Dubuque council approves rezonings, development agreements and sewer loans in unanimous votes

Dubuque City Council on June 16 approved a package of land‑use, financing and operational measures, voting unanimously on rezoning requests, a downtown housing development agreement, easements and multiple State Revolving Fund (SRF) interim loan notes to fund sanitary‑sewer projects.

The votes covered two rezoning requests (1395 Washington Street and a portion of the end of June Drive), the Plastics Center redevelopment agreement for 408 W. Fifth Street, an amended and restated lease for Vitera USA Grain LLC, an easement for a private storm sewer at the Switch development, awards and grants tied to downtown housing, multiple SRF interim loans to plan and design Old Mill/ Catfish Creek sewer improvements, and a change that reduces the fiscal‑year 2026 water rate increase from 9% to 8%.

Why it matters: the council’s approvals move several construction and design phases forward for the city’s sanitary‑sewer capital program (Old Mill lift station phases and Catfish Creek interceptor work), authorize incentives and grants to support downtown housing production, and clear the way for near‑term project bidding and right‑of‑way work. The SRF planning/design interim notes approved are interim steps on multi‑year projects the city identified during recent budget discussions.

What the council did – highlights and formal outcomes - Rezoned 1395 Washington Street from C‑4 (Downtown Commercial) to C‑1 (Neighborhood Commercial) to allow first‑floor residential use. Motion for final passage moved by Councilmember Jess Ochoa Roussell, seconded by Councilmember Wethal; roll call 6–0 (Kavanaugh, Wethal, Roussell, Resnick, Farber, Sprank). (Evidence: associate planner Sheena Moon presented the rezoning report and the Zoning Advisory Commission recommended approval 5–0.)

- Rezoned a portion…