Council approves multiple bond resolutions, urban renewal plans and development agreements in voice votes

Cedar Rapids City Council held public hearings and approved a series of finance and development measures on Feb. 25, adopting resolutions for general obligation bonds, water revenue bonds, and several urban renewal plans and development agreements. Councilors conducted each hearing, recorded that no members of the public objected at the hearings, and passed the items by voice votes with the motions moved and seconded as listed below.

Chad Matan of the finance department combined items 1 through 8 into a single presentation covering the 2025 Series A general obligation bonds and the Series C water revenue bonds. The Series A package included funding for capital improvement projects ($16 million), urban renewal street and bridge improvements ($9.15 million) and flood control system work ($36 million). Series C would fund water system work and a debt reserve. Matan described an anticipated overall 2025 issuance schedule with a pre-levy resolution on April 22, electronic bidding and an expected closing in mid-June.

Council recorded a public hearing with no objections for each of the eight bond-related agenda items and passed the resolutions by voice vote. For item 1 the motion was moved by Council member Scott Olson and seconded by Council member Todd; other items were moved and seconded as noted in the record. Finance recommended approval of the resolutions instituting proceedings for issuance of Series 2025 A and C bonds.

The meeting also included approval of urban renewal area resolutions and associated development agreements and first‑reading ordinances across multiple sites: - Lindale Urban Renewal Area and a development agreement with Shops at Cedar Rapids LLC to renovate the former Sears building at 4600 First Avenue NE; tenant: Dick’s House of Sports; city incentive: 10‑year rebate of increased taxes (100% rebate of increment up to amounts in the development agreement). The council adopted the resolution and approved the ordinance on first reading after discussion from Council members who said the project could spur further investment in the mall area. - Edgewood Industrial Park urban renewal area and development agreement with 1145 Industrial Avenue LLC for a multi‑building warehouse development (minimum investment $21.5 million; 10‑year 50% tax increment rebate) were approved on resolution and first-reading ordinance votes. - Amendment No. 8 to the Consolidated I‑380 Corridor Urban Renewal Area and related development agreement with 380 Commerce Park LLC (approximate $15 million investment and 50% 10‑year rebate) were approved.

Across the consent and regular agendas, council also approved multiple project resolutions, including water and stormwater bond public hearings, contract awards and plan approvals for projects such as the Fifth Avenue SE gate well and pump manhole project, the Tenth Street NW storm sewer cross‑connection project, basin maintenance, pavement milling and curb repair, D4 clarifier rehabilitation, and other public works projects. Those items were presented by department staff, were the subject of public hearings with no objections reported, and were approved by motion and voice vote.

Council recorded each public hearing as having no objections and passed the items. The Feb. 25 agenda included a variety of motions moved and seconded, and the council consistently conducted voice votes in which the mayor called for “aye” and “no;” the meeting record shows motions carried with no recorded opposition.

Because these were routine public hearings and approvals presented as bundled or individually by staff, council action at the Feb. 25 meeting was procedural: the council advanced the financing and project approvals necessary to proceed to bid and close on the described projects and to finalize development agreements for the urban renewal projects.

Votes at a glance (selected items; voice votes, no objections reported): - Series 2025A General Obligation Bond resolutions (items 1–7): approved (public hearing held; motion by Scott Olson on item 1, seconded by Council member Todd; other items moved/seconded as noted in the record). - Series 2025C Water Revenue Bonds (item 8): approved (public hearing, no objections; moved by Council member Van Orny, seconded by Council member Todd). - Lindale Urban Renewal Area resolution and development agreement with Shops at Cedar Rapids LLC (items 9–10): approved; ordinance approved on first reading. - Edgewood Industrial Park urban renewal resolution and development agreement (items 11–12): approved; ordinance approved on first reading. - Amendment No. 8 to Consolidated I‑380 Corridor urban renewal area and development agreement (items 13–14): approved. - Multiple public works project resolutions (items 19–23, 48–50 and others on Feb. 25): approved; bids to be awarded and contracts to be executed per project schedules.

The council did not record roll‑call tallies in the voice‑vote actions summarized here; the meeting minutes reflect the motions, seconders and the mayor’s call for “aye” or “no” and state that motions carried with no recorded objections.