Iowa City council defers North Governor Street rezoning after resident protests, seeks Planning & Zoning review

Iowa City Council members on April 15 deferred action on a proposed rezoning for a 5.49-acre site between North Dodge and North Governor streets after residents raised concerns about scale, tree removal and pedestrian access.

The zoning change under consideration would have consolidated several existing zoning districts and replaced obsolete R3B zoning with a mix of RS-12 with a planned development overlay for part of the site and RM-20 with an OPD for the majority, allowing a redevelopment plan that shows two multi-family buildings of 42 units each (84 units total).

Planning staff told the council the project was intended to produce infill housing and bring older, vacant buildings into modern compliance. Anne Russet, senior planner, summarized the technical review and conditions recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission, including a required replat before building permits, conversion of a duplex on North Dodge to a single unit to meet density rules, dedication of right of way and temporary construction easements, relocation of water service lines off North Governor onto North Dodge, and S-3 screening for a retaining wall at the site’s southern edge. Russet also noted the conditional zoning agreement had been signed and that protest petitions met the 28% threshold that requires a supermajority vote of council for approval.

Developer John Marner of MMS Consultants told the council the applicant had…