City Council Receives Presentation On Possible Housing Development Project

Oskaloosa City Hall

By Eduardo Zamarripa, CRI Weekly News

Oskaloosa, Iowa- On Monday night, the Oskaloosa City Council received a presentation from Overland Property Development Group on a possible housing development project.

Brett Johnson, a partner at Overland Property, gave the presentation. Overland Property wants to construct a 48-unit apartment complex at the site of the former Georgian Court and Samaritan’s Inn location. But the project isn’t a sure thing yet, that’s because the developer needs state tax credits to help finance the $8 million project. The developer is also looking for a local match from the City in the amount of 6 percent. That’s about $480,000. City Manager Michael Schrock says that can come in the form of tax increment financing, waiving permit fees, or cash contributions. Schrock says the project is needed as defined by a housing study that was completed in 2012.

“We couldn’t ask for a better re-development for this particular site, from my perspective,” Schrock said.

Schrock says the financing details are still being ironed out, but he will present his recommendation in the next City Council meeting to continue moving forward with the project.

Another topic that generated discussion was the second reading of an ordinance to establish a ‘no parking zone’ along the South side of 5th Avenue East between South 7th Street and South 8th Street. This came after a complaint from overflowing traffic at the Webster School.

The City asked affected residents what they thought about the ordinance and 80 percent agreed with the parking restrictions. The council then discussed whether residents understood what a 24-hour no parking zone would mean in that area. After a 10-minute discussion, the second reading of the ordinance was approved on a 6-1 vote. Councilman Aaron Ver Steeg voted against the ordinance.

In addition to that, the council approved the first reading of an ordinance that amends stop and yield requirements for stop intersections, four-way stop intersections, and ‘no parking zones,’ by changing the intersection control of South 7th Street and 5th Avenue East from a four-way stop, to a two-way stop, and restricting parking along the West side of South 7th Street 50 feet North and South of 5th Avenue East.

The Public Works Department performed an all-way stop analysis at the intersection of South 7th Street and 5th Avenue East. No crashes were reported at the intersection of South 7th Street and 5th Avenue East during the three year period of 2010-2012. That’s why the recommendation came about.

The council approved the first reading of the ordinance on a 5-2 vote. Councilwoman Scottie Moore and Councilman Tom Walling voted against the ordinance.

“You can do the parking restriction to help the buses turn, but I’m not for taking the sign down,” Walling says.

City Council also unanimously approved two tentative union agreements: one with public professional and maintenance, mixed unit, employees (this includes library and public works employees, and any employee that is not a Oskaloosa Fire Department or Oskaloosa Police Department employee), and one with the Oskaloosa Police Department.

You can read the collective bargaining agreement between the City and mixed unit employees by going to page 99 on the agenda for the meeting. You can also read the collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Oskaloosa Police Department by going to page 102 on the agenda for the meeting.

The City has not reached a collective bargaining agreement with the Oskaloosa Fire Department.

“We could not come to terms with the Fire Union, unfortunately. And we’re seeking mediation, and as I’ve indicated to you, very willing to go into arbitration as needed,” Schrock says.

City Council unanimously approved the following items:

• A second reading on an ordinance amending Chapter 17.08 of the city code by changing “permitted uses by zoning district” to conditionally permit ‘laundry services within the “mixed use urban corridor zoning district and community commercial zoning districts”
• A second reading on an ordinance amending real estate sign regulations
• A resolution levying a special assessment against private property for cleaning up a property at 411 North B Street
• A resolution scheduling a public hearing to establish a ‘no parking zone’ along the South side of E Avenue East between North 11th Street and North 12th Street
• A resolution scheduling a public hearing to establish a ‘no parking zone’ along the West side of North 9th Street between A Avenue East and C Avenue East
• A resolution scheduling a public hearing to remove the ‘no parking zone’ along the North side of 3rd Avenue East from South 7th Street to South 11th Street

The council also unanimously approved a site plan for the property at 1208 South 7th Street to add a new facility for the Oskaloosa Water Department with the following stipulations:

• Install sidewalk on the public street frontage.
• Install yield sign for vehicles connecting the drive-thru lane with driveway.
• Provide a lighting plan.
• Any signs must meet the sign regulations from Chapter 17.30 of the Oskaloosa Municipal Code.
• Replace proposed granular surface with concrete surface to connect to the East portion of the proposed building.

The council removed the requirement from the site plan that indicated landscaping being adjacent to the street property line and within 10 feet.

The council also unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a Title VI non-discrimination program. This program is explained in the agenda:

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all subrecipients of Federal funds to establish a Title VI non-discrimination program and provide certain documentation before they will enter into any agreements for Federal funding assistance. Subrecipients include cities, counties, or any other agencies that receive Federal funding through the Iowa DOT.

The required documentation includes the following:

1. A signed Standard DOT Title VI Assurances

2. A signed Title VI Non-Discrimination Agreement

3. A signed Title VI Non-Discrimination Policy Statement

In the consent agenda, the council renewed the Class C liquor license for Stix, and approved the transfer of a Class C liquor license from Mi Ranchito’s former location, to its new location at Penn Central Mall. Mi Ranchito, which re-opened last Saturday, is now allowed to sell liquor.

The next City Council meeting is on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.