Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Campus Plans topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Plan & Zone Commission tables St. Ambrose campus land-use plan after neighborhood meeting feedback
Summary
The commission opened public hearing ORD 25-01 on St. Ambrose University’s campus land-use plan, heard staff summary and public-notice details, and voted to table the hearing so the university can review neighborhood comments and revise the plan.
The Davenport City Plan and Zone Commission on March 18 opened public hearing ORD 25-01, a request by St. Ambrose University to amend its campus land-use plan for the area bounded by Harrison Street, West Locust Street, Brown Street and Lombard Street, then voted to table the item so the university can consider neighborhood feedback.
City planner Matt (staff member) told the commission the campus is currently zoned Institutional Campus District and that an approved land-use plan governs campus development for 10 years. "The institutional Campus district has 2 levels of regulation," Matt said. "Once a land use plan is approved, development proceeds in accordance with that plan rather than the base district regulations. So approved land use plans are good for a period of 10 years." He summarized proposed features including a performing-arts center at the Rogalski Center parking lot, a new academic building on Gaines Street, expanded parking between Brown and Gaines, and enhanced green spaces.
Matt said the university held a neighborhood meeting on March 6 with about 20 attendees. He summarized public concerns raised at the meeting: requests for timeline and phasing information, questions about placement of the performing-arts center, potential demolition of homes for expanded parking, concentration and location of new parking, requests for more detailed traffic and lighting studies, and concerns about mechanical-equipment noise affecting nearby residential areas.
Commissioners were told St. Ambrose asked staff to table the hearing so the university could take neighborhood comments to its board of trustees in April, revise the plan as needed, and notify the city when it was ready to return. Staff recommended opening the hearing for public comment and then tabling the item. After a motion to table, the commission voted to table ORD 25-01 indefinitely pending the university’s revisions; staff will re-notify property owners within 500 feet when a new hearing date is set.
The commission did not close the public hearing; no formal approvals or denials were made. Commissioner Eichelberry recused himself from the item, and the chair said the matter would likely return in May or June when staff and the applicant agree on a date.
The commission's action preserves the university’s ability to revise the master plan in response to neighborhood concerns before the body makes a formal determination.
