Planning commission approves rezoning at 1300 Third Avenue SE to allow fifth dwelling unit

The Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission approved a request to rezone property at 1300 Third Avenue Southeast from Traditional Residential Flex to Traditional Residential High, allowing an existing interior apartment unit to be reactivated as a fifth dwelling unit, the commission said at its meeting.

City staff recommended approval, saying the parcel and proposed use conform with the Envision CR comprehensive plan and the site's high-intensity land-use designation. Dave Hogg of Development Services told the commission the parcel is about 5,600 square feet with a 2,200-square-foot structure and that the building requires six parking spaces; the applicant plans to share parking between three adjacent buildings and to use on-street spaces as well.

The rezoning would let the owner restore an existing apartment that is currently unoccupied. Connor Harris, the applicant, said the unit "used to be an apartment, so basically that was just the plan to kinda bring it back to what it once was," and confirmed no physical addition to the building is proposed.

Hogg described the three buildings purchased by the applicant and being remodeled as totaling 16 dwelling units (five in one building, six in another, and five in the third) and said the applicant will provide 20 parking places on- and off-site. Hogg told commissioners the parcel is served by city utilities and staff does not expect adverse impacts.

No members of the public spoke on the case. A commissioner moved to approve the rezoning and another commissioner seconded; the motion passed with the commissioners present saying "aye." The transcript records the motion as approved but does not record a roll-call tally.

Next steps: the staff presentation said the matter is scheduled for a City Council public hearing on Feb. 25, with potential second and third readings on March 11.

Clarifying details from the staff presentation: the parcel size is 5,600 square feet; structure size is 2,200 square feet; three buildings were described as totaling 16 units (5, 6, and 5) and 20 parking spaces were cited as being provided on- and off-site. The applicant represented that the fifth unit is an existing interior apartment and no addition is required.

The commission's action is a recommendation to City Council; final zoning change requires City Council action at the listed hearings.