Alley Vacations and Final Golf Cart Approval

Oskaloosa City Hall

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Public hearings and alley vacations dotted the landscape of the Oskaloosa City Council meeting Monday night. While little comment was made from the floor, two of the vacations ended in split decisions.

The first vacation was made especially interesting because councilor Jason Van Zetten’s company, Oskaloosa Food Products, was one of the requestors. Van Zetten abstained from comment and voting even though he was not required to do so.

Robert Martin submitted the vacation of 50.5 feet by 16 feet of the north-south alley behind the 700 block of Eighth Avenue East. Oskaloosa Food Products submitted a request for a 93 by 16 foot north-south alley along South Sixth Street.

Planning and Zoning committee had discussed the issue at the Sept. 10 meeting and recommended the sale allowing for a utility easement and a vehicular easement to allow two residents access to their back yards. City staff recommended the vacation with a utility easement only. The discussion centered on whether a utility easement would allow vehicular traffic.

Councilor Tom Walling said if there is a need to leave the vehicular easement in there might not be a reason to vacate.

Councilors took the issue to a vote and split 3-3 with Van Zetten abstaining. This meant the vacation vote failed since a majority did not vote in favor.

Councilors Walling, Tom Jimenez and Scottie Moore voted no, while Aaron Ver Steegh, Doug Yates and Joe Caliguiri voted in favor.

City manager Michael Schrock said during his comments later in the meeting that this vacation would be on the next council agenda in a different form to allow separations of the two areas for consideration.

The second vacation that brought discussion resulted from another vacation that had passed earlier in the session. Margaret Silvers, 402 North I Street, had submitted a request to vacate 60-feet by 16.5 feet of an alley behind her home “to ensure I have access to my garage.” David Wright at 911 C Avenue West requested consideration of the vacation as long as he could have access to bring his 20-foot trailers into his property.

Planning and Zoning had recommended 3-2 to deny the request. Commission chair Jon Zobel was on hand and spoke about the discussions conducted before the vote. Commission member R.D. Keep was also in the audience and stated he voted to deny, but in thinking the issue over would have changed his vote to favorable. Councilors passed the vacation on a 4-3 vote with Walling, Jimenez and Moore voting against.

Also included in Schrock’s report was the condition of the city-owned building which houses Oskaloosa Water Department and city fire equipment. A structural engineer had looked at the building and expressed concerns about the condition of the exterior. He recommended the removal of some of the stucco fascia to determine the condition of the brick behind.

Schrock said over the weekend members of the fire department removed portions and some of the brick began to come down as well. “The building is not falling down, but I wanted to let you know what the bricks on the ground was doing this morning.” Schrock went on to say the engineer does not think that it will be cost effective to save the building. More study and information will be provided to councilors at a later time.

Councilor Van Zetten requested that the council consider a change in meeting time. He suggested meeting at 5:30 or 6 p.m. This would be a change from the current 6:30 p.m. start time. Schrock said he would place it on the next agenda.

In other business:

• Approved beer permit renewal for Kum & Go on 17th Avenue East.
• Set Nov. 5 for public hearing on weed mowing assessments. If approved, would provide $1,100 to city for expenses incurred.
• Approved first reading of vacation of east-west alley adjacent to 411 North H Street and 901 C Avenue East.
• Approved third reading of an ordinance to allow golf carts to utilize Oskaloosa streets and park according to traffic laws.
• Held second reading of ordinance to change four-way stops to stops for east-west stop only at the intersections of South Seventh and Third Avenue East and South Seventh and High Avenue East.
• Approved pay request of $123,343.70 to Cornerstone Excavating for work completed on the North Green Paving Project.
• Approved a professional services contract with Snyder and Associates for work on the transportation study. Costs not to exceed $21,000.