS-12 districts contribute to a healthy balance of
affordable rental and owner -occupied housing without compromising the character of the Northside and similar
neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Development Services staff have told us that either the City Council or the Planning and Zoning
Commission must be the sponsors of requests to change the text of the Code Consequently, we ask the Council to
initiate the rezoning process and direct staff to proceed in an expeditious manner. The only change being requested is to
go from 35' to 27' in RNS-12 districts.
We recognize that the proposed amendment would have to go through standard review by the
City staff, the P&Z Commission and the City Council. and that those reviews and related discussions
will influence your final decision about the merits of the proposed amendment.
Thank you for considering this request and for your service to the people of Iowa City.
Best regards,
Jim Throgmorton
PROPOSAL FOR STRENGTHENING IOWA CITY CENTRAL
NEIGHBORHOODS: Reduce the Height Limit in RNS-12 Districts to 27 Feet
The Northside Neighborhood Association believes the Zoning Code should be amended to reduce
from 35 feet to 27 feet the maximum height for single-family and duplex residential structures in
residential neighborhood stabilization (RNS-12) zones.This amendment would make the height
standards consistent with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and the Central District Plan, and it
would help ensure that infill development projects in RNS-12 districts contribute to a healthy balance
of affordable rental and owner -occupied housing without compromising the character of the Northside
and similar neighborhoods.'
Our Request
Neighborhood Development Services staff have told us that either the City Council or the Planning and
Zoning Commission must be the sponsors of requests to change the text of the Code Consequently,
we ask the Council to inibote the rezoning process and direct staff to proceed in an expeditious manner.
The only change being requested is to go from 35' to 27' in RNS-12 districts.
We provide you with this report so that you can decide whether the Council is willing to initiate
the proposed rezoning. Assuming a majority agrees to direct staff to act, we would be prepared to
provide further assistance as necessary.
We recognize that the proposed amendment would have to go through standard review by the
City staff, the P&Z Commission and the City Council, and that those reviews and related discussions
will influence your final decision about the merits of the proposed amendment.
Background obout the Northside Neighborhood
Located within the 1839 plat of the city, the Northside neighborhood is Iowa City's oldest intact
neighborhood. Located within convenient walking distance of the downtown and the main campus of
the university, the neighborhood contains features that mark it as a model for inclusive and sustainable
development, including: a vibrant commercial district, a thriving and recently renovated elementary
school, a mixture of housing types and costs, a significant forest canopy, medical facilities and grocery
stores, and many appealing components of an attractive public realm, including North Market Square
Park and many others.The neighborhood is also a valuable asset for Iowa City as a whole; for example,
because its residential density is considerably higher than most other neighborhoods, the property tax
revenue it generates per acre are also likely to be higher.
The attached zoning map shows the boundaries of RNS-12 districts relative to the Northside neighborhood and its
historic and conservation district overlay zones. Most of the RNS-12 district properties are located in the Northside;
however, some are located southeast of the Northside neighborhood. The two other RNS-12 districts are located in
the Longfellow neighborhood along South Lucas and South Governor Streets and in the College Hill neighborhood
between Burlington. Washington, Governor Streets and Muscatine Avenue. We have reached out to representatives
of Longfellow and College Hill neighborhoods and invited them to join us in this request.
We have chosen to follow the staffs advice; however, we are confused by the suff's interpretation of Sections 14-813-5A
(Initiation) and 14-8D-SC (Submittal Requirements) of the Zoning Code. Clarification would be helpful.
Goals of the Iowa City's Comprehensive Plan, Central District Plan,
Residential Neighborhood Stabilization (RNS-12) Zones, and Strategic Plan
Our request is rooted in ambitions and purposes expressed in Iowa City's Comprehensive Plan,
the Central District Plan, the RNS-12 provisions of the Zoning Code, and the recently adopted
Strategic Plan for 2023-2028.
Iowa City's "IC2030: Comprehensive Plan Update" (2013) states,"Quality infill development plays
an important role in neighborhood reinvestment and may include rehabilitating existing structures
or encouraging new development of vacant, blighted, or deteriorated property. Development of infill
sites should add to the diversity of housing options without compromising neighborhood character
or over -burdening infrastructure, including alleys and parking" (2013. p.21).Two of the plan's specific
goals are to "Ensure that infill development is compatible and complementary to the surrounding
neighborhood" (p. 24), and to "create a healthy balance of rental and owner -occupied housing in all
neighborhoods" (p. 28).
The "Central District Plan" (2008/2012), states in part,"While there are a considerable number of
smaller, modest homes in Subarea A [which includes the Northside], the competition from student
renters, who often live together and pool their resources, keeps these homes out of the financial
reach of many singles or families looking for affordable homes to rent or own" (p. 13). Goal 2 of this
plan indicates City government will "Work to achieve a healthy balance of rental and owner -occupied
housing in the district's older neighborhoods to promote long-term investment, affordable housing
opportunities, and preservation of historic homes and neighborhoods" (p.20).And it will "Examine
existing zoning rules to ensure that they support housing goals and neighborhood stabilization efforts"
(P. 21).
According to Iowa City's Zoning Code (Section 14-2A- I E), the purpose of the RNS-12 zone is
"to stabilize certain existing residential neighborhoods by preserving the predominantly single-family
residential character of these neighborhoods. Provisions in this zone prevent the conversion or
redevelopment of single-family uses to multi -family uses." Section 14-2A-4C-I further stipulates that
maximum height standards in the Code are intended "to promote a reasonable building scale and
relationship between buildings; provide options for light, air, and privacy; and discourage buildings that
visually dominate other buildings in the vicinity." This maximum height "may be increased; provided, that
for each foot of height increase above the height standard, the front, side, and rear setbacks are each
increased by an additional two feet (2 )."
Iowa City's "Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-2028" summarizes the vision, strategies and key
action steps for the City Council and staff through the five-year planning period. While all of the
Strategic Plan has relevance to the quality of life in the Northside neighborhood —we share the three
key values expressed in the Plan —several specific elements of the plan directly relate to our request.'
One of the Strategic Plan's three key values pertains to "partnership and engagement" It states,
"Community members believe engagement and participation in local government decision -making is
worthwhile and sincere....(and] Neighborhoods are revitalized as a source of grassroots community -
building, empowerment, and prosperity for all households" (p.8).
3 Those values are: 1) racial equity social justice, and human rights; 2) climate action; and 3) partnerships and engagement.
The Strategic Plan also identifies five impact areas, the first of which is Neighborhoods and Housing.
The vision for this impact area states:
Iowa City is a collection of authentic, vibrant neighborhoods and districts. By way of internal and
external streets and trails, each community member has safe, easy access to everyday facilities
and services within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Neighborhoods are compact and socially
diverse, with a variety of housing choices and at least one place serving as its center. Permanent
affordable housing choices are dispersed throughout the community. New higher density develop-
ment blends with existing buildings and shapes a comfortable, human -scale pedestrian environ-
ment. Public spaces are inviting and active with people recreating and socializing in parks, natural
areas, and tree -lined streetscapes, all enhanced with public art and placemaking activities" (p.9).'
We in the Northside neighborhood are striving to preserve and strengthen the kind of neighborhood
the Comprehensive Plan, Central District Plan, RNS-12 code, and Strategic Plan purport to value.
We ask the City Council to put those values into action by amending the maximum height provision
of the RNS-12 Code.
Rationale for Amending the Maximum Height Provision of the RNS-12 Code
There are three RNS-12 districts in Iowa City. Roughly 500 properties are located in them.Three
hundred and thirteen (313) of the properties are located within the Northside neighborhood.To date,
we have been focusing our attention on the properties located within the Northside neighborhood
and the neighborhood located immediately southeast of it; however, we recognize the importance of
reaching out to residents who live in the other two RNS-12 districts, and we have begun doing so.
1) The 35-foot Maximum Height Undermines Affordability
The existing housing stock in the Northside's RNS-12 district is quite diverse it terms of housing
type, age, assessed value, and ownership. The 35-foot maximum height for new single-family and duplex
structures provides a financial incentive that undermines the affordability of housing in the neighborhood.
According to our preliminary analysis of 244 residential properties located in the RNS-12 district
(including the part extending east outside of the Northside's boundary):
137
designated as single-family/owner-occupied'
51
2-family conversions or duplexes
17
rooming houses
16
3-family conversions
12
apartments
6
4-family conversions
3
5-family conversion
2
condominiums
4 To help readers envision what such a neighborhood would look like, the Plan prominently displays a photograph taken
during a Northside neighborhood block party.
5 Many properties designated as single-family / owner -occupied are owned by LLCs.We do not understand why they are
classified as "owner -occupied;' but we presume that many of them are rented.
6 Detailed information about property ownership and assessed values in the RNS-12 and other zoning districts can be
found in the Johnson County Assessors Property Information Viewer at: https://gis.lohnsoncouncylowa.gov/piv/.
As one would expect of an older central neighborhood, the buildings tend to be quite old; they range
in age from one built in 1848 to two built in 2016.The breakdown of buildings according to age is as
follows:
56
built in the 1800s
157
built from 1900 to 1949
31
built after 1950
The 2023 assessed values of the single-family/owner-occupied properties ranges from to $76.410 to
$544,610; a breakdown of assessed properties can be seen below:
25
properties are assessed in the
$ I00,000s or less
77
properties are assessed in the
$200,OOOs
26
properties are assessed in the
$300,OOOs
5
properties are assessed in the
$400,O00s
4
properties are assessed in the
$500,000s
It is especially instructive to look at the mix of owners of the 313 properties. Fifty-two (52) are
owned by 30 Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) or corporations. Of the 313 properties located in the
Northside's portion of the RNS-12 zone, at least 40 are owned by one company.
The age, assessed values, and location of housing in the Northside's RNS-12 district has important
consequences. The continued demand for student housing puts pressure on housing in the Northside
and other close -in neighborhoods. In light of that demand, investors have a strong financial incentive
to convert existing single-family structures to rental units (especially but not exclusively) for students
or else to demolish existing structures and replace them with structures housing a larger number of
occupants. Lot by lot, some developers seek permission to construct structures which are incompatible
in scale and character with nearby buildings.This market pressure drives up the assessed values of
property, which increases property taxes and makes the neighborhood less affordable for current
owner -occupants and for families and individuals who wish to rent or purchase housing in walkable
neighborhoods, such as those in the RNS-12 zone.'
A related challenge concerns deterioration of older buildings due to mistreatment or a lack of
investment in their maintenance or improvement. Some rental occupants can be tremendously hard
on buildings.This drives up the owner's cost of routine maintenance, repair, and upkeep. Older residents
who live on fixed -incomes in structures that are small and old face a related challenge. As market forces
cause the assessed value of currently affordable housing to increase, such residents must pay increased
property taxes and, especially if they have low or fixed incomes, find they cannot afford to invest in
home improvement or energy efficiency. Over time, such properties become increasingly vulnerable to
purchase by investors who see opportunities to demolish existing buildings and redevelop the properties.
7 Recent actions by the State have limited Iowa Citys ability to regulate the number of occupants per dwelling, and additional
state legislation restricting the City's ability to regulate short term rentals. such as Airbnb, has put further pressure on
affordable housing.
4
Our preliminary, partial analysis provides
empirical evidence for this claim. We are
aware of three recent demolitions:
935 East Bloomington Street
918 East Bloomington Street
319 North Van Buren Street
Several other proposed demolitions are:
923 East Market Street
930 East Jefferson Street
915 East Davenport Street
923 East Davenport Street
943 East Davenport Street
I 116 East Davenport Street
in the RNS-12 districts and adjacent
neighborhoods.
Recent demolition of small home at 923 East Market Street
The demolitions at 935 East Bloomington
Street and 319 North Van Buren Street
are especially instructive.The recent
demolition at 935 East Bloomington
Street transformed a property assessed
at $166.410 in 2022 into a new two-story
building with a finished basement into a
property assessed at $536,220 in 2023.
According to Zillow, it was originally listed
for sale in October 2022 at $589,000. It did
not sell after two reductions in price, and
in March 2023 the one -bedroom basement
was listed for rent at $ I,000 per month.
The three bedrooms on the second floor
are listed at $900 each per month for rent.
The main floor is designed for shared use
by tenants in the four bedrooms.
935 East Bloomington Street
The demolition at 319 North Van Buren Street signals what can happen to the character of a neighbor-
hood when the owner proposes a new structure that maximizes its possible height under the current
code.The owner has tried twice to obtain a permit to build a new structure. Most recently, the owner
proposed a three-story structure, which would have been 38 feet tall e A graphic image of what that
building would have looked like in relation to the building immediately to its north is shown on page 6.
Our focus is on amending the maximum height limits specified in the RNS-12 part of the Zoning Code. However, our
concerns about the potentially adverse effects of continuing the 35-foot limit are influenced by the City staff's and the
Board of Adjustment's recent decisions concerning that proposed building.
