Planning and Zoning Review Site Plan For New Penn Student Housing

Caleb Smith of McClure Engineering Co. discusses the William Penn Student Housing site plan with the Planning and Zoning Commission

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Two site plans and a street parking issue were just some of the issues before the Oskaloosa Planning and Zoning Commission Monday.

The first item on the agenda was the approval of the final plat for Seemann Addition and a request to waive the Preliminary Plat. Seeman had approval from the Board of Adjustment on October 25th to decrease rear yard setback requirements to build a townhouse at 304 North I street. Seemann was requesting his setback to be at 9 feet. Zoning regulations for that area require a minimum setback of 25 feet. “Well we’re trying to keep the lot lines consistent and our objective is to go on and get a subdivision so that ultimately we can divide that off and sell them as separate properties,” Seemann said when asked why he wanted the variance. The board voted 5-0 to approve the Variance as requested.

According to Oskaloosa Public Works Director Akhilesh Pal the reason for the new plat was “for the ease of [the] resale of property.” Pal stated that the staff was recommending an approval.

Members Booy, Brackney, Caliguiri, Comfort, Purdum and Zobel all voted in favor of the final plat.

The first site plan to come before the commission was to review the site plan for “Tuscany Village” located at 1510 Edmundson Drive. The plan calls for 3 duplex units along with 3 entrances to houses.

The size of the project has currently been downsized, and the city was asking the commission to consider adding the requirement of sidewalks to the site plan along with showing how the storage areas of the property would be accessed.

“Is this going to be the only section of sidewalk along there?” Board member Michelle Purdum asked Public Works Director Akhilesh Pal.

Brian Booy, a board member and the owner of land under discussion, said “There’s a ditch that lays along there. I really don’t know how your actually going to put a sidewalk in there.”

“You’re really not starting it anywhere and you’re ending it at nowhere,” Booy said about the lack of sidewalk that would connect to the portion he would be installing. “You see there’s no sidewalks out there on either side of the road. I guess my pitch would be you as a city would say, we’ll go ahead and connect from 11th up to mine. I’m willing to do it then.”

Pal explained that eventually the city will have a sidewalk program. Pal explained since the area in question is part of the park, there is a capital plan to put sidewalks in along 11th avenue west.

There was some discussion back and fourth between members, Booy and Pal about recent construction that the sidewalk was not mandated.

“I have no problem putting the sidewalk in, if there was something that [pause]. I mean this makes absolutely no sense to even do it.” Booy once again asked if the City would commit in 2012 to connecting the sidewalk.

Pal went back to his earlier statement about the capital investment plan for the future that would include sidewalks along 11th Ave West.

“Look at IM project. The City itself dropped the sidewalks there. An IM project clear around the fairgrounds. It never even got done. So you’re saying you’re going to implement sidewalks. It’s like road work, I mean were going to implement it. You don’t see anything implemented. It’s always in a plan. I’m not saying I don’t want to put them in, I don’t want to fight you about putting them in. That’s irrelevant to this project. I’m just saying we need to use some common sense,” Booy said about the lack of consistency.

In the end, the Commission voted 5-0 with Booy abstaining from the vote that the site plan be approved with the addition of having sidewalks installed.

Caleb Smith with McClure Engineering made a presentation on the site plan application for “William Penn University Student Housing Plan.” Smith was there representing Oxbow Development, who is developing the housing project.

The proposed student housing facility will be a 3 story building with 252 total units, that will consist of 36 two bedroom units and 45 four bedroom units. “[It’s a] fairly sizable project,” Smith said of the proposed site.

The building will be located just north of the Indian Hills Community Center and just south of Eltse Hall along North Market.

Smith explained that the project is land lease in nature, where William Penn will continue to own the ground where the building is located, and the developer will have the right to operate the facility.

The length of time that Oxbow Development would operate the facility is unknown at this time.

The site plan was passed by a unanimous decision.

Also up for discussion was the matter of restricting parking along the east side of Gurney Street and Trueblood Avenue and Rosenberger Avenue during school hours to allow the residents along that road better access to their driveways and homes.

Complaints had stated that it was difficult for residents to back out of their driveways and with the narrow road passage with cars parked on both sides, it proved to be a hazard.

The measure passed with all voting in favor with the exception of Brackney.

The final piece of business for the commission was to accept the resignation of Joe Caliguiri who had recently won a spot on the Oskaloosa City Council.

Caliguiri, the current chair of the commission started the nomination process for his successor to that position.

Caliguri was the Chair of the commission, so the commission needed to elected a new Chair person. Jon Zobel was unanimously elected as Chairman. The commission is now in search of a new board member, and because of gender balancing laws they will attempt to fill the position with a female.