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Opinion: Give These Iowa City Streets a Diet Next
A road diet is a low-cost traffic management strategy that reduces the number of travel lanes present on a street to lower traffic speeds and improve the street’s overall safety. Three Iowa City street segments are good candidates for road diet projects that would transform roadways into community assets.
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Development: E Foster Rd Townhomes Use New Zoning Rules
IOWA CITY – Earlier this month, a major site plan received approval for new townhomes on E Foster Road in northern Iowa City. The project will consist of 19 townhome units across 5 buildings on an undeveloped 6 acre parcel owned by Foster Road Developers LLC. No renderings of the buildings could be found online…
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Iowa City Begins Planning for 21 S. Linn St. Redevelopment
In the summer of 2023, Iowa City City Council voted to purchase the vacant lot at 21 S. Linn St. in downtown for $4.5 million. The city is beginning a planning process for redevelopment of the lot.
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Analysis: Iowa City’s Title 14 Zoning Amendments
While an end to the ever-destructive, exclusionary single-family zoning practice and increased flexibility for more affordable housing types is laudable, many of these amendments are ultimately impeded by other elements of the zoning code and the city’s 2013 Comprehensive Plan. The Title 14 Amendments are, in the end, a limited first step in encouraging a…
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Development: 40 Unit Senior Apartment Building Proposed for Far Eastside
Sand Development LLC submitted a major site plan to city staff on February 14th detailing a project at 670 Nex Ave. The building, located near the Old Towne Village commercial area, would provide 80 bedrooms across 40 units.
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Iowa City’s Zoning Amendments Pass Second Consideration
The Iowa City City Council voted to pass second consideration of the Title 14 Zoning Code amendment package five votes to two during the October 17th formal meeting. Final consideration and adoption of the proposal will be possible at the Council’s next formal session on November 7th.
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Title 14 Zoning ADU Amendments Advance to Council with Owner-Occupancy Requirement Intact
IOWA CITY – The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend the proposed changes to the city’s Title 14 Zoning Code regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to city council, passing a motion four members over three at their October 4th meeting. Accessory dwelling units are small, secondary housing units constructed within existing residential lots that…
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Title 14 Zoning Code Passes First Consideration
IOWA CITY – At last night’s formal meeting, the Iowa City City Council voted five to one in favor of passing a package of amendments to the city’s Title 14 Zoning code in first consideration. Councilor Thomas made the lone nay vote and Councilor Alter was absent. The proposal will now move to second consideration…
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Development: Multi-family Apartment Proposed for Near Northside
IOWA CITY – A site plan proposal for a multi-family apartment development was submitted to the city for review on August 25th. The project would replace two existing structures at 400 N Clinton St. and 112 E Davenport St. rising 5 stories with 32 units. The lots total approximately 0.3 acres and are zoned for…
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Gilbert & Prentiss Student Housing Revived
IOWA CITY – A major site plan submitted to the city on July 21st indicates that a student housing development in Iowa City’s Riverfront Crossing district may be nearing construction phase after originally being proposed in 2019. The development will replace existing structures at 305 & 315 E. Prentiss St and 625 S. Gilbert St. …
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Iowa City Title 14 – Zoning Code Update
Iowa City is considering several significant updates to the city’s Title 14 Zoning Code. The goal of the proposed changes is to “improve housing choice, increase housing supply, and encourage affordability” and primarily focuses on existing single family zones with additional changes to some multifamily, commercial, and design provisions.