Left Illustration of o recently proposed structure at
319 North Van Buren Street in relation to the home
immediately to its north.
In our view, infill development is inevitable
and can have a positive impact when
it complements the existing scale and
character of the neighborhood. However,
permitting 35-foot tall homes makes it less
likely that appropriately -sized and affordable
new structures will be built.
2) The 35-foot Maximum Height Compromises the Northside Neighborhood's Character
Except for the South District's form -based code, which specifies 2.5 stories as the maximum height, it is
our understanding that the current 35-foot height limit applies to all single-family zones across the city.
This 35-foot maximum allows 3 full stories plus an attic. We understand that the intent of the 35-foot
limit was to accommodate houses built on sloping lots with walk -out basements. Such houses are usually
only 2 stories or approximately 25 feet tall on the street side of the property but are located on lots
that slope away from the street. Consequently, the back side of the house with the walkout basement
includes another floor and sometimes approaches the 35-foot height limit. Although there maybe
exceptions to this house form, it is generally observed in parts of the city that have sloping lots.
Very rarely, if ever, are Iowa City houses 35 feet call when viewed from the street.
In preparation of this document for Council's consideration, we examined property records and
conducted visual surveys to determine the height of each single-family dwelling and duplex in the
city's RNS-12 areas.We found that buildings in the Northside's RNS-12 zone typically range from
approximately 15-foot tall single -story structures with an attic to 25-foot tall two-story structures with
an attic; that is, they are overwhelmingly 1-, 1.5-, 2-, and 2.5-story dwellings. We found no 3- or 3.5-story
houses on the Northside. Few, if any, approach the current 35-foot height limit. Even the apartment
buildings (which will not be affected by the proposed change) in the RNS-12 zone are lower in height
than 35 feet and 3 stories, primarily because the lower level is located partially underground in most of
these buildings.When we conducted our survey, we identified the taller buildings and measured them
with a laser measuring tool.
One reason for the current 35-height limit in Iowa City's single-family residential zones is to allow
walk -out basements on sloping Iots.There are very few if any sloping lots in the RNS-12 zones, which
are located in older and flatter parts of town. Therefore, there is no need to allow taller buildings to
accommodate walk -out basements.
Proposals like the recent one for 319 North Van Buren Street will not result in affordable housing.
They remove existing affordable units and replace them with 4-bedroom student rentals that go for
more than $1,000 per month per bedroom.They also make the neighborhood less attractive overall
and may discourage households that City government has been trying to attract to support Mann
Elementary School, the Northside commercial district, and downtown.
One might ask why a 27-foot maximum height should be set for the RNS-12 zone if the Historic
Preservation guidelines, which are overlaid on parts of the zone, recommend a maximum height of two
stories in the Northside and Longfellow Historic Districts. In other words there is some indication that
height is already restricted to less than the 35 feet in parts of the RNS-12 zone, so there may not be
a need to amend the standard in Table 2A-2. But the guidelines are just that — guidelines, while the height
limit in the zoning code is law and therefore carries more force. It is also important for the zoning law to
be consistent with the guidelines to avoid confusion by having two different height limits apply to the
same parcel. When the zoning law is not consistent with the guidelines, confusion can occur for both
developers and the neighborhood as to what is possible to achieve.To more clearly guide investment
decisions, the two should be consistent.
In addition, the large parts of the RNS-12 zone that are not covered by Historic or Conservation
District designations make it necessary to amend the height limit to 27 feet to achieve the community's
stated goals and the purpose of the RNS-12 zone, which is to preserve the character of these
neighborhoods.
The RNS-12 zone was specifically drafted to preserve the existing single-family character of certain
neighborhoods. The current 35-foot height limit is counter to this goal. It encourages redevelopment
with out -of -scale buildings that have harmful effects on neighboring properties. Permitting new infill
structures of that height would make it more difficult for the Northside neighborhood to retain a
healthy balance of affordable rental and owner -occupied housing without causing destabilization and
compromising the character of the neighborhood. The homes and duplexes in the Appendix
demonstrate that a range of housing types are compatible with a 27 foot height limit.
Prepared by the NNA Steering Committee
May -June 2023
APPENDIX: Examples of Buildings that Work with a 27 Foot High
Code Amendment to the RNS-12 Zone
Height measures are based on the method used to measure height in the zoning code, which is from
the ground to the midpoint between the eaves (where the roof starts to slope) and the peak of the roof.
801 Bowery is 24 feet tall on the street side.
The lot slopes slightly towards the back where
it measures 26 feet tall.
This house is 24 feet call.
r
B 16 and 818 East Market Street.
The building is 27 feet tall.
This apartment building at 534 South Lucas Street
is 30 feet tall. It illustrates some of the large apartment
buildings (which will not be affected by the proposed
code amendment) do not even reach the 3S feet
currently permitted by the RNS-12 code.
v
Z
E
J
c
o
Z
U
Kimball Rd
m
cm_
a
n
E Park Rd
°
Brown St
N in
c c
m w c
Z m
Brown
St
L
O
Z
t1Z
Ronalds St o
c
v
z
rf� ®�7®�'p�®J
IdatYF
i:M HICIY`I
Church
St
Fairchild St
®
U
Cedar St
U19da7
® ®
l.V
N
E Davenport
St c
t
ton St
E Bloonn09
c
w
Rochester
Ave u
W Market St
_
E Market
`'—I��J�UL'�C't11111Fa—T'
tll. q 1 J
St 11/ �+
� w
£
N
c-.�
VI J
❑
JLJ1_'u'JJ11Lil
{}��}��®7���,'��
�OJ.1:lJ-1
L�.L
Holz Ave
¢>
p
c
o
E Jefferson
n n�
c
N N--,,,
w _ _ 1 .
errerson St
c
a > w
L
o
u
f
Z
U
Z
O
Z
l7 Z D
z m
^0
Z
0
Z
Z
z E Iowa Ave
,roc
W Washington
St
E Washington St
E Washington
• • ih��h�"1 St
�a Q
N
, j j
M
Scdf1�
m
E College St
[�
®
a E
9p
College St
ut
W Burlington
N
N
E Burlington
St
St
o
0
Vf
a
J
C
N
E g
N0!•'coCoN
g
190
t j
j...
E Court St
Legend
N
"
Maple St
Northside Boundary
Neighborhood Stabilization Residential (RNS12)
0 Conservation District Overlay (OCD)
® Historic District Overlay (OHD)
0 Grant
x Ct c)
c F n
3 n
3.
N Center
Ave
Seymour Ave
ATTACHMENT 2
Map of RNS-12 Rezoning Timeline
c N IIIIIIr
N E Wv .-
P ,r� N
a
0
z
Brown St
5`
RNS-12 Rezoning Timeline
Z h
o m
� 3
June 21,1994:
Z°
z '
Browrn Rezoning from
m
RM-12 to RNS-12
Ronalds St
w h s=5)=
�. r■owc _
U �I V) n orc y
Fes- c` �_�..hrr {>,i„-Fi� r Ind
z L a
J - -2 �_.Ftrchild St
}} Z J '
i-7
1 _ E Davenport St
LVFrL
0Imili
65 p}��E Bloon inglon St
V-6 r f';i7-L�'1I I "J
z E Market St -�,r
January 3, 1995: Cn
Rezoning from v
E Jefferson St
RM-12 to RNS-12
m -
x
E Iowa Av
E Washington St E Washin ton St
t N E College St
_v` a
ciii tA _ M E Burlington S'
O U
0 m N
W
St
E Court St May 16, 2000:
_ L
m
R1 from
1,14
P
.2ezoning
E Harrison -E to RNS-12
0St
E
U
�
HI
c
v> E Prentiss St a
6 2
6
Wright St
rn
Lafayette St
v �
a
8 C/p E Benton St
0 0.1 0.2 0.4 Miles
I l t l l t t t l
E Court St
u
Page St m
m
114dmn S!
Ronalds St
C
J
C
i - 1
C ^��
o "'ltl F3� U � t
CITY OF 1OWA CITY
Prepared by: Melanie Comer
Date Prepared: August 2023
0
m c
March 30, 1993:
Rezoning from
RM-12 to RNS-12
a rn i
L _
o� m. m
�1Kp%O�N� r
}V_Rochester L
�<01U d �. ri,-� Ave Z
Alk v _w v
�rn Hotz Ave N `
N�. a o aDT o
s 0
E
w ' Jefferson St a 2 '
WOodlawn Ave
E Washi
St
0
a
m
p a/e rVa/e Rd
o
November 21, 2000:
Rezoning from RNC-20 to
RNS-12
cd) v
P `
9�P LL
E Court St
May 1, 2007:
Rezoning from
E RNS-12 to RS-8
V)
U
Y 9
� C
s
O Seymour Ave �
O
Sheridan Ave
N
Ct
V
C
ATTACHMENT 3
Map of Properties Zoned RNS-12
Properties Zoned RNS-12
Kimball Rd
a
Lfs�
E Park Rd
c c
m a c
Brown St z m'
L
O
Z
W Market St
W Washington
St
No go
U
7'���
AZIIZ �O9f
!. s
2flLdc*t
�� ►w all
[i
Fairchild St
►vl�►�
a61 �R
► �� �M
I r
al=
`d
4Uu�
i bt
Washington
E College St
W Burlington rn
St c c
o v
� c
c m
Legend
Q Northside/Goosetown Boundary
Neighborhood Stabilization Residential (RNS12)
ITT• Conservation District Overlay (OCD)
( Historic District Overlay (OHD)
E Burlingtar
5.9
lr ,
�._
CITY OF IOWA CITY
Prepared by: Kirk Lehmann
Date Prepared: March 2023
E
h` Cedar St
t
E Bloom.1x4on 5t
Rochester Ave
L_1f w] ]� E
V � EDTn-
Hotz Ave
� v.T
�I y� o
1� kn I
>i_.-w
E Jefferson St
Z
E lowarA-vve
r :
o�
E Washington
St
�-ZF 41
i P. it i it
an
e%fie
E College St
9`P
E Court St
Maple St
O Grant
n _ Ct C)
N b E U
C F a ^
3 n
3 <
Center
Ave
Seymour Ave
La � v � o
0 U, O
O 0 O
��
O U
m N O --
L)
O O
-- CZ-
0-
CIO
- O
cn U) —
C*+A CZ- 0
N
s'
��
. � L)
L O) p ca
0
-
cn '-'
E
a� -o
ca Q (n
U ->
E o -0
O — Z3
ca - ca cn
z:
E
CT
(3.)
L
O
Z
no
■ v
(Y)
CN
O
N
0
U
0
N
ca
co
The City of Iowa City invites you to attend an
ACCESSORY
APARTMENT
OPEN HOUSE
The City of Iowa City is considering changes to the Zoning Code to
increase housing supply, improve housing choice, and encourage
housing affordability. As part of this effort, the City is proposing to
modify how it regulates accessory apartments, also known as
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), granny flats, mother-in-law
suites, guest houses, or carriage houses. The City is hosting two
Open Houses to provide opportunities for residents to learn more
about these proposed changes and to listen to your thoughts!
What are Accessory Apartments?
Accessory apartments are small, self-contained dwelling units
located on the same lot as a primary home. ADUs can be attached
or detached and come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and
configurations. Images above and on the next page show some
examples of where accessory apartments may be located.
Current Standards
Must be accessory to detached single-family use
Only allowed in certain zones
(RS-5, RS-8, RM-12, RM-20, & RNS-20)
Owner must live on -site;
a rental permit is required
Requires 1 off-street parking space
for accessory apartment
Limited to 1 bedroom and 2 occupants
....0
loll loll loll
101101
DM.,Oh ,d Una
logo
■I■■I
AtU,,hM Unit
■g■ loss
IW■■NI
ntenor Upper Level Umt
■■■■ ®■■N ■K■■■
Interior Lower Levnl Umt Ahovc Garage Unil Garage Conversion
Source: City of Des MoinesAccessory I
-.posed
Proposed Standards
Must be accessory to single-family or duplex use
Allowed in any zone that allows residential uses
(includes RNS-12, RM-44, PRM, MU,
and some other commercial zones)
Owner is not required to live on -site;
a rental permit is required
No off-street parking required
for accessory apartment
Bedrooms and occupants limited by rental permit
Size limited to the lesser of 650 Sq Ft., � Size limited to the lesser of 1,000 Sq Ft.
30% of the floor area if in the main building, or 50% of the floor area of the main building
or 50% of the floor area if in an accessory building
Does not allow a standalone accessory apartment
An accessory apartment cannot increase the floor
area of the main building by over 10%
Buildings with an attached accessory apartment must
appear to be a detached single-family home, so new
entrances must face side or rear lot line
Allows a standalone accessory apartment
The square footage for an accessory apartment is
restricted by max. size limits
Buildings with an attached accessory apartment must
appear to be a use allowed in the zone; entrance
locations are not dictated